3 Predictions for the 2024-25 Maple Leafs – Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

The dog days of summer are here for NHL fans and while the puck drop on the 2024-25 season is slowly approaching, it’s time to make some preseason predictions for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Some players will be chasing franchise marks this season, while others will be looking for new contracts at the end of the year. No matter what they want in 2024-25, they all want one goal – to lift hockey’s holy grail.

With that in mind, here are a few predictions for next season that are within reach — assuming the players stay healthy — on the way to the Maple Leafs chasing that ultimate goal.

Auston Matthews Started Rocket Season

He is a three-time winner of the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy at the age of 26 – having won it in consecutive seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and again last season in 2023-24 with 69 goals. Now, as one of the leading scorers in NHL history, Auston Matthews is set for another big season with the Maple Leafs.

Coming off a season in which he nearly scored 70 goals, Matthews has recorded two 60-goal seasons, six 40-goal seasons and never scored less than 34 goals in a season in his first eight seasons in the league.

He has 368 goals in 562 regular season games, a career average of 0.65 goals per game. In 2023-24, he had his best season offensively with 69 goals and 107 points on a career-high 18.7 shooting percentage.

So, that being said, Matthews probably won’t go down from last season. While there may be questions about who will start the year on his line, it’s a safe bet to say the Maple Leafs star will aim for another 50-goal season in 2024-25.

Scoring has increased over the past few seasons and while other players have been able to break that 50-goal plateau – most recently Zach Hyman and Sam Reinhart – Matthews has been a consistent scorer since entering the league in 2016.

Considering what he has done and what he is capable of, this prediction is not out of the realm of possibility. That said, Matthews has a good chance to win his fourth Rocket Richard this coming season and while he’s focused on the success of the entire team, he’s determined to become the second player — along with Alex Ovechkin — to win the award four times.

Nick Robertson Can Add Needed Depth

Another player who could have a big season if given the chance is Nick Robertson. After requesting a trade earlier in the season, his status with the Maple Leafs remains up in the air. The 22-year-old ended up playing more than 15 games last season and got a chance to play meaningful minutes.

In 56 games, he tallied 14 goals and 27 points while averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time per game. He was fourth on the Maple Leafs in 5v5 goals per 60 minutes at 1.12 and definitely gets another look in 2024-25.

That said, his frustration is out in the open. His performance – if he would have suited the Maple Leafs – would have been closely watched by fans who are passionate about their team and want players to want to be there. But that being said, the Maple Leafs shouldn’t grant his trade request — at least, not yet.

Instead, based on what he’s been able to do in his short time with the Maple Leafs, the team should give him a chance to earn quality playing time. After all, he has shown ability at all levels offensively and with the loss of Tyler Bertuzzi, the Maple Leafs need scoring depth up front.

Related: Maple Leafs backup plans for extended waivers to sign Robertson

Robertson, given 15 to 18 minutes of playing time, could fill that gap and give the team an internal fix to its questions up front. It will also allow the team to see what they are really worth in the 22-year-old player and if he still wishes to trade following an official opportunity with the club, they will protect the young player’s big wallet.

That said, don’t be surprised to see Robertson kick off the year with the Maple Leafs and record his first 20-goal season in the NHL. It’s not a huge difference from the 14 we’ve seen from him this season, but if you want to be even bolder with this prediction, we can add a 20-goal, 50-point campaign from the kid.

Timothy Liljegren Is Ready for a Breakout Season

The final prediction for the upcoming campaign has to do with another homegrown product on the Maple Leafs roster – Timothy Liljegren. Liljegren recently signed a two-year deal with the Maple Leafs for $6 million, average annual value (AAV) of $3 million.

Now, some may see it as a contract that the Maple Leafs will want to move and thus make Liljegren a marketable option. However, when the Maple Leafs moved on from Rasmus Sandin, they made the choice to put their faith in Liljegren as a future option on the team’s tight end.

Liljegren is coming off a season that matched his career high with 23 points in just 55 games. That’s an average of 0.42 points per game — his career best. He saw nearly a two-minute increase in ice time last season with more expectations on his shoulders. That will increase this season, especially with the raise that came with his new contract.

Many believe that the 25-year-old has not reached his ceiling at the NHL level yet and that seems to be the case given what he has accomplished in his professional career. So, it’s safe to say that 2024-25 could be his breakout season.

Of course, Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will eat up some of the minutes that Liljegren usually sees. But given his increase in points per game over the past three seasons, it’s not out of the question to see Liljegren jump offensively and eventually reach 40 points.

It may not seem like a huge increase, but the jump could be a good sign that he’s making a move on the Maple Leafs.

None of these predictions seem out of place and while the Maple Leafs will once again be struggling in the Atlantic Division, they will need these three players to make it through when they start the 2024-25 season.