We’re now halfway through the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 season, and alarmingly, the Leafs still find themselves near the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Injuries have devastated the team, but even when healthy, it has put together a disappointing season that could lead to massive organizational changes if things do not turn for the better.
And things may be turning for the better: The Leafs have won four of their last five games (4-0-1), losing only once in overtime.
The Athletic’s Maple Leafs reporters, Jonas Siegel and Joshua Kloke, will ask similar questions that they did at the quarter-season mark: How have the performances of individual players, as well as general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube, impacted the team’s position in the standings? What’s gone right and what’s gone wrong?
As always, player grades are assigned based on performance, considering expectations and salary. Those who have not played at least 10 games (with some exceptions) were not included. Quarter-mark grades remained for those, such as Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, who haven’t played much since because of injuries.
Grade
9+
All-star worthy
8-9
Great season so far
7-8
Good to very good season
6-7
Marginal to decent impact nightly
5-6
Low impact or not meeting expectations
5 and under
No impact
GM and head coach
Brad Treliving
Kloke: 5.8
Some of his additions are popping — Troy Stecher and Nicolas Roy come to mind – but there are massive question marks around most of the other ones.
Siegel: 5.5
Craig Berube
Siegel: 5.5
Ultimately, the Leafs coach hasn’t gotten the most out of the talent at his disposal. The Leafs haven’t spent enough time in the offensive zone, and the power play was so ineffective that it led to the firing of Berube’s assistant coach, Marc Savard, last month. Things are improving on both fronts lately, though it will take a prolonged run of excellence for Berube’s Leafs to erase their first-half woes.
Kloke: 6.1
Forwards
Easton Cowan
Siegel: 7.0
Cowan does rookie stuff, such as turning pucks over in tough spots, but he also makes good things happen with his puck-hounding hustle — such as the turnover he forced on Thursday night that prompted Auston Matthews’ third goal against the Winnipeg Jets.
MATTY HATTY TO START THE NEW YEAR!! 🧢 pic.twitter.com/veLrzDzBIb
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 2, 2026
Kloke: 7.0
Max Domi
Kloke: 5.0
It’s been a trying year for Domi, who has not made the consistent offensive impact to justify his continued poor defensive play. Berube has made Domi a healthy scratch, a move he should consider more often.
Siegel: 5.3
Calle Järnkrok
Siegel: 4.7
Very marginal impact this season. Not so much offence and poor underlying numbers — at five-on-five and on the penalty kill.
Kloke: 4.8
Dakota Joshua
Siegel: 6.2
Joshua has thrown a ton of hits this season, but I’m not sure how much that physicality has actually impacted games. His play has improved as the year has gone along, but the production has still been mild, and his best fit appears to be on the fourth line. He’ll be out a while now with an injury to his kidney.
Kloke: 6.4
Matthew Knies
Kloke: 6.9
The power forward hasn’t necessarily had a bad start to the season, but he also hasn’t taken the giant leap in his development the way many believed he might in another season under Berube. It does feel like it’s coming, though. His playmaking has improved and there have been high points, including a two-goal effort against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 27. But too many shifts and games went by early this season where his high-impact style isn’t applied consistently. Knies came into this season hoping to play his way into the U.S. Olympic team conversation, but that didn’t happen.
Siegel: 7.0
Scott Laughton
Kloke: 6.9
This version of Laughton is much closer to the Laughton whom Treliving hoped he was acquiring at last year’s trade deadline. Laughton is clearly more comfortable in Toronto, as evidenced by his increased role on the team. The effort is consistent, which you couldn’t say about most Leafs during the uglier stretches of the first half.
Siegel: 6.7
Scott Laughton has looked more comfortable with the Leafs this season. (Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
Steven Lorentz
Kloke: 6.4
Lorentz is very much the same reliable player he was last season, but for nearly double the cap hit.
Siegel: 6.5
Matias Maccelli
Siegel: 6.5
I think he’s actually been OK this season when given an opportunity. Maccelli is in there to produce offence, and while the numbers don’t exactly pop, he does rank fifth among Leaf forwards in five-on-five point rate and is producing at a 42-point pace with next to no power-play production.
Kloke: 6.4
Auston Matthews
Kloke: 6.9
The Leafs captain’s ranking jumped because of his last few games, as he’s showing consistent flashes of being the game-breaking player Toronto hopes he still can be. He’s looked hampered by an injury for most of the first half of the year. But lately, man, all the remarkable details in his game are emerging.
Siegel: 6.5
Bobby McMann
Siegel: 7.0
The heaters can be tantalizing with McMann, and he’s on one of those right now. He should set new career highs in goals, assists and points this season.
Kloke: 7.2
William Nylander
Kloke: 7.9
For most of the first half of the season, Nylander has felt like the Leafs’ best player. His cold streaks during games seem to have drawn the ire of Berube. But when he’s hitting his highs, there are still very few more dynamic offensive talents in the world.
Siegel: 7.5
Nick Robertson
Siegel: 7.0
Robertson is scoring at basically the same rate as he always has. The big improvement for him is an uptick in playmaking: He’s already collected more assists in half a season (11) than he did all of last season (7) — and that’s with spotty power-play time.
Kloke: 7.4
Nick Robertson’s impact is rising this season. (Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
Nicolas Roy
Kloke: 6.8
After taking some time to find his way — and his ice time — the reliable centre has become a valuable piece. The offence is starting to come. But it’s the way Roy can prop up his linemates with quiet attention to detail that allows them to take offensive chances that makes him a key cog.
Siegel: 6.5
John Tavares
Siegel: 8.0
As expected, Tavares cooled off considerably in December with only three goals and eight points in 14 games, with lesser results driving play. He’s still on pace for 30 goals, though, as a 35-year-old playing second-line centre. He continues to crush foes in the faceoff circle, winning almost 60 percent of his draws.
Kloke: 7.8
Defence
Simon Benoit
Kloke: 6.0
There’s some physicality shift to shift, but you’d like more. Benoit has steadied his game as of late.
Siegel: 6.0
Brandon Carlo
Siegel: 6.0
Carlo hasn’t played since our quarter-mark report cards because of a foot injury. The Leafs need him to be a lot more effective defensively and make cleaner plays with the puck when he finally returns.
Kloke: 5.9
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Kloke: 7.4
Arguably the team’s best — and most reliable — defenceman this season. He’s operated with a level of poise in his puck play and edge in his physical game that’s making for a renaissance year.
Siegel: 7.5
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been a dependable presence for the Leafs this season. (Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
Jake McCabe
Siegel: 7.0
He struggled for a bit when the Leafs had him playing on his off side. And he hasn’t been quite as effective this season without Chris Tanev regularly beside him. The 32-year-old has been a rare source of stability — playing every game — in a lineup that’s changed constantly. And he’s taken over for Tanev as a shot-blocking machine and might even break Tanev’s franchise record in that department this season.
Kloke: 7.2
Dakota Mermis
Kloke: 5.3
The depth defenceman kept the waters calm when called upon before injury.
Siegel: 5.5
Philippe Myers
Siegel: 4.7
It’s gone a little better here of late for Myers, to the point that he temporarily pushed Benoit from the lineup. The Leafs aren’t playing him as much, or as often, as they did before.
Kloke: 4.5
Morgan Rielly
Kloke: 7.0
There are signs of age and some decline, but Rielly still takes too much heat in this market. He’s a leader and still one of the most important pieces on this team. Quietly, he’s producing at one of the best rates of his career.
Siegel: 6.8
Troy Stecher
Kloke: 8.0
Some waiver claims struggle to adapt to their new surroundings, but not Stecher. We’re talking borderline revelation here: You can point to the puck movement and the defensive efforts, but for me, Stecher’s greatest gift to his new team can be felt in his swagger. The Leafs seem to have more juice every time he’s on the ice.
Siegel: 8.3
Chris Tanev
Siegel: 6.3
His season has sadly been ruined by injuries, including a groin injury that could sideline him for the season.
Kloke: 6.8
Goalies
Dennis Hildeby
Siegel: 7.5
The Leafs couldn’t possibly ask for more from a 24-year-old regularly playing games in the NHL for the first time. Hildeby has stopped 10 goals above expected in 15 appearances.
Kloke: 7.7
Dennis Hildeby has played very well when called upon. (Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
Anthony Stolarz
Kloke: 5.8
It feels unfair to assess Stolarz’s 13 games: there’s a chance he hasn’t been fully healthy throughout the season. It will be fascinating to see if/when he returns this season and how the rest of his newly-signed four-year contract — which hasn’t even kicked in yet — unfolds.
Siegel: 6.0
Joseph Woll
Siegel: 8.0
Woll has been exceptional when he’s been in the net this season. And that’s really been the only hitch: He’s started only 14 games, and there’s a limit on how much he can play before injuries resurface.
Kloke: 8.1
