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Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs (Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Time to Admit Defeat: 3 Major Changes the Maple Leafs Must Make

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jim Parsons | Last updated May 19, 2025 11:15 AM ET

Another year, another heartbreak. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2024-25 season ended in all-too-familiar fashion: an early playoff exit, wasted talent, and more questions than answers. Despite lofty expectations and a “rebuilt” blue line, the team failed to advance beyond the second round, further cementing the notion that the current core isn’t built for playoff success.

While the sting of another loss is still fresh, today might not be the day to decide on this team’s future, but it’s absolutely time to look hard at the critical changes the organization must make to take a step forward finally. Three come to mind: move on from Mitch Marner, say goodbye to Brendan Shanahan, and find a playoff specialist to lead when it matters most.

Let Mitch Marner Go

The time has come to part ways with Mitch Marner. There is a lot of blame to go around with the “Core Four”, so Marner isn’t the only one who should take the heat. That said, he’s the biggest name without a contract and as much as he talks about loving Toronto, he’s probably got one foot out the door. It’s time to let him walk all the way out.

Once hailed as a hometown hero, Marner now represents everything that’s gone wrong in Toronto’s pursuit of playoff glory. The fans have turned, and even if he stays, the pressure he’d be playing under would be too immense to get the best version of him over the next eight seasons.

Despite playing alongside Auston Matthews — arguably the best pure goal scorer of this generation — Marner has only one 100-point season and a playoff resume filled with underwhelming performances. If he didn’t get it done then, why would anyone believe he could get it done while carrying around the pressure of a $13 million contract on his back?

He was booed off the ice after another Game 7 collapse, and many fans will remember his tenure for contract disputes, off-ice drama, and repeated failures in high-pressure moments. Whether it was threatening to play in Switzerland, vetoing a potential trade for Mikko Rantanen, or screaming at his teammates in Game 7 with completely dry hair, Marner has consistently failed to show the maturity and grit required to think he’s the solution.

Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast on Monday that it would be “very hard for the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner to see eye to eye on a deal unless one side really changes their bargaining position.” And why should the Leafs budge? Marner had his chance. It’s time to get value for him — whether through a trade of his rights or by letting him walk — and use that cap space to reshape the roster.

Move on from Brendan Shanahan

If Marner’s era is over, so too should be the era of the “Shanaplan.”

Brendan Shanahan has overseen nearly a decade of playoff futility. While the President of Hockey Operations was given a long leash because of the respect for what he did as a player, his vision for this roster didn’t play out as it should have. His belief in the core four — Matthews, Marner, Nylander, and Tavares — has been a costly miscalculation. Year after year, the Leafs have “run it back” with the same formula, only to get bounced by more complete, tougher teams.

Reports from insiders have long suggested Shanahan has a heavy hand in major decisions, sometimes overruling his general managers. If true, then Brad Treliving’s ability to execute a meaningful overhaul is limited as long as Shanahan remains in charge. As columnist Howard Berger put it, “No person in the Brendan Shanahan administration has shown the character or courage to pound on a desk and yell ‘we can’t keep doing this every year!’”

Enough is enough. Shanahan has had his chance. It’s time for new leadership to build a roster with better playoff instincts. As Nikc Kypreos argued, it might be time just to eliminate Shanahan’s position and not name a replacement.

Find a True Playoff Warrior

The Maple Leafs don’t just need talent — they need someone who thrives when the stakes are highest. They didn’t have enough players willing to get in the fight, and it’s time to swap out a little skill for determination.

Toronto’s best players consistently shrink when the intensity rises. The Leafs need a playoff warrior — a gritty, fearless leader who can drag his team into the battle, not disappear when it begins. Matthew Knies showed flashes of that edge, but he’s still developing and was injured at the most crucial time. Expect the Leafs to hand out big money to Knies on a long-term deal this summer.

Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

One name that stands out is Sam Bennett — a free agent who just helped eliminate the Leafs as part of Florida’s relentless forward group. He’s precisely the type of player Toronto has lacked: someone who finishes checks, agitates opponents, and scores when it counts.

Whether it’s through free agency or a bold trade, the Leafs must find their playoff soldier — someone to fill the leadership void that Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares haven’t been able to.

The Maple Leafs’ window isn’t completely shut and there are still several good pieces here that got the Leafs into the final eight. Having said that, it’s crystal clear now that his core leadership group isn’t the right mix. The team has changed the pieces around it and nothing has worked. The franchise must make bold, uncomfortable decisions.

Letting go of Marner, moving on from Shanahan, and finally acquiring a proven playoff performer are essential steps if this team hopes to write a different story next spring.