The Maple Leafs’ defense needs to improve

It’s been a lackluster start for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2025-26, going 5-5-1 through their first 11 games, including a 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday night.

With the long-term absence of Joseph Woll, the team has given the majority of starts to Anthony Stolarz, who in eight appearances is 3-4-1 with an .886 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.27 goals against average (GAA). However, the lack of defensive structure and the departure of elite two-way forward Mitch Marner, as well as an injured Chris Tanev, may have a hand in the Leafs’ goaltending struggles.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss Toronto’s poor defending and whether it’s too early to start casting doubts on the Leafs’ season.

You can also read Matt Larkin’s latest: What happens if the Leafs’ goaltending isn’t elite this season?

Tyler Yaremchuk: There’s been a lot of talk about there being no Mitch Marner, but it’s not their offense that’s been the issue. If you look at the goals against, they’ve played 11 games this year and in four of them, they’ve allowed five or more goals.

You are not going to be a successful NHL team if 33 percent of the time, you’re allowing five or more goals.

Carter Hutton: I guess for me, the worrisome factor is defending in their own end. This is a Craig Berube-coached team, and they added Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua, they added some big players. They added Brandon Carlo last year, they have Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe. They have a big defensive corps, and the way Berube coaches is in that non-negotiable area of “when we’re going to defend” and “how they’re going to defend.

But it gets worrisome when things are out of whack. I know Tanev is out right now and there’s a few holes, but again, I have to circle back to Joseph Woll, just the relieving of pressure (for Anthony Stolarz). Right now, Stolarz has nothing. He’s never been the outright guy playing this many minutes. This has been a tough month for the Leafs.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…