3 Maple Leafs that could be gone by the end of 2025

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to make a major shakeup in the coming weeks after a disastrous start to their 2025-26 NHL season. After all, it certainly has been a while since the Maple Leafs have found themselves in the basement of the Eastern Conference like where they currently stand. One would have to go all the way back to their rebuilding years back in 2015-16 to be exact when they finished with a 29-42-11 record to finish not only dead last in the conference, but in the entire league as well."

"One of the Leafs key offseason trades from this past summer sure hasn't been panning out so far this year. Toronto had acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick to bring home their former 2014 fifth-round pick. Joshua was expected to add some grit along with some much-needed secondary scoring to the Leafs bottom six, as he had previously posted back-to-back double-digit goal-scoring seasons with the Canucks in 2022-23 and 2023-24."

"However, the 29-year-old forward has managed only two goals and three assists for five points in 22 games played with Toronto, making him on pace for less than 10 goals and 20 points over the entire season. More significantly, Joshua hasn't been tilting the ice in the Leafs favour whenever he has taken the ice, registering a disappointing CF of 45% and scoring chances rate of 48% in 5-on-5 situations. With a massive cap hit of $3.25 million per season playing bottom-six minutes, Toronto needs to use that cap space for more reliable scoring upfront to help make a difference for the team."

The Toronto Maple Leafs sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference early in the 2025-26 season, a position last seen during the 2015-16 rebuilding year when the team went 29-42-11. Immediate roster changes are likely as the club seeks to avoid a prolonged collapse and regain contender status established during the Auston Matthews era. Three Maple Leafs could be moved by the end of next month to improve performance. Dakota Joshua, acquired from Vancouver, has produced only five points in 22 games, posted poor underlying 5-on-5 metrics, and carries a $3.25 million cap hit that the team needs for scoring upgrades.

Read at Editor In Leaf