Maple Leafs Have Final Chance at Success With Current Core

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs must be the final straw for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their superstar core.

Apr 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA;Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16), center Auston Matthews (34) and teammates celebrate after they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the best teams in the 2024-25 season, but that’s nothing new for this team. Since the arrivals of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, the Maple Leafs have routinely been near the top of the NHL, making the Stanley Cup Playoffs in eight straight years.

The 2025 postseason is the Maple Leafs’ ninth straight playoff run with this current core, and it very well could bet their last if they don’t find success. Over their first eight appearances, the Maple Leafs have won just a single playoff series, putting enormous pressure on every big name in Toronto.

TSN’s Craig Button said there aren’t two players under more pressure in the entire 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs than Matthews and Marner.

Are Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner under the most pressure in this year’s #StanleyCup playoffs? TSN Director of Scouting @CraigJButton joins @JayOnrait to discuss. pic.twitter.com/ONdhNeust9

— JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) April 18, 2025

“In the entire playoffs,” Button said. “All players included. I don’t think there’s any question… Eight years, they haven’t gotten it done.”

This is going to be a crucial postseason in Toronto considering there have been calls for changes over the last few playoff failures.

In 2023, rather than consider lineup changes, the Maple Leafs fired general manager Kyle Dubas. In 2024, rather than consider lineup changes, they fired head coach Sheldon Keefe.

The Maple Leafs have had small lineup changes over their nearly decade in contention, but the main group has remained untouched. Matthews, Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares have all stuck around.

Since they’re the highest-paid, most notable, and arguably the best players on the team, it’s fair they catch the brunt of the critiques. It’s up to them to finally turn things around in Toronto. If they don’t, changes need to be made.

“If they don’t get it done this time, there will be massive changes to the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Button said. “Not because I know anything, but because there will have to be massive changes.”

Marner and Tavares specifically are playing in the final year of their contracts and could be valuable players in free agency.

When asked directly if the Maple Leafs will walk away from Marner and let him test free agency if there isn’t a noticeable change in postseason success, Button just plainly said, “Yes.”

All eyes are on the Battle of Ontario as the Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators in the first round.

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