NHL 25-26 PREVIEW: Leafs After Marner, McDavid to Toronto? Plus Stanley Cup Picks!

NHL 25-26 PREVIEW: Leafs After Marner, McDavid to Toronto? Plus Stanley Cup Picks!

This discussion on “Joe Tilley’s Great Canadian Sports Show” features Joe Tilley and Ross Granato providing an in-depth preview of the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season.

The conversation kicks off with a major focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs, specifically the departure of Mitch Marner. Ross views it as “addition by subtraction,” emphasizing the new, tougher, and more playoff-ready players brought in to replace Marner’s points, such as Nick Waugh, Dakota Joshua, and Pazetta. They discuss how Auston Matthews’ goal totals might be affected but highlight the development of Matthew Knies as a power forward and the potential for new line combinations with Max Domi or Dakota Joshua.

Goaltending for the Leafs is seen as a major strength with a healthy Joseph Woll and Ilya Samsonov forming a formidable one-two punch. The defensive core, including Brandon Carlo and Morgan Rielly, is also praised, with hopes for Rielly’s offensive resurgence on the power play.
The discussion then shifts to the Eastern Conference landscape, noting the Florida Panthers’ potential struggles due to injuries to Barkov and Kucherov. While Tampa Bay is expected to remain strong and potentially win the division, the Leafs are predicted to finish second or third.

Moving to other Canadian teams, the Winnipeg Jets receive high praise, particularly for the addition of veteran Jonathan Toews, which is seen as a crucial missing piece for their playoff aspirations. Connor Hellebuyck’s potential to carry the team in the playoffs is also highlighted, along with solid defensemen like Dylan Samberg.

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Joe speculates that McDavid might want to play for the Maple Leafs, citing his Canadian roots and Toronto upbringing, and suggests that his contract situation could lead to him exploring options after next season. The Oilers’ goaltending situation is described as shaky, and the long-term financial commitments to players like Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard are discussed as potential hurdles for retaining McDavid.

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