Here’s how the new Maple Leafs have fared through first 7 games

The Toronto Maple Leafs are seven games into the 2025-26 season, and the theme so far has been inconsistency. Yes, there’s plenty of new faces on the roster, and head coach Craig Berube can’t seem to find line combinations he’s in love with, but a 3-3-1 record is not meeting expectations of this hockey club.

General manager Brad Treliving made several roster moves throughout the offseason, so let’s dive into how the new players are doing through the first few weeks of the season:

Matias Maccelli

Perhaps no new Maple Leaf has been as inconsistent as Maccelli through the first seven games. He’s gone from first line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, to second line, to being demoted to the bottom six throughout the first few weeks. Maccelli is averaging 13:49 of ice-time per game, he’s recorded just two points in seven games, and what’s really stood out the most is his inability to manage the puck.

Maccelli makes high-risk plays and unfortunately, so far this season, not a lot of them have panned out into chances for his hockey club. There’s been too many costly turnovers in the neutral zone that have led to chances for the opposing team, and on the flip side, he hasn’t really shown a ton of chemistry with either of the top two lines. Maccelli’s style of play isn’t meant for a checking line, so if he’s not going to be able to produce in the top six, the Maple Leafs may have to reconsider their options. One hit and just five shots on goal through seven games isn’t good enough for Craig Berube-style of hockey.

Nicolas Roy

Roy has been a pleasant surprise for many of Leafs Nation who didn’t know too much about his game. He’s given the Maple Leafs a right-handed centre, one they’ve needed ever since Jason Spezza retired, and it’s eased the pressure of some faceoffs in the defensive zone.

Roy’s averaged 12:24 of ice-time so far through his first seven games as a Maple Leaf, and while he’s much better suited in a defensive stopper type of role, there’s more offense to give in his game. Roy’s posted just one goal and one assist through seven games and Berube and company could use a little more secondary offense to help out the big guns, who aren’t necessarily firing on all cylinders at the moment. Roy scored 15 goals last season in a limited role for Vegas, so the Maple Leafs need to get him back on track, because he has much more to give.

Roy’s yet to see a minute on the power play, which was something he was used to last season in Vegas, however, he’s become one of the Leafs most used penalty killers. Toronto ranks 17th in the league on the PK early on this season, and Roy’s averaged 2:01 shorthanded, good for second most among Leafs’ forwards. While he’ll be forever linked to Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs know he’s not here to replace him, and they just need the best version of Nicolas Roy each and every time he hits the ice.

Dakota Joshua

Again, there’s a theme here and it’s the fact that while Dakota Joshua has had some nice moments in his first seven games in blue and white, the production hasn’t been consistent enough and that’s becoming an issue for the Maple Leafs. Joshua hasn’t scored yet through seven games and has recorded just one assist.

The 29-year-old winger is signed for two more seasons at $3.25 million AAV, so you know Treliving wants to ensure Joshua carves himself out a role on this hockey club for not only this season, but moving forward with this group. Joshua has played among the bottom six, mostly with Roy down the middle. These two have shown some nice chemistry together, and Joshua has done a great job being physical. He’s second on the Leafs with 21 hits through seven games, and while he’s certainly not the fleetest of foot, Joshua needs to get to the net more and bang-and-crash his way to finding the back of the net.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been the best start personally. Just trying to work & find my fit. Everybody is playing with new people, so just trying to find that chemistry, and gel, and you know, be on the same page for a full 60 minutes,” stated Joshua Oct.17, via TSN’s Mark Masters. Berube hasn’t necessarily loved Joshua’s game either, as the growing pains are real early on for one of the newest Maple Leafs.

“He is what he is. He’s a big guy, who can forecheck and be physical, and he’s killing penalties for us. He’s got to be responsible defensively…For me, it’s all about the forecheck with Dakota, being physical there & getting pucks & hanging on to them down low & getting to the net,” Berube explained to Masters.

Joshua’s a team worst -6 +/- rating, and while don’t put too much weight into this stat at either end of the spectrum, it’s still been a very concerning start for someone who has plenty of term and money left on their contract. The good news it’s still very early.

Easton Cowan

The Maple Leafs top prospect has been given a chance to show his skills, but not necessarily as much as people thought. Cowan’s been a healthy scratch more than anticipated early on this season, he has appeared in just four of the first seven games, and has recorded just one secondary assist.

Cowan’s been all over the Leafs’ lineup, including getting a couple of looks on Toronto’s top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. He’s as skilled as they come with the puck, and his offensive instincts stand out right away, but it’s Cowan’s work without the puck, and his ability to impact the game throughout all 200-feet that seems to be the issue for Berube’s trust right now.

Cowan’s averaged 13:11 of ice-time throughout his first four appearances, including some time as a depth option on the power play. He’s also landed seven hits throughout his first four contests, and considering his age and size, the physical aspect of playing in the NHL doesn’t appear to be overwhelming for the Leafs’ rookie. He just needs to clean up his game in all three zones and do what he can to find the back of the net to help provide some more secondary scoring. Toronto’s desperate for it.

Cayden Primeau

With Joseph Woll still unavailable to due to personal reasons, Primeau’s stepped in and made one start for the Maple Leafs, and frankly, looked calm, cool, and collected throughout.

The 26-year-old netminder will see some action this weekend, as the Maple Leafs have a home-and-home series with the Buffalo Sabres, Friday and Saturday night. Primeau stopped 26 of 30 shots in his first game as a Leaf, and did enough to keep his team in the game, and earn the win. The group was impressed with his composure after his first win, and while Primeau was satisfied with the result, he knows there’s plenty of areas of his game he’d like to sharpen up.