Former Maple Leafs Player Casts Doubts on Toronto's Future After Loss to Capitals

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped to 10-11-3 after a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Toronto held a 2-0 lead but gave up four straight goals as defensive issues returned.

The Leafs continue to show the same pattern of strong starts followed by costly breakdowns. They score 3.30 goals per game but allow 3.61, one of the worst marks in the league. Their 15 percent power play adds to the struggle.

Former Leafs player Jay Rosehill reacted sharply to the loss on X. He called the performance shockingly awful and questioned the team’s direction.

“That was just shockingly awful. I have no idea where the Leafs go from here. What are they going to do?!” Rosehill said.

Many fans shared similar concerns after another collapse. Some suggested the Leafs may need to “retool” at the trade deadline if they fall out of the race. Others said the team should finish near the bottom to avoid losing their first-round pick.

“I think they will be forced to try and ‘retool’ like Boston did last season if not in a playoff position by the trade deadline. Hopefully, it will be a sellers market at that time and they can try to revamp at the draft and in the offseason. It’s a tough spot.” a fan said.

“Leafs have to finish bottom 5 this year. There’s no other choice at this point. We can’t miss the playoffs and hand over our 1st to Boston. We did that with Kessel. Doesn’t need to be a full rebuild but get the dead weight off the books anyway we can,” another fan reacted.

Several fans pushed for major changes to management and the roster.

“Fire Treliving and Berube. Try to move Reilly, Domi, Joshua, Mechilli to start,” one fan wrote, suggesting moving players such as Morgan Rielly or Max Domi to create cap space

“They are in deep hole. This lineup doesn’t win. They don’t have prospects. They don’t have draft picks. I would fire the GM and the coach and hope a reset on the fly will be enough to make them competitive again,” a fan said.

Many believe the current lineup is not built to win. The sense of frustration continues to grow as losses pile up.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) passes the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) defends during the first period at Capital One Arena.Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Washington earned the comeback win with a strong third period. Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal, and he now has a 10-game point streak. Tom Wilson added an empty-net goal to seal the win. Washington has now won six of its last seven games.

Meanwhile, Toronto has lost eight out of their last ten games. They played without leading scorer William Nylander, who missed the game due to illness. Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies scored the Leafs’ goals.

Joseph Woll made 30 saves but received little defensive support. The Leafs will need more stability and fewer breakdowns to stay in the playoff race.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Nov 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former Maple Leafs Player Casts Doubts on Toronto’s Future After Loss to Capitals

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