The “Core Four” jokes ended this offseason when Mitch Marner took his talents to the Vegas Golden Knights. Only Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares remain to get the Toronto Maple Leafs over the hump. The question people could ask is how they'll do it without their regular season points leader from last season. No one really knows how the Maple Leafs' forward lineup will look in the 2025-26 season, and everyone will get the first glimpse at training camp.
It seems like Brad Treliving's plan is to fill the Marner gap by committee. He acquired Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua in the offseason, with Roy's addition coming in the trade that sent Marner's rights to Vegas.
The defense will remain essentially the same, with the goaltending tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll also returning. The forward group will fall into place once head coach Craig Berube answers one crucial question: Who is going to play on Matthews' right wing?
Can the Maple Leafs split William Nylander and John Tavares?
The Leafs could remedy one break-up of Matthews and Marner by splitting Nylander and Tavares. For better or for worse, those duos have been constants in the Core Four era, and fans might not be too upset if Berube decided to go forward with neither of them together.
One of the major gripes during Marner's tenure was his disapproval of playing with anyone other than Matthews. In limited opportunities together, Nylander and Matthews looked excellent, but Toronto never kept them together long enough to see any sustained impact. If the Leafs want to maximize Matthews' offensive output, Nylander is far and away the best choice.
The only issue with uniting Nylander and Matthews is determining who will play with Tavares, who scored 38 goals last season alongside Nylander. Tavares is still a valuable player for the Leafs, but he is nearing the tail end of his career, and the footspeed isn't there to drive a line. If Berube doesn't slot a playmaker alongside Tavares, they might lose some of his value.
With Nylander and Matthews apart, they still have a play-driver on each line. Stacking up the first line would only further diminish the depth and possibly turn the Leafs into a one-line team, which was the risk once Marner left.
Matias Maccelli's role on the Maple Leafs
The public perception of the Maccelli acquisition was primarily viewed as positive, which is a rarity in Toronto. The 24-year-old was a buy-low option for the Leafs coming off the worst season of his career, but his 57 points in 82 games in 2023-24 is an acceptable bar for him to reach. If Toronto gets that version of Maccelli, the trade would easily be a steal.
It's easy to see Maccelli reaching those heights if he earns the spot on Matthews' right wing. It's a spot that Maccelli didn't think he'd find himself in, but a good training camp from him could solidify the Leafs' depth and make everyone forget about Marner very quickly.
Matthew Knies has been improving every season with Toronto, and he should have his best year yet as he takes on more responsibility in Marner's absence. It wouldn't be Maccelli picking up all the slack, as Knies should be able to take some on from the left side as well. One question of Maccelli is whether he would be able to take on the primary playmaking role on that line, which would be a tough act to follow after Marner.
The Leafs' organization has no doubts that he can do it. Maccelli is a player who had 38 and 40 assists in the two seasons before last year's struggles. He has also never played with a player as lethal as Matthews.
Max Domi is the last option
It feels like Max Domi should be the last resort for Berube, but if you look at his usage in the past for the Leafs, he might be the one to bet on. It seems like Berube has a soft spot for Domi, as do his teammates, and the risk he runs of taking a bad penalty or making a costly mistake doesn't hurt his place in the lineup. Berube is an old-school coach, and he'd rather see Domi's edge on the ice.
Another thing that gives Domi the upper hand is that he has been successful alongside Matthews in the past. While Domi's knock is that he isn't consistent enough, he could give the first line a spark in small spurts when the original alignment goes stale. Don't bet on Domi being on the first line for all 82 games this year, but he'll undoubtedly earn some time in the role.
