Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
Seven losses in a row for the Toronto Maple Leafs harkens back to an era that fans would love to forget, and it brings back flashbacks of a barely competitive team — the same one that led to them drafting Auston Matthews in 2016.
When the Maple Leafs drafted first overall, it seemed like they had just struck the jackpot. They somehow lucked out, managed to select Auston Matthews and set them on a path to relative success for a decade.
It’s a reminder of a time once long, long buried in fans’ minds.
Maple Leafs creeping up on Horachek-levels of incompetence
This latest drubbing courtesy of a 5-2 loss to Tampa felt like the Maple Leafs of ten years ago, and they’re slowly creeping up to that low standard of play.
They are only four games from tying their 11-game losing streak in 2014-15 during the Peter Horachek era.
The Maple Leafs at the time were a much different and frankly — much weaker team back then.
Going 9-28-5 under Horachek, the team was led by Phil Kessel, James Van Riemsdyk, Morgan Rielly, and Nazem Kadri.
Good group, until you see the secondary players. Stephane Robidas, David Booth, Eric Brewer, Daniel Winnik, Cody Franson…what?
For as bad as the Maple Leafs are now, the pieces they have are better and it’s genuinely shocking to see them be unable to play any sort of competent hockey.
How 2014-15 stacks up to 2025-26 for the Maple Leafs
Here’s how the the numbers back then looked and why it might bring back nightmares of a time long past:
2014-15 Maple Leafs (30-44-8)
Points – Phil Kessel (61)
Goals – James van Riemsdyk (27)
Assists – Phil Kessel (36)
Plus/Minus – Daniel Winnik (+15)
FO% – Tyler Bozak (53.2%)
Wins – Jonathan Bernier (21)
2025-2026 Maple Leafs (27-26-11)
Points – William Nylander (59)
Goals – Auston Matthews (26)
Assists – William Nylander (38)
Plus/Minus – Jake McCabe (+8)
FO% – Auston Matthews (59.5%)
Wins – Joseph Woll (13)
To say that’s similar is an understatement.
You have your top offensive player leading the charge (Kessel and Nylander), Matthews with near identical stats to JVR, your plus/minus leaders aren’t exactly the ones you’d expect and both goalies clearly struggled even though extremely talented.
There was also a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach who lost the locker room in Randy Carlyle (who was fired), and the team is right back in the same boat with Craig Berube.
Why a repeat of 2014-15 for Toronto might not be all hopeless
It’s not just that they’re bad, it’s that the team is nearly unwatchable and the fan reaction at Scotiabank Arena shows they don’t care about loyalty when management doesn’t seem to care about them.
Having to look at things now, it feels like the Maple Leafs are stuck in a pattern. Every ten years they have to reset, pick up the ashes and rebuild from the ground up.
It happened in 2014-15 which led to Auston Matthews and in 2025-26 it could lead them to Gavin McKenna. Let’s just hope this time it’s not going to be McKenna in Matthews’ spot a decade from now.
Previously on Hockey Patrol
POLL
4 HOURS AGO|89 ANSWERS
The Maple Leafs are approaching a losing streak they haven’t seen since their worst season ever
Do you think the Maple Leafs now are as bad as they were in the Horachek-era?