There were many teams to watch for going into the 2025 NHL Playoffs. Among them were the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were fresh off their first divisional title for the first time since the 2020-2021 season. The Maple Leafs have a talented roster and experience. 

The team felt confident in their four biggest stars, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitchell Marner, and John Tavares, to potentially lead the team to their first Stanley Cup title since the 1966-1967 season. The Maple Leafs had a chance to knock off the defending champions, the Florida Panthers, at home on Sunday night in game seven of the second-round series. Instead, Toronto was embarrassed at home 6-1 after three, allowing three goals each in the second and third periods. This was Toronto’s seventh consecutive game-seven loss. 

While the loss of another blown title chase stings, the uncertain future of the Maple Leafs and their core is very much in doubt. 

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TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 7: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with teammates Mitchell Marner #16, John Tavares #91, Morgan Rielly #44 and William Nylander #88 during the second period at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

Is This It For The Maple Leafs’ Main Group?

The main core of the Maple Leafs is composed of stars Matthews, Nylander, Marner, and Tavares, who have all been with the team since 2018. When healthy, they are the most experienced and efficient core to compete for a Stanley Cup title. Among the biggest obstacles they have run into are injuries, inefficiencies, coaching woes, defensive letdowns, and the other teams just having an elite roster.

It has been a difficult trend for the Maple Leafs as the team knows they’re good enough, but the shortcomings are disappointing. What makes this playoff series exit even more difficult is that half of the group could be gone.

Matthews and Nylander have contracts with the Maple Leafs for a few more seasons, but the same couldn’t be said for Tavares and Marner. Tavares is set to be a free agent this off-season and will be 35 years old when the 2025-2026 NHL Season starts. He is coming off a 74-point season, but he won’t be getting an extensive long-term deal.

Mitch Marner Gone For Good?

The situation is much more complicated for Marner, who just turned 28. He is coming off a career year for the Maple Leafs. In 81 games played, Marner accounted for a career-high 102 points, a career-high 75 assists, and 27 goals.

He will become a free agent this offseason and likely wants a top-of-the-line deal. There is a potential for the team to give Marner a great new deal, but they currently have $21.7 million in salary cap space (17th in the NHL). The team possesses the second-oldest roster. While Marner is young, he, along with Matthews (27) and Nylander (29), won’t be young forever.

If the Maple Leafs want to avoid becoming the next Pittsburgh Penguins and have their core stars in their mid-to-late 30s, they will have to start getting younger stars now. 

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Mar 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) skates against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

End Of My Maple Leafs Rant

This postseason exit is another example of Toronto failing to break through the plateau and make the Eastern Conference Finals. It doesn’t have to be the end of the four-player core with Matthews, Marner, Nylander, and Tavares. The team might want to pull the plug and head in a different direction that won’t throw off their conference finals contention path. 

The Maple Leafs could re-sign Tavares on a much cheaper deal that could help them get younger talent. The biggest domino to fall this off-season might be letting Marner walk to get a top-tier deal with a star-hungry team.