Maple Leafs leadership group won't make excuses, takes responsibility for changes

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly sat at a podium in front of dozens of reporters Wednesday, a show of unity at the start of training camp from the Toronto Maple Leafs leadership group.

The common thread on this day?

No more excuses.

"As players, you take responsibility," Rielly said.

Not just for the fact that the franchise has won just two series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the past 21 years.

No, the 31-year-old defenseman also was referring to the number of key cogs in the organization who have departed during the past 28 months, whether of their own choice or not.

Indeed, in each of the past three opening press conferences -- including this one -- significant change has been front and center.

In 2023, it was the first training camp for general manager Brad Treliving, who had replaced Kyle Dubas in that role several months earlier.

In 2024, it marked the beginning of the Craig Berube era, the veteran coach having been brought in to take over from the fired Sheldon Keefe.

In each of those cases, then-team president Brendan Shanahan was on hand to address the media. Not this time; he was relieved of his duties after last season.

And Shanahan wasn't the only familiar face missing Wednesday.

Forward Mitch Marner, the fifth-leading scorer in Maple Leafs history with 741 points (221 goals, 520 assists) in 657 games, is now with the Vegas Golden Knights as part of a sign-and-trade July 1.

So much has changed in recent times. The only thing that hasn't? Toronto's inability to reach a conference final for the first time since 2002.

"You definitely take [the departures] personal, because at the end of the day we didn't accomplish what our goals were," the always matter-of-fact Tavares said, adding that "unfortunately, because of that, change happened.

"We're grateful for the impact [those people] have made on us and the team and where we and the organization are at today. We just have to try to take responsibility and know that you have to be better."

It's not as if the Maple Leafs were bad last season. Anything but.

Toronto (52-26-4) finished first in the Atlantic Division with 108 points, six ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and 10 ahead of the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. But after defeating the Ottawa Senators in six games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round, the Maple Leafs were eliminated in seven games by the Panthers, losing four of the final five in the series after winning the first two.

With Marner heading west, Toronto was active in bringing in Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli to augment its forward ranks. Berube said Maccelli and Max Domi, who is day to day because of a lower-body injury, are the likely candidates to take Marner's spot on the top line alongside Matthews and Matthew Knies.

The battle for that first-line wing spot will be one of the top stories coming out of training camp in the coming days. So, too, will be the pending contract for goalie Anthony Stolarz, which seems to be a matter of when, not if. The 31-year-old is in the final season of a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million average annual value) he signed July 1, 2024.

"You know, with Anthony having a year left, we've been engaged with his representatives," Treliving said, a wry grin on his face. "Nothing to announce today. Well, nothing to announce right now; [let's] see what the day brings. But, you know, we're hopeful to find a good outcome."

There is no doubt the play of Stolarz and partner Joseph Woll helped the Maple Leafs win the division last season. Thanks largely in part to their efforts, Toronto allowed 229 goals in 2024-25, tied with the Washington Capitals for eighth-fewest in the NHL.

But the biggest factor in the Maple Leafs' success this season will be the health of Matthews, who missed 15 games because of injury last season and had 78 points (33 goals, 45 assists) in 67 games.

Berube joked last week it was his fault that Matthews' goal total dropped by 36 from the 69 he scored in 2023-24. In reality, the captain never was at 100 percent last season, a factor which impacted his stats but not his work ethic.

Now he comes to camp seemingly fresh and fit.

"Health-wise, I'm feeling really good," Matthews said. "I had a really good summer having done a lot of things that put me in a position to come to training camp feeling really good."

Truth is, this version of the Maple Leafs, as has been the case in recent years, won't be judged until the playoffs in seven months.

Such is the reality of playing in a city that hasn't had the privilege of hosting a Stanley Cup parade since 1967.