Which Maple Leafs Get the Pressure With Marner Gone? – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner’s exit this summer wasn’t just another offseason move. It was the kind of shift that sends shockwaves through a franchise and its fan base. After nine seasons, 741 points, and a lifetime’s worth of highlight reels, the Toronto kid was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights on July 1. For the Maple Leafs, it left more than just a gap in the lineup—it left a gap in their story.

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Now, as the 2025–26 season looms, the question isn’t just who replaces Marner. It’s where does the pressure land without him around? Because if there’s one thing about hockey in Toronto, it’s that pressure doesn’t disappear—it just shifts.

Here are four significant pressure points.

Pressure Point 1. Pressure on Maple Leafs Management

Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs’ front office had a choice: chase another marquee name to plug the hole, or build depth and change the team’s shape. They went with the latter.

Instead of splashy, headline-grabbing signings, the Maple Leafs brought in the likes of Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, and Michael Pezzetta. Solid players. Reliable players. But not stars. The bet here is that a tougher, more balanced lineup will be harder to play against when April rolls around.

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It’s a defensible move—but it’s also a gamble. Even if they didn’t want him around, fans know what they lost in Marner: a 102-point season, a playmaker who tilted the ice, a hometown face. If this depth experiment fizzles, the heat won’t be on the guys grinding in the bottom six. It’ll be squarely on management.

Pressure Point 2. Pressure on Matthews and Nylander

No one’s hiding it—this is Auston Matthews’ and William Nylander’s team now. With Marner gone, they don’t just need to produce; they need to carry the team.

Matthews is still the centrepiece. He’s the Rocket Richard Trophy threat every…