Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Forwards Pt. 1 – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

After a very disappointing 2025-26 season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, their attention has shifted to offseason tasks. First on their list is finding a general manager (GM) and potentially a President of Hockey Operations. After that’s in place, they need to determine the future of Auston Matthews and William Nylander. There are a lot of questions that will need to be answered over the summer that could drastically change the outlook of this team.

But, before we worry about that, let’s look at part one of the final report card for the Maple Leafs’ forwards.

Auston Matthews: B-

First up, the captain. Matthews’ 2025-26 season was far from his best. He dealt with injuries, which hindered his own and the team’s performance. In just 60 games, he has 27 goals and 26 assists. Unfortunately, his season ended on a terrible knee injury after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks. That hit obviously caught a lot of attention due to the lack of response from the rest of the Maple Leafs players on the ice.

Nevertheless, last season was one of adjustments for Matthews. It was his first season without Mitch Marner, which took time to find chemistry with his new linemates. If he is a member of the Maple Leafs when the puck drops on the 2026-27 season, the hope is that he and his linemates have the chemistry needed to bring out the 50-goal scorer version of Matthews and not the 25-30 goal version.

William Nylander: A-

Next, the Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 MVP. Nylander is the type of player that no matter how the season is going, he’s going to show up and bring his best effort. That was the case this past season; regardless of how the team was doing, he would do whatever he could to try and find the back of the net. He led the team in points with 30 goals and 49 assists for 79 points in 65 games. That is his eighth 20+ goal season and his sixth 30 goal season.

Much like Matthews, he did struggle with injuries. He was only able to get into 65 games; however, if he had played in all 82, he would have been in and around the 100 point range. Regardless, 79 points in 65 games is still good, considering how bad the season went for the Maple Leafs.

John Tavares: A-

John Tavares is the only player to play in all 82 games for the Maple Leafs this past season. That’s right, the 35-year-old forward was the most durable and appeared in every game for the club. That said, he is also the only other forward on this list to receive an A. In the 2025-26 season, Tavares had 31 goals and 40 points for 71. That is his eighth 30 goal season in his career and his ninth 70+ point season, which is incredible.

There are many people who have counted Tavares out; they did it in year six of his eight-year contract and again after he signed his recent extension. However, despite the hate, he has shown that he can be a reliable forward for the Maple Leafs. If Nylander and Matthews were able to stay healthy and reach the 100 point mark, having Tavares be their third-leading scorer with 71 points would be ideal. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and he finished second behind Nylander (79) in a season that was one to forget.

Matthew Knies: B+

After last season, the expectations were sky-high for Matthew Knies. He had 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points in 78 games. Almost everyone within Leafs Nation hoped that he would continue his progression. And, although his season was highlighted by injuries, he did set a new career-high. In fact, he was just 15 assists shy of matching his career-high in points. He had 23 goals and 43 assists for 66 points.

As mentioned, Knies’ 2025-26 season felt like it was dominated by injuries despite him only missing three games. He was a warrior and showed just how tough he is. He did struggle to stay healthy before the Winter Olympic break. Afterwards, he appeared to be feeling better, but for large portions of the season, he wasn’t fully healthy. Although he set a new career high in points, if he were able to play at his full capabilities, who knows how many points he would have had.

Easton Cowan: B

On to the youngster, Easton Cowan. In his rookie season, he definitely didn’t disappoint. At times, he looked like a rookie; one moment that stands out would be the overtime goal against the Detroit Red Wings. He circled back into the neutral zone and got overpowered by Moritz Seider, which led to a goal. He had to overcome moments on the fly, and unfortunately, there were stretches that he spent in the press box. That said, when he showed that he could play alongside the best players on the team, he got the opportunity.

He finished the season with 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 66 games. It was a time to learn, in a season where the team wasn’t making the playoffs, so his role increased. The hope is, next season, he can become an important member of their top six and help them make the playoffs again.