3 Toronto Maple Leafs Who Will Regress In 2024-25

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't get better in the offseason, but they are still very much good enough to make the playoffs. That being said, there are some aging players and others who might not be in the best spot to succeed this coming season, so let's take a look at three players who will regress.

John Tavares

John Tavares will be 34 by the time next season starts and his decline already started last season. The captain went from 36 goals and 80 points to 29 goals and 65 points in the same amount of games. He isn't getting any faster and has never had good foot speed, so the expectation is that, even with William Nylander on his wing, Tavares won't have the offensive season expected of him with the contract he has.

Max Domi

I think Max Domi is a good player, but in Toronto with Auston Matthews and John Tavares ahead of him on the depth chart at center, Domi doesn't get a ton of opportunity yet and he is without effective linemates. This will really hurt him as there aren't great bottom-6 options to play with him to push his numbers to get better or even stay the same. He won't be on the top power play and it's likely he plays with a combination of Calle Jarnkrok, Nic Robertson, and Pontus Holmberg. Domi scored nine goals and 47 points last season. He may just get over the 40 point hump, and that's if he gets time in the top-6 beside actual scorers. That remains to be seen.

Ryan Reaves

Ryan Reaves was hardly effective last season for the Maple Leafs, but I think it can get worse. He's going to turn 38 years old next season and he already only played 49 games in 2023-24, scoring just four goals and six points. He is on the fourth line and will not play any higher. He only averaged just over eight minutes a game last season in Toronto. Even with poor depth, I expect to see some young players break into the NHL and take playing time away from Reaves. All he can do in the NHL anymore is hit and fight. It remains to be seen just how much that is needed for this Maple Leafs team.