Maple Leafs look for new challenge after losing Marner

"The Toronto Maple Leafs were among the teams being talked about after last season concluded. The topic? Who was going to replace star Mitch Marner, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. The question remains today and after some changes are the Maple Leafs looking to replace that production from within? It remains to be seen but the roster will have a different feel to it this season."

"However, he did not go out and make a blockbuster move. Why? The only answer is that he saw one player has and could replace Marner in the lineup, but not his production. Young star Matthew Knies has all of the potential in the world and now there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders to produce and make up some of the offense that left with Marner."

"Knies was not the only player who was part of the Maple Leafs transactions over the summer. Treliving also traded for forward Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, and Nicolas Roy, who was part of the Marner trade. Defenseman Henry Thrun was also brought in as a depth piece. Signed for the 2025-26 season were forwards Michael Pezzetta and Steven Lorentz. The roster may be deeper up font but it also has a different feel at the forward position."

The Maple Leafs traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights and did not pursue a blockbuster replacement. GM Brad Treliving elevated Matthew Knies as the internal replacement and signed him to a six-year deal, increasing expectations for Knies to generate offense. Treliving also added forwards Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, and Nicolas Roy, and depth defenseman Henry Thrun, while signing Michael Pezzetta and Steven Lorentz for 2025–26. The forward corps is deeper but has a different feel. The blue line—Morgan Rielly, Christopher Tanev, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, and Connor Timmins—appears to be one of the stronger defensive groups in recent Toronto seasons.

Read at Puck Prose