The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a slow start. They are 3-3-1 to begin the year after falling to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night by a score of 5-3. This is a different Maple Leafs team than in years past, which shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone.
Toronto is missing a highly skilled player in Mitch Marner. It is hard to replace a 100-point player like Marner, who played all three phases of the game for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not to mention the dynamic of the locker room is different. Auston Matthews no longer has one of his good friends on the team.
There was a massive shakeup with the Maple Leafs that needed to happen, and most figured the team would struggle offensively, but not to this extent. So, it begs the question: Are the Toronto Maple Leafs heading down a familiar path, similar to the Florida Panthers, when trying to establish a new identity?
Drama Always Surrounds the Toronto Maple Leafs
?NHL Thought of the Day ?
Time to Push The Panic Button ?️in Toronto or are the Maple Leafs Going Though Similar Growing Pains the Florida Panthers Went Through? #timetohunt #leafsforever @CraigJButton pic.twitter.com/OnRh2DUoq7
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 22, 2025
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Jim Biringer: “My NHL thought of the day. Let’s look at the Toronto Maple Leafs for a minute. 3-3-1 through seven games. Everybody’s asking, what’s wrong with the Toronto Maple Leafs? Why can’t they find their identity? What are they looking for? Anthony Stolarz is calling out his teammates again Tuesday night after they lose to the Devils, saying we got to be better. Craig Berube, now coming out, saying we got to be better. We need to be better. It’s not good enough. Stolarz threw himself in that category as well.
But Toronto’s missing something. Mitch Marner is not there anymore. He’s a dynamic player. Let’s be honest. Craig Button of TSN said you were going to regret losing a player like this. Regardless of what happened in the playoffs, he’s the top five scorer. It’s clear Auston Matthews isn’t the same player. That top line isn’t the same without him, the power play, everything, penalty kill.
NHL Rumors: Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, and Pete DeBoer
Doesn’t it remind you of a team when you try to change your identity, because you know what’s not working in the playoffs, takes time and slow time to find yourself, find your roles.
The Florida Panthers, 2022-23, that offseason, after they got smoked by the Tampa Bay Lightning, they moved out Jonathan Huberdeau MacKenzie Weegar, bringing in Matthew Tkachuk. Now again, Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli aren’t Matthew Tkachuk, but you changed your identity to be a tougher team. It took some time through seven games, the Panthers were 4-2-1. They hovered around NHL .500 pretty much the whole season.
It took some time to understand what Paul Maurice wanted to do. Yes, the Leafs look slow. Yes, the Leafs are a little older. They’re getting beat by fast teams, but it’s going to take some time. It’s still early. Everybody’s got to relax in Toronto. Yeah, they’ve got to be better. But Marner is not there. It’s a completely different identity from what this team is.
They want to be a physical team. Again, they’re not beating people up like they should. It’s going to take some time. But it’s a stark reminder of when you change, and completely change your identity, it’s going to take a little time to find a new one.”
NHL Rumors: Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs
Every year, we discuss teams learning to navigate adversity. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be a wildcard team this year if they continue playing the way they are. That might not be a bad thing. The Florida Panthers fought all year to make the playoffs, and it ultimately made them a stronger playoff team.
Toronto has cruised through some bumps in the road to reach the playoffs. So learning to battle all year and fight for a playoff spot will only harden them. However, the players have to embrace it. It can’t be a 50 percent buy-in. Everyone has to buy in every night.
Going from a fast-paced, high-flying offense to one that is a little slower and more methodical is going to take time. But as it is in any major market, things get blown out of proportion, and if it were not for the Toronto Blue Jays making the World Series, the struggles of the Maple Leafs might be even bigger news.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s new, and we’re just getting started. Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league.
