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One thing that Craig Berube intends to install in the 2024-25 version of the Toronto Maple Leafs: a sense of direction.
“We definitely want to be a north-south team,” said the new Leafs coach. “There’s some high-end skill here. I’m not here to take the sticks out of these guys’ hands, but there’s got to be an identity in how we want to play and we do want to play a north-south game.”
That means less side-to-side, fancy “east-west” play and a more direct attack into the opponents’ zone. Could be by carrying the puck. Could be by the dump-and-chase. Certainly will be through more physical play.
“We want to be a hard team to play against, we want to check,” said Berube. “And at the same time, we have some players who have the ability to score goals. In the end, it’s all what’s best for the team. That’s the most important thing.”
The likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are entering their late 20s — their peak years, athletically speaking. General manager Brad Treliving has built a much bigger blue line to support them, with the likes of Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson added as free agents.
And what the goaltending tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz lack in experience, the team hopes they can make up for in talent.
“We can shoot it in the net,” said Treliving. “For us it’s keeping it out. We have to check better. We’ve upgraded our defence.
“When I look at our team, it’s picking out pieces that we can do better at. Better on the penalty kill. We’ve got to get to the playoffs and find a way to be better on the power play in the playoffs. But we’ve got to keep it out of our net more than we did last year.”
Here’s a look at the 2024-25 Maple Leafs roster.
Vitals: 27 years old, 6-3, 215 pounds
Contract: First year of a four-year extension. Cap hit: $13.25 million (U.S.), tops in the league this season.
Last year: Finished one goal shy of a jaw-dropping 70, added penalty killing to his resumé and was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay, Selke and Lady Byng awards. Tied for second among forwards with 93 blocked shots. Was tops with 85 takeaways.
Storylines: He is the 26th captain in team history, replacing teammate John Tavares … An achievable 53-goal season will make him the franchise’s all-time leader … The mid-season 4 Nations Face-Off will have him at the heart of the U.S. team.
X-factor: His new role as captain adds a layer.
Vitals: 28, 6-0, 202 pounds
Contract: Beginning an eight-year, $92-million deal that pays an average of $11.5 million.
Last year: A career year (40 goals, 58 assists) that humanized him with trips on the subway and the team’s visit to his hometown of Stockholm. His 68 takeaways were second on the team.
Storylines: Is he a centre or is he a winger? The experiment continues.
X-factor: Doesn’t mind the spotlight one bit.
Vitals: 27, 6-0, 180 pounds
Contract: Final season of a six-year, $65-million deal. Cap hit: $10.93 million. Full no-movement clause.
Last year: Injuries limited him to 69 games, but he still had 85 points. His average of 21:17 of ice time was eighth in the league among forwards, tops on the team.
Storylines: Took most of the heat for the Leafs losing to Boston in the first round. Will he stay or will he go? An extension could be in the works, or a trade, or maybe he’ll walk as a free agent. Should be on Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
X-factor: He’s playing not just for a contract, but the respect of the fan base.
Vitals: 34, 6-1, 211 pounds
Contract: The final season of a seven-year, $77-million deal with a no-movement clause. Cap hit: $11 million.
Last year: Production dropped off to 65 points, his lowest output in a full 82-game season since his rookie year. Still, he was fourth in the league at faceoffs (59.4 per cent). Averaged 17:52 of ice time, the second-lowest of his career.
Storylines: How will relinquishing the captaincy affect his game? Is age catching up? Does the team want him back? What would a team-friendly contract look like? Is there any chance he makes Team Canada?
X-factor: He’s reliable and stoic. The captaincy thing has to sting. He’ll be playing for pride.
Vitals: 29, 5-10, 208 pounds
Contract: Signed a four-year, $15-million deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million. Includes a 13-team no-trade list.
Last year: Had nine goals, 38 assists last year in a season that got better as it went on. Defence isn’t his thing, but his playmaking is elite. The team’s most-penalized player (118 minutes), including six fighting majors.
Storylines: Got the dream contract with the team he dreamed about playing for. His dad, Tie, played 11 seasons in Toronto.
X-factor: Combination of grit and skill.
Vitals: 33, 6-0, 190 pounds
Contract: Third season of a four-year, $8.4-million deal. Cap hit: $2.1 million. Includes a 10-team no trade list.
Last year: Injuries halved his production to 10 goals in 54 games. His absence hurt the penalty-killing unit.
Storylines: Reliable defensively, extremely coachable, but perhaps expendable as trade material.
X-factor: A better shot than you might imagine.
Vitals: 21, 6-3, 217 pounds
Contract: Final season of a three-year, $2.775-million deal. Cap hit: $925,000.
Last year: A 15-goal season that was mostly good. Had a little trouble adjusting to a full 82-game season, but he’s a lot to handle and should be a perfect fit for coach Craig Berube.
Storylines: He’s up for an extension and has played his way into a top-six role.
X-factor: Rare combination of size, speed and skill.
Vitals: 29, 6-2, 190 pounds
Contract: Second season of a four-year, $9.6-million deal. Cap hit: $2.4 million. Includes a 10-team no-trade list.
Last year: Had eight goals, but his assists dropped to 11. Still the team’s top penalty-killing forward, playing 191:35 short-handed last season, eighth in the league. Led the team with 338 defensive-zone starts.
Storylines: He’s looking for more offence, and may have better wingers this year.
X-factor: Defence leads to offence.
Vitals: 26, 6-2, 205 pounds
Contract: Second year of a two-year, $1.55-million deal with a cap hit of $775,000.
Last year: Two goals and 17 assists in his second full season with the AHL Marlies. Got into two games with the Leafs.
Storylines: An undrafted late-bloomer out of Harvard, where he was a teammate with Marlie Nick Abruzzese. Matthews praised his play in camp as hard to play against.
X-Factor: There’s always room for someone with something to prove and a really small cap hit.
Vitals: 37, 6-2, 226 pounds
Contract: Second season of a three-year, $4.05-million deal. Cap hit: $1.35 million.
Last year: Four goals, two assists in 49 games and a team-worst minus-13.
Storylines: He continues to be a big locker-room presence and can send messages without dropping the gloves. Promises to be a bit more of a Berube-type player than a Sheldon Keefe one.
X-factor: Positive energy.
Vitals: 28, 6-2, 210 pounds
Contract: First season of a three-year, $4.05-million deal. Cap hit: $1.35 million.
Last year: Survived waivers. Parlayed a 15-goal season into a two-year deal. Turned a cameo after a call-up into one of the feel-good, late-bloomer stories. Suffered an MCL sprain in his knee and missed the playoffs.
Storylines: Can he do it again? He’s another that has trouble staying healthy.
X-factor: One of the good guys who’s easy to root for.
Vitals: 23, 5-9, 178 pounds
Contract: One year, $875,000.
Last year: Had 14 goals, 13 assists in 56 games, decent offence with very little power-play time. He scored 1.33 goals per 60 minutes of playing time at even strength, second behind Matthews on the team and 21st overall. Frustration over playing time led to a trade request.
Storylines: Given the trade request, he’s the one who will continually come up in trade talk.
X-factor: Fighting for that top-six role.
Vitals: 25, 6-0, 188 pounds
Contract: Final season of a two-year, $1.6-million deal at a cap hit of $800,000.
Last year: Seven goals, 10 assists in 54 games. A slow start meant a stint with the Marlies, but coaches love his cerebral approach to the game.
Storylines: Does a bit of this, a bit of that, and quietly goes about his business.
X Factor: Playing for a contract and a bigger role.
Vitals: 35, 6-2, 217 pounds
Contract: Came to camp on a professional tryout.
Last year: Four goals, 19 assists in 47 games in Washington.
Storylines: The first Canadiens captain to subsequently play for the Maple Leafs since Kirk Muller. Hopes wearing his usual No. 67 will bring luck to a team that hasn’t had much in the playoffs since, well, 1967.
X-factor: Wants to prove he’s well over his injury-riddled past.
Vitals: 28, 6-4, 216 pounds
Contract: Came to camp on a professional tryout.
Last year: One goal, two assists in a 38-game regular season, and a Stanley Cup ring after two goals, one assist in 16 post-season games in Florida.
Storylines: Has a Stanley Cup tattoo on one leg, says he has room for another on the other leg. Was a Paul Maurice favourite whenever he was inserted into Florida’s lineup.
X-factor: Kitchener boy living the dream playing for his team.
Vitals: 19, 5-11, 185 pounds.
Contract: First season of three-year, $2,807,500 entry-level deal. Cap hit: $904,667.
Last year: Named the OHL’s best player in the regular season and playoffs. Played for Canada at the world juniors.
Storylines: Most likely will be returned his junior team in London and to Team Canada. The Marlies are not an option because of his age. Trying to add more defence to his game.
X-factor: Best prospect in a long while.
Vitals: 30, 6-1, 225 pounds
Contract: Third season of an eight-year, $51-million deal. Cap hit of $7.5 million. Full no-movement clause.
Last year: Seven goals, 51 assists. His best offensive season in some time.
Storylines: Became a dad over the summer. Longest-serving Leaf, sitting 11th all-time in games played (791) with a chance to pass Ron Stewart (838) and Darryl Sittler (844) this season. With 392 career assists, he’s eighth all-time, third among defencemen and Tomas Kaberle (437) is within range. He is the team’s all-time blocked shots leader (1,072).
X-factor: His leadership and calming presence.
Vitals: 34, 6-2, 193 pounds
Contract: First season of a six-year, $27-million deal. Cap hit: $4.5 million. Full no-movement clause.
Last year: Two goals, 17 assists split between Calgary and Dallas, which acquired him at the trade deadline. Tied for third leaguewide with 207 blocked shots. His 184:53 of short-handed ice time would have been third among Leafs.
Storylines: He’s here to block shots, protect goalies and help Rielly.
X-factor: The East York native is looking for some hometown magic.
Vitals: 33, 6-2, 191 pounds
Contract: First season of a four-year, $14-million deal. Cap hit of $3.5 million and a 16-team no-trade list.
Last year: Nine goals and 23 assists and a Stanley Cup ring with Florida (two goals, four assists in the post-season). A bottom-pair blueliner in Florida at even strength, but a power-play specialist.
Storylines: Replacing John Klingberg as Treliving’s favourite past-his-prime Swedish defenceman. Hopefully he’ll fare better.
X-factor: Trying to keep that late-career surge going.
Vitals: 30, 6-1, 211 pounds
Contract: The final season of a four-year, $16-million deal (signed with Chicago). Cap hit: $2 million (thanks to salary retention by the Blackhawks). Eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season.
Last year: Eight goals, 20 assists and found his groove in his first full season in Toronto. Reliable penalty killer with some pop.
Storylines: Playing for an extension. Believes he’s found a home in Toronto.
X-factor: He’s got some snarl to his game.
Vitals: 25, 6-1, 190 pounds
Contract: First season of a two-year, $6-million deal. Cap hit of $3 million.
Last year: A high-ankle sprain certainly factored in, limiting him to 55 games. But he still managed three goals, 20 assists. More was expected, but he seemed to flat-line. The fancy stats like him. Expected goals for goes up when he’s on the ice at five-on-five.
Storylines: Like Robertson, Liljegren might welcome the opportunity to play elsewhere with a bigger role. Expect to hear his name in trade talk.
X-factor: Remains underrated offensively.
Vitals: 26, 6-4, 205 pounds.
Contract: First season of a three-year, $4.05-million deal with a cap hit of $1.35 million.
Last year: One goal, four assists in 64 games after a recall from the Marlies, but who cares. He can hit, block shots and protect his zone. His 246 hits led the team and was eighth in the league.
Storylines: Perhaps less is more with a defensive defenceman. If he’s not the story, the Leafs are probably winning.
X-factor: Loves to be physical. Brings that raw energy.
Vitals: 26, 6-2, 206 pounds
Contract: Second season of a two-year deal with a cap hit of $1.4 million. Eligible for restricted free agency after this season.
Last year: One goal, nine assists in 25 games in another year cut short by injuries.
Storylines: He has played 91 NHL games and 52 AHL games — roughly a season and a half of hockey — since the 2019-20 season. How can a player even develop with that much missed time? The waiver wire — and much needed playing time with the Marlies — could be in his future.
X-factor: He just needs to stay healthy.
Vitals: 31, 6-7, 222 pounds
Contract: One-year deal worth $1.47 million.
Last year: Had two goals, 10 assists in 64 games before being shut down and requiring knee surgery. He averaged 3:16 of ice time while short-handed, fifth among all defencemen. Averaged 9.85 hits per game, tops on Dallas and 25th in the league.
Storylines: The health of his knee is a continued issue, one that delayed the official signing and limited his participation in training camp. But if healthy, he’d bolster team defence and penalty killing.
X-factor: He takes up a lot of space.
Vitals: 26, 6-3, 202 pounds
Contract: Final season of three-year deal with cap hit of $766,667. Has already signed a three-year, $11-million extension.
Last year: Played a career-high 25 games. His 12-11-1 record wasn’t great, but his goaltending was, with a team-best .907 save percentage. Injuries (high-ankle sprain, head) again got in his way.
Storylines: On track to be the Leafs’ best homegrown goalie since Felix Potvin.
X-factor: Ready for big-game duty.
Vitals: 30, 6-6, 243 pounds
Contract: Signed to a two-year, $5-million deal. Cap hit is $2.5 million.
Last year: Played 27 games for Florida, winning the Stanley Cup as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup. His .925 save percentage was second leaguewide among goalies who played at least 20 games.
Storylines: He’s a bit of a journeyman, but he and Woll could split the starts.
X-factor: He’s a very big goalie. Doesn’t leave shooters a lot to aim for.
Vitals: 30, 6-5, 203 pounds.
Contract: One-year, $875,000 deal.
Last year: Missed the entire season after double-hip surgery. Got back for three AHL games with the Marlies.
Storylines: Says he’s healthy for the first time in years. If he gets his timing and reflexes back, he could fill Martin Jones’ role as a veteran third goalie. Would likely clear waivers given his injury history and lack of playing time.
X-factor: Two-time Stanley Cup champion.
F Connor Dewar (shoulder), C Fraser Minten (high-ankle sprain), D Ben Danford (concussion).
G Dennis Hildeby, D Philippe Myers, D Marshall Rifai, F Alex Steeves, F Nikita Grebenkin, C Jacob Quillan.
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