As the calendar inches toward the heart of summer 2025, the traditional hockey off-season lull might be calling, but for Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving, the work is far from over. Following a 2024-25 season that saw the team finish atop the Atlantic Division, the subsequent off-season has been marked by significant changes, signaling a clear departure from the long-standing “Core Four” composition that defined the team for years.
On paper, the immediate aftermath of these foundational shifts might not strike some observers as an undeniable improvement. Yet, the current state is perhaps best viewed as a work in progress. The Maple Leafs presently hold approximately $5 million in salary cap space, coupled with various trade assets acquired during this transitional phase. This financial and personnel flexibility means the roster assembled today is likely not the final version that will hit the ice in October. The key question now is: what does the depth chart look like after the initial wave of moves, and what critical tasks remain on Treliving`s list?
Current Roster Snapshot (July 2025)
Based on the team`s apparent structure post-major moves, here`s a look at the depth chart as it stands:
Forwards
Knies – Matthews – Domi
Maccelli – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Roy – Robertson
Lorentz – Kämpf – Laughton
Pezzetta – Järnkrok – Reaves
The forward group features familiar faces anchoring the top lines alongside some new additions. The absence of a prominent name from the previous “Core Four” era (implicitly, Mitch Marner) is the most striking change at forward. Matias Maccelli, acquired from elsewhere, slots into the second line, presenting an intriguing new look alongside captain John Tavares and star winger William Nylander. The additions of Sean Couturier (via Laughton, likely in a multi-player deal) and other depth pieces suggest a focus on experience, grit, and defensive reliability in the bottom six.
Defence
McCabe – Tanev
Rielly – Carlo
Benoit – Ekman-Larsson
Mermis – Myers
The blue line has seen a considerable overhaul, bringing in veteran presences like Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Tyler Myers. This influx of experience and varied defensive styles appears aimed at creating a more robust and reliable unit. Morgan Rielly remains the offensive anchor, paired with Carlo in what projects to be a key shutdown pairing. The depth shown here (Mermis, Myers) suggests the team has added internal competition and options beyond the primary pairings.
Goaltending
Stolarz
Woll
In net, the tandem appears to be Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll. Stolarz, another off-season acquisition, provides a veteran presence and a track record of solid performance, potentially easing the load on the younger, albeit promising, Woll. This setup moves on from previous goaltending situations, banking on this duo to provide stability.
Cap Space & Financials
Current Cap Hits (approximate):
Forwards: $57.9 million
Defence: $25.7 million
Goal: $6.2 million
Cap Space Remaining: $5 million
The roughly $5 million in remaining cap space is a crucial detail. While not an enormous sum, it represents significant flexibility in a salary-capped league. This space can be used to sign remaining unrestricted free agents, address potential performance bonus overages, or, more likely, facilitate further transactions.
Items Still on the To-Do List
Despite the substantial moves made so far, the roster isn`t necessarily “finished.” Several key tasks likely remain for GM Treliving:
- Top-Six Forward Depth: While Maccelli is projected in the top six, the departure of a premiere offensive talent leaves a significant void. The team may still seek to acquire another impactful forward, perhaps through trade using the remaining cap space and assets, to truly balance the scoring punch across the top two lines.
- Defensive Alignment Refinement: While new personnel are in place, how the pairings truly shake out and perform remains to be seen. Treliving might evaluate the need for another specific type of defenceman or consider trading from the current group if redundancies or performance issues arise.
- Goaltending Certainty: The Stolarz-Woll tandem has potential, but how they handle the workload and pressure over a full season is an open question. Depending on available options and performance in training camp, Treliving could look to add a more established backup or even push for a higher-end tandem if the opportunity arises, though cap is tight here.
- Filling the Margins: Entry-level contracts need to be signed, waiver-eligible players need to be managed, and the AHL depth chart needs to be finalized. These are less glamorous tasks but essential for organizational health and flexibility throughout the season.
This off-season marks a significant pivot point for the Maple Leafs. The comfort of relying on a highly paid offensive “Core Four” has given way to a more distributed financial structure and a roster featuring a mix of established stars and new, perhaps less heralded but potentially more complementary, pieces. The immediate picture may not look like an automatic upgrade in pure scoring talent, but the stated goal is clearly to build a more complete, resilient team capable of sustained success. With approximately $5 million left to work with and several months before the puck drops, the composition of the 2025-26 Maple Leafs is still very much a story in progress.
