Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently suffering the consequences of a terrible mistake made back in the summer of 2024 involving Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi.
The Maple Leafs are an organization who have historically been haunted by some poor decision-making, and they’re currently living through yet another significant blunder.
Max Domi has managed just 3 goals and 8 points in 24 games this season, while carrying a minus-13 +/- rating. For a player expected to boost the middle six in Toronto with pace and playmaking, the output simply has not been good enough.
Meanwhile, the piece that they walked away from in the summer of 2024, Tyler Bertuzzi, has surged in Chicago this season. In 21 games with the Blackhawks in 2025-26, he has 12 goals and 8 assists for 20 points and sits at minus-1 +/- rating.
Back in July of 2024, the Leafs had a big decision to make with their limited salary cap space. They were only able to keep one of Domi or Bertuzzi, and with Domi giving the Leafs an option at either centre or wing, the team chose versatility and a lower cap hit over the better, more productive asset in Bertuzzi.
Toronto believed Domi would build off his previous production, but his impact has sagged. Bertuzzi, who showed he could mesh with top players during his brief Leafs run, has flourished this season. For fans, the comparison has become impossible to ignore.
The decision looks even worse when considering the Leafs’ scoring gaps and clear need for a winger who can battle, finish and thrive in tough minutes.
Max Domi fading while Tyler Bertuzzi thrives elsewhere
At the time, Toronto’s GM, Brad Treliving, had hoped that Domi’s versatility would outweigh Bertuzzi’s finishing ability, but thus far, that calculation appears wrong. Bertuzzi’s productivity would have been invaluable on a Leafs roster marred by injury and lacking secondary scoring this season.
Domi is trying to rediscover his game and did post 2 assists last night, but the production gap keeps widening. In a cap league, these choices matter, and this one appears to be tilting heavily against Toronto.
If the Leafs continue to slide and depth scoring stays quiet, this may go down as one of Treliving’s more regrettable decisions during his tenure as Leafs GM.
Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily