For the last 22 years (12 with The Hockey News), Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 23^rd annual review will appear here on Dobber Hockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey, both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future.

Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are considered when examining the depth chart and evaluating the potential of the players on it.

Enjoy!

** Be sure to pick up your copy of the 2025-2026 Fantasy Hockey Guide **

Gone: Mitch Marner, Ryan Reaves, Pontus Holmberg, Matt Murray

Incoming: Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli, Henry Thrun, Travis Boyd, Michael Pezzetta, Vinni Lettieri, Dakota Joshua

Impact of Changes: In last year's offseason review, Flip Livingstone characterized the 2024-2025 NHL season as a "tipping point" for the Toronto Maple Leafs. After nearly a decade of playoff disappointment, Livingstone wrote, the only way to satiate Toronto's "starving" fan base would be by making a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup.

Following yet another forgettable season, however, the Leafs not only reached a tipping point – they shattered under the weight of expectation, leaving Leafs Nation to pick up the pieces.

Perhaps the largest fragment of the Leafs' delicate mosaic was star forward Mitch Marner, a magical playmaker whose greatest trick was disappearing whenever it mattered most. Over the past two years, Marner recorded a measly three goals in 20 playoff games.

This offseason, Marner took his magic act to Las Vegas. While the Leafs managed to acquire depth piece Nicolas Roy from Vegas via a sign-and-trade for Marner, nobody is expecting Roy to produce at even half of Marner's 1.13 PTS/G rate as a Maple Leaf (Roy's career PTS/G is 0.45).

Ahead of 2025-2026, many Leaf pundits are painting a remarkably rosy picture for their beloved sports franchise. The consensus among wishful thinkers is that, while Toronto will certainly miss Marner's offensive contributions during the regular season, his absence from the Leafs' playoff lineup will pay dividends, both from a team-identity and production perspective. These optimists likewise point to the team's offseason transactions as reasons to "Beleaf" once again. Such transactions include the acquisition of former Calder Trophy nominee Matias Maccelli, who many speculate will fill Marner's former spot alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies this season.

While the Leafs' offseason transactions allow the team to roll out a respectable roster on paper, the point gap between Mitch Marner and Matias Maccelli – who managed just 18 points in 55 games last season – Max Domi, Nicolas Roy, or anyone else who gets a shot on Toronto's top line can only be bridged by hope and imagination.

Unfortunately for Leafs fans, the only thing more fragile than the team's roster construction is a perception of the team they hold so dear – that this year is finally different.

Ready for Full Time: Easton Cowan

Cowan is easily the Leafs' top prospect and one of the most promising future stars in the NHL. At just 19 years-old, Cowan has already proven himself as a big-game performer, amassing 96 points in 60 playoff games over the past four years for the OHL's London Knights. Cowan is a highly skilled, hardworking centre with fantastic passing skills and good speed. While he's expected to begin the year in the AHL, don't be surprised to see the former 28th-overall pick in Scotiabank Arena at some point this season.

Fantasy Outlook: Despite losing Mitch Marner this offseason, the Maple Leafs enter the 2025-2026 NHL season with multiple relevant fantasy options, highlighted by team captain and gifted goal scorer Auston Matthews. Speaking of Matthews, Matthew Knies is poised to take another step forward this season on the Leafs' top line, making the truculent winger a viable fantasy option in all formats, particularly in leagues that reward hits. Capping off the most obvious fantasy-relevant options in Toronto are William Nylander and John Tavares.

Diving a bit deeper, 2025-2026 presents a prime opportunity for Morgan Rielly to take the fantasy hockey world by storm. Despite struggling last season in a reduced role (seven goals, 34 assists in 82 GP), Rielly will likely resume quarterbacking Toronto's top powerplay unit with Mitch Marner no longer donning the Blue and White. Rielly is now 31 years old and his offensive skillset pales in comparison to the NHL's elite power-play quarterbacks, but he's still capable of manning the blue line with the man advantage – he registered seven PPPs in 15 games last season on PP1 with Auston Matthews out of the lineup. Just two seasons removed from 58 points (including 20 PPP) and coming off a down year, Rielly could provide sneaky value this season.

Along with Mo, it's worth keeping an eye on Nicolas Robertson this season. Robertson entered last year with plenty to prove but struggled immensely in the early going, posting just two points in his first 23 games. Following four consecutive healthy scratches, however, Robertson gradually began to find his groove, recording 20 points in his final 46 games. Robertson's depressed 7.8 S% at 5-on-5 and two secondary assists suggest his numbers could improve this season with better luck. Since Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube will likely spend time searching for a fit on Toronto's top line in the early going, Robertson may have yet another opportunity to cement himself as a top-six NHLer and valuable fantasy asset this season.

Speaking of opportunity, Matias Maccelli is expected to receive the first shot to play alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies this season. Maccelli is primed for a breakout in his new digs and could emerge as a must-own fantasy asset if he sticks on L1. While it's possible that Maccelli will be overvalued on draft day, he should nevertheless be on your fantasy radar.

Ultimately, the Leafs enter 2025-2026 with enough talent to compete in the NHL's fierce Atlantic Division. However, having lost one of the NHL's top players this offseason, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Blue and White leaving fans feeling blue in 2025-2026.

Fantasy Grade: B- (last year was B+)