Toronto Maple Leafs
· 2026-07-01
The Toronto Maple Leafs are struggling with injuries, which raises concerns about coach Craig Berube's physical style of play.
The team's physical style led to a high number of injuries last season, with key players like Auston Matthews missing time.
The Maple Leafs are currently on a 7-game losing streak, with a 32-36 record as of July 1, 2026.
Berube's style asks a lot from top players, who are expected to defend hard minutes and absorb contact.
This approach can lead to injuries, which affected the team's performance last season.
The Maple Leafs need to find a balance between their physical style and preserving their players' health.
This might involve giving stars like Matthews fewer heavy minutes in November and trusting depth earlier in the season.
And the team's structure could absorb this change, potentially leading to better results.
The Maple Leafs are currently 15th in the Eastern Conference, but they can still turn their season around.
But they need to stay healthier and distribute the load differently than last season.
So the question is whether the new Maple Leafs approach is willing to think differently.
The team has been written off already in the Atlantic, but the NHL rarely rewards certainty in October opinions.