By Rupert McDonald,The Hockey Writers

Copyright yardbarker

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a much different vibe surrounding them entering the 2025-26 season. Though they once again suffered a frustrating exit in 2025 playoffs, they finally made a major shake up to their roster that many of their fans have been hoping to see for years.

It became quite clear that the Maple Leafs weren’t set to win with their now-former core group, and media pressure was only ramping as to when changes were going to be made. That came early in the offseason, when they traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights.

It’s impossible to call Marner’s departure from the team a benefit, as he produced some of the NHL’s best numbers during his tenure with the Maple Leafs. That said, it could help this team out in other ways as they continue to try and win it all. With that said, here are the four main reasons the Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this coming season.

1: Fewer Distractions Surrounding Team

While it’s hard to blame him for the situation given that he was simply on an expiring contract, the Marner debacle became quite a distraction last season. Fans and media alike were constantly wanting to know whether he was leaving, resulting in plenty of questions not only for himself but his teammates as well.

Having that uncertainty and constant questioning from reporters about the future of one of the organization’s top players will no longer persist, and will be a breath of fresh air for everyone on the roster this season. The main core is locked up past 2025-26, meaning they can just focus on their game instead of having the lingering cloud of doubt over their heads.

2: Auston Matthews is Healthy

Though questions surrounded Marner’s future throughout the 2025-26 season, the 28-year-old had an extremely successful season, posting a career-high 102 points. While he flourished, however, his now former teammate in Auston Matthews had a down season by his standards.