The Toronto Maple Leafs open their 2025-26 regular season as they open most of their campaigns, against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena. The game will have all the pomp and circumstance of all the season openers, with the 48th Highlanders on the ice, and an air of excitement and anticipation, but also a feeling of uncertainty, with the makeup of the club changing to a group more conducive to head coach Craig Berube’s style.
The Leafs are bigger, with the additions of Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua, may be more abrasive with the additions of Scott Laughton and the recent waiver claim of Sammy Blais, but will not have the luxury of a “Core Four” group to do much of their scoring. The club will be looking for more of a balanced offensive attack and scoring from all four forward lines.
In goal, the absence of Joseph Woll will have Berube leaning heavily on Anthony Stolarz early in the season, but the club has three back-to-backs in October, which means that recent waiver claim Cayden Primeau or Marlies goalie Dennis Hildeby will be depended on early in the season.
On defense, it is status quo, with seven defenseman who were all on the roster last season, but the big question is, can Morgan Rielly bounce back after an up-and-down season, and how he will handle taking back his quarterback role on the Leafs top power play.
Up front, the biggest questions are who will fill the spot on the top line next to Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, and who will slot in alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. The injury to fourth-line center Scott Laughton has forced Berube to move Max Domi back to the middle, and newcomer Matias Maccelli will replace Domi on the wing on the top line. Bobby McMann played on the left side with Tavares and Nylander and will get the first crack on that line.
The size and sandpaper added by Roy and Joshua should make the Leafs better in their bottom six, but their season will be defined by whether Matthews can get back to being a 45-to-50 goal scorer, Knies can improve from 29 goals and be a consistent power forward, and they can get production from their power play.
Game Notes
The Canadiens are hoping to make the postseason for the second straight season and made a major addition in acquiring defenseman Noah Dobson in a trade with New York over the summer. Montreal has a great top line of forwards in Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, but their success will depend on getting solid goaltending from Samuel Montembeault, who will start for the Habs on Wednesday.
Anthony Stolarz will start in goal for Toronto. The Leafs recalled winger Easton Cowan and sent Jacob Quillan down to the AHL on Wednesday, but the promising rookie will not play against Montreal. Blais and Philippe Myers will also be healthy scratches.
Prediction
The reports of the Leafs demise have been greatly exaggerated. It appears that there should not be a significant dropoff from last season, but they will be a much more prototypical Berube team, playing with an edge and tighter defensively. My prediction for Toronto is that they will finish in the top three in the Atlantic, most likely second behind the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Please join in the discussion tonight in the Maple Leafs forum for the season opener and for the Blue Jays – Yankees Game 4.
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