Autopsy of a Season: Grading Every Maple Leaf from the 2025-26 Campaign
The 2025-26 season was a grueling 82-game journey that saw 36 different players pull on the Maple Leaf sweater. From the scoring heights of William Nylander to the defensive struggles that led to a league-high 299 goals against, we are grading every single player who stepped on the ice.
The Management Fallout
Before we hit the ice, the front office story cannot be ignored. Brad Treliving (Grade: F) was let go on March 30th after his aggressive but ultimately flawed retool failed. Head Coach Craig Berube (Grade: C-) struggled to implement his heavy system with a blue line that simply couldn't pivot. Change is coming at the top, but what about the room?
The Forward Group: Scoring vs. Depth
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Nylander | 65 | 30 | 49 | 79 | A- |
| John Tavares | 82 | 31 | 40 | 71 | B+ |
| Matthew Knies | 79 | 23 | 43 | 66 | B+ |
| Auston Matthews | 60 | 27 | 26 | 53 | B |
| Matias Maccelli | 71 | 14 | 25 | 39 | C+ |
| Max Domi | 80 | 12 | 24 | 36 | C |
| Bobby McMann* | 60 | 19 | 13 | 32 | B |
| Nick Robertson | 78 | 16 | 16 | 32 | C+ |
| Easton Cowan | 66 | 11 | 18 | 29 | B- |
| Nicolas Roy* | 59 | 5 | 15 | 20 | B- |
| Dakota Joshua | 55 | 10 | 8 | 18 | B |
| Steven Lorentz | 71 | 7 | 11 | 18 | C- |
| Scott Laughton* | 43 | 8 | 4 | 12 | D |
| Calle Järnkrok | 56 | 6 | 2 | 8 | D- |
| B.O. Groulx | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | C |
| Samuel Blais | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | D |
| Jacob Quillan | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | C- |
| Luke Haymes | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | C |
| Ryan Tverberg | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Michael Pezzetta | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | D- |
*Traded mid-season.
The Blue Line: Resurgence and Struggles
While Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Grade: A-) proved to be a draft-day steal on his current contract—capping his year with a strong Olympic performance for Sweden—the rest of the defense was a rollercoaster. Chris Tanev (Grade: B) was elite when healthy, but his abdomen injury in late December left a hole that Brandon Carlo (Grade: D+) and Simon Benoit (Grade: F) couldn't fill.
| Defenseman | GP | G | A | +/- | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O. Ekman-Larsson | 78 | 8 | 31 | -6 | A- |
| Morgan Rielly | 78 | 11 | 25 | -18 | C |
| Jake McCabe | 80 | 5 | 20 | 3 | B- |
| Troy Stecher | 58 | 3 | 11 | -8 | D+ |
| Brandon Carlo | 55 | 0 | 7 | 4 | D+ |
| Simon Benoit | 73 | 0 | 6 | -22 | F |
| Philippe Myers | 39 | 0 | 2 | -10 | D |
| Chris Tanev | 11 | 0 | 2 | 8 | B |
| Dakota Mermis | 11 | 1 | 0 | -3 | D |
| William Villeneuve | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | B- |
| Henry Thrun | 4 | 0 | 0 | -1 | C |
| Marshall Rifai | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Matt Benning | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
In the Crease
Goaltending was the definition of "inconsistent." Joseph Woll (Grade: B-) showed flashes of brilliance but was overworked, finishing with 15 wins. Dennis Hildeby (Grade: B) was the silver lining, posting a 2.86 GAA and proving he’s ready for more responsibility. Anthony Stolarz (Grade: C) struggled to find his rhythm during the mid-season slide.
The Offseason Blueprint: Bring Them Home
If the Leafs want to turn this around, the target list is clear. Both Nicolas Roy and Bobby McMann were traded away during Treliving's "seller" phase. If Roy becomes a UFA, he is the 3C this team desperately needs. McMann's 19 goals are exactly what's missing from the top nine. Sign them back, rebuild the bottom pair around OEL and Tanev, and 2027 could look much brighter.
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