Another year, another playoff letdown. And just like that, the familiar calls return: break up the Core Four. Let Mitch Marner walk. Don’t re-sign John Tavares. Tear it down and start fresh. The question is this: How can the Maple Leafs improve?
But what if tearing it all down is the wrong conclusion?
What if the real problem isn’t who’s here, but who’s missing? What if the Maple Leafs don’t need to subtract but to add the right kind of players?
1. Don’t Blow the Maple Leafs Up—Build on What’s Working
This version of the Maple Leafs took the Florida Panthers to Game 7 on their home ice. And now, those same Panthers have steamrolled through the Eastern Conference Final. It’s possible the most formidable challenge they’ll face came from Toronto.
Toronto didn’t collapse. They fought. They pushed the Panthers to the brink. The series wasn’t a blowout—it was a war of inches. The difference? Florida had more bite. They won the battles that didn’t show up on the scoresheet.
That doesn’t mean the Maple Leafs’ stars are the problem. It means the team needs better insulation around them.
2. Add More “Refuse to Lose” Players
General manager Brad Treliving made defensive improvements this season. That part worked. But the playoffs revealed what’s still lacking: heart. The kind of heart that drives players to the dirty areas and wins puck battles no one notices—until the final score is posted.
Matthew Knies and Max Domi showed flashes of that. Easton Cowan might be next in line. Treliving himself has said the team needs players who “refuse to lose.” Fortunately, those players are often cheaper and more available than elite scorers.
Look at the Panthers’ supporting cast—guys like Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. Toronto needs that kind of complementary grit, and with cap flexibility returning, those pieces can be found.
3. Keep the Core—But Plan the Transition
Yes, Mitch Marner is leaving—the rumours are flying. Yes, John Tavares’ contract looms. However, the foundation is still strong, with Auston Matthews and William Nylander having already re-signed.
If Tavares returns on a team-friendly deal and Marner decides to stay and finish what he started, there’s no reason this core can’t win—especially with the salary cap finally rising. The key will be how Treliving uses that cap space to build around them.
The shift to head coach Craig Berube already signals a change in tone. But it’s not just coaching—it’s identity. The Maple Leafs need to finish what they’ve been building, not start over.
The Bottom Line: Maple Leafs Could Consider Tweak, Not a Tear Down
The Maple Leafs don’t need to start from scratch. They’ve been learning through action, adjusting year after year. This team is close—closer than the disappointment of Game 7 might suggest.
Now isn’t the time to tear it all down. It’s time to add what’s been missing and finish the job. Heart, grit, and the right support players may be all this team needs to finally push through May—and maybe into June.
