John Tavares emerges as team MVP

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Through 21 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a drastically different position than they were a year ago. Toronto has assembled a 9-9-3 record through 21 games, sitting second-last in the Atlantic Division. At the same point last year, despite myriad injuries, the Maple Leafs were off to a 13-6-2 start, en route to capturing the first seed in the division. What a difference a year can make.

Here are the Maple Leafs’ first-quarter grades, and with that comes a quarterly reminder: grades are relative to preseason expectations and consider other factories such as injuries.

Simon Benoit: Benoit’s game seemingly reached an inflection point around March, but last year’s ascendant spring hasn’t carried over into the first quarter of the year. There are times where Benoit has been asked to operate as the team’s No. 4 defenceman due to injuries and he’s miscast in that role. It hasn’t been an altogether terrible season, but he’s ideally suited against bottom-six forwards and is doing his best to tread water at the moment. C

Sammy Blais: A favourite of Craig Berube, Blais was brought into inject some toughness and some secondary scoring. Blais has recorded a goal and three points in seven games, but he hasn’t forced his way into a lineup facing several injuries either. It’ll be curious to see what his role turns into, as the Leafs eventually return to full strength. C

Brandon Carlo: Carlo’s role is being litigated on an almost daily basis, and it’s been a tough start to the season for the veteran defenceman. You’ve heard ad nauseam that Carlo was traded for Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-round pick with top-five protection. We can’t evaluate him retroactively based on the trade package, that’s entirely unfair, but it’s become a talking point among the fan base. Carlo has allowed opponents to get to the net-front with relative ease, and has struggled to defend against the rush, while the Leafs control 45 percent of the expected goals when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5. There’s an expectation that he will pick up his game through the year. D
Easton Cowan: Cowan has been one of the few bright spots this quarter. He’s not only earned his spot on the team, but he’s emerged as one of the Leafs’ 12-best forwards. Toronto sent Cowan to the AHL after 10 games, after he recorded a goal and four points, which seemed like a mistake, and it doesn’t appear that he’ll be heading back anytime soon. Cowan’s tenacity, hockey intelligence and competitiveness have been lauded by his teammates, he’s getting some first-line minutes, some reps on the power play and should stick in the NHL for the duration of the year. A-
Max Domi: The baseline scouting report on Domi hasn’t changed: he’s a skilled playmaker, but his point production isn’t nearly good enough to outweigh his defensive lapses. Domi sports a -10 goal differential at 5-on-5 and some of his blunders have cost the team points, as evidenced by his overtime giveaway in Thursday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. D

Oliver Ekman-Larsson: There’s a strong case to consider Ekman-Larsson as Toronto’s best defenceman. His rush defence has improved, he plays with physicality, he’s one of the few Leafs who regularly carry the puck out of the defensive zone, and he has the best underlying numbers of any Leafs’ defender, to go along with a plus-five goal differential at 5-on-5. Ekman-Larsson needs to cut down his turnovers, as does everyone on the Maple Leafs writ large. It hasn’t been an outstanding quarter, but he’s quietly been a bright spot. B

Dennis Hildeby: Hildeby acquitted himself well in spot duty for the Maple Leafs, making four appearances, including two mid-game insertions. He’s not quite ready for the NHL on a regular basis, but Hildeby is showing improvement, even if he is a true AHL goalie at this time, but these designations don’t matter too much when you’re getting into games. C+

Calle Jarnkrok: Jarnkrok started the year on fire, with goals in each of the first three games. He was listed as a healthy scratch shortly thereafter and hasn’t regained the excellent form he displayed throughout training camp. Berube placed Jarnkrok on the first line Thursday and his versatility remains an asset, but the grade here accounts for a dip in play and the scratches. C+

Dakota Joshua: Joshua’s physicality is notable, but the point production hasn’t been good enough relative to expectations. He’s been deployed in third and fourth-line roles throughout the year, but there hasn’t been a standout game throughout the first quarter. Joshua appeared to be a clever add during the offseason, but he’s one of the new guys that haven’t delivered thus far. C-

Matthew Knies: Knies is one of the NHL’s best players at 5-on-5 and should be in serious consideration for the United States’ Olympic team. He’s the definition of a modern power forward, with five goals and 22 points through 19 games. Knies has battled an injury throughout the past week, but he’s an emerging leader on the Maple Leafs, an essential part of the revamped core, and continues to improve in all facets of the game. A-

Scott Laughton: Laughton’s leadership, toughness, shot-blocking and penalty-killing acumen are highly valued by the Maple Leafs, even when he’s not producing offensively. The 31-year-old has been sidelines with two separate injuries this season, and since he’s only played in three games, we have to render an incomplete grade, although he’s trending towards a B- overall. Incomplete 

Steven Lorentz: Lorentz brings speed and physicality to the bottom-six, but the Maple Leafs are losing the majority of his minutes on the ice. Through the first quarter, the eye test has been kinder to Lorentz than the stats page. He’s emerged as one of Berube’s favourites, and his positional versatility keeps him in the lineup, and now it’s incumbent upon him to establish the zone with regularity. C

Matias Maccelli: Maccelli hasn’t met expectations thus far, even though he’s been given ample opportunity. At his best, Maccelli is a skilled playmaker who can augment a line with a star centre attached. At his worst, Maccelli is prone to turnovers, doesn’t track back well enough, and isn’t providing offence on a consistent basis. Pacing towards a 32-point season, this is no one’s idea of a bounce-back season. C
Auston Matthews: Matthews started the year as one of the NHL’s premier shot creators and was producing at a star level, perhaps not at the stratospheric heights we’ve come to expect. It appeared that Matthews was finding his velocity and shot location with increased regularity, until he suffered a lower-body injury on November 11 that has kept him out of the lineup since. How Matthews responds to this injury will dictate his next grade, and perhaps the Maple Leafs’ season overall. B

Jake McCabe: McCabe is Toronto’s best point-of-attack defender, and he earns points here for his toughness, leadership, physicality and willingness to stick up for his teammates. He’s also been exposed off the rush more than a few times, and has committed some awful turnovers that have been immediately punished throughout November. He’s making an active effort to contribute offence as well, while emerging as the team’s top defencemen amid a wave of injuries. It’s a tough grade to assign. C+

Bobby McMann: McMann is prone to inconsistency, which makes him a difficult player to evaluate. At his best, McMann’s blazing speed compliments star players and he can get to the net with some underrated physicality. The problem is, McMann will go weeks without scoring, then will register points in five of six games, as he did from November 3-November 13. Consistency is the key for McMann, who occasionally shows flashes of greater potential. C

Dakota Mermis: Mermis is doing what’s asked of him, playing a simple game that requires little flash. The journeyman scored his first NHL goal since February 2024 during Thursday’s loss, and it’ll be compelling to see how he develops with Troy Stecher as his partner through the next quarter. C+

Philippe Myers: Myers is off to a disastrous start to the season, which necessitated the acquisition of Troy Stecher. He’s turning the puck over routinely in the defensive zone, isn’t pushing players away from the net-front, and hasn’t been able to build off a solid 2024-25 campaign where he earned Berube’s trust over the course of the year. Toronto sports a minus-seven differential at 5-on-5 when Myers is on the ice, and there aren’t any stats that outweigh the eye test, which reveals Myers as one of the NHL’s worst active defencemen. There is nowhere to go but up. F

William Nylander: Nylander is one of the NHL’s best players, a dynamic scorer who can take over games in the span of a shift. There have been criticisms lobbied at Nylander’s efforts and consistency, but it often feels unfair for a player who is ranked 9th in NHL scoring prior to Friday’s slate. Nylander was in consideration for team MVP this quarter and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wins that superlative next time. A-

Jacob Quillan: Quillan’s speed was on full display during Tuesday’s win, but he slipped into the background on Thursday. We’re looking forward to seeing what Quillan does with increased opportunities over this quarter. Incomplete

Cayden Primeau: Primeau played so poorly during his three games with the Maple Leafs that he was placed on waivers, even as the team were struggling to find two healthy goaltenders. F

Morgan Rielly: Rielly was outstanding in the season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens, and carried this form through the opening week of the season. It wore off, and Rielly’s struggles to defend the rush have often characterized the team’s descent into one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams. Rielly is getting into the rush, he’s producing points, he’s on the top power play unit, and is often the spokesperson for the defence corps when things go awry. He’s also winning a lot of his minutes, more than his critics would admit. C+

Nick Robertson: Robertson cemented his place in the lineup and is playing the best hockey of his career. His tenacity and all-out aggression is paying off, he’s getting to his spots with frequency and has augmented Toronto’s potent attack. Although he’s a popular trade candidate, Robertson is finally living up to the promise he’s showed throughout his Leafs’ tenure, with five goals and 11 points in 20 games. B+

Nicolas Roy: Acquired in the Mitch Marner trade, Roy was expected to contribute secondary scoring and some plus-defence, along with championship pedigree. Roy has underperformed as a scorer, with one goal and four points in 19 games. Toronto are losing possession with Roy on the ice, controlling 43 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5. Roy is currently injured, but he’s not meeting expectations and needs a better second quarter. D

Anthony Stolarz: We don’t want to add insult to injury, but Stolarz’s form completely fell off during the first quarter, before suffering a lingering injury that is worse than initially believed. Stolarz posted a 6-5-1 record in 13 appearances with an .884 save percentage. He was forced into a heavy workload to start the year, and now his health will be a major factor in how the next quarter goes. C-

Chris Tanev: Tanev is a fearless player and one of the NHL’s premier shot-blockers. Last year, Tanev was Toronto’s best defenceman but the 35-year-old was quietly off to an underwhelming start, before suffering an upper-body injury on November 2. All that matters at this point is a speedy recovery. C+

John Tavares: Tavares is the Maple Leafs’ MVP through the first quarter. William Nylander warranted some light discussion, but Tavares won this superlative handily, with 12 goals and 27 points in 21 games. Tavares’ exceptional hockey intelligence and scoring ability are being paired with his relentless drive to win. He ranks second in 5-on-5 points in the NHL, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon prior to Friday’s games, and should be in consideration for Canada’s Olympic team. It’s been a tremendous start for Tavares, one of the all-time great Leafs. A+

Joseph Woll: Woll rejoined the Maple Leafs from a personal leave of absence on October 24. He’s played three games, posting a .923 save percentage with a 1-1-1 record. We’re not going to hold Woll’s absence against him in our grade, and he’s trending positively for a Leafs team that desperately needs stellar goaltending to right the ship. B

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