Three Maple Leafs teams bounce back after slow start to season – Hockey Writer – Toronto Maple Leafs

Injuries remain a pressing issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who as of Monday were missing the playoffs. But with three wins in their last four games and five points in their last six, signs of optimism are starting to emerge amid a dull start to the 2025-26 season.

The post-Mitch Marner era has brought a five-game losing streak, a lot of anxiety, and some public consideration (including your own real thoughts) about what a mid-season shakeup might look like. But with points in each of their last four games and looking like an improved team, the Maple Leafs are both giving their critics a chance to step back from the cliff and a reminder that there’s still plenty to play for.

As much as people like to use the American Thanksgiving as a barometer of playoff odds, the reality is that Toronto still has a long way to go. After all, this isn’t the first Maple Leafs team to start slow but pick up steam as the season goes on. With the franchise in the midst of a mini-resurgence, here are some of the teams that have recently bounced back from their early-season slumps.

2016-17 Maple Leafs

Unlike many Maple Leafs teams of this era, the 2016-17 club wasn’t supposed to be particularly good. Sure, they have rookie Auston Matthews, but Matthews was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft when the team finished last with 69 points (29-42-11).

Even with Matthews scoring four goals in his debut, Toronto faced all the struggles you’d expect from a basement champ (including somehow losing its opening game). They lost five of their first six games and seven of their first nine. By December 19, after several hot and cold seasons, their record was 12 wins, 12 draws and 7 losses, tied with the Buffalo Sabers for last place in the Atlantic Division.

Then, something sounded. The Maple Leafs won five straight and scored 10 points in their next 11 games to advance to the Eastern Conference playoffs. In late March and early April, they won seven of eight games, essentially ensuring they would make the playoffs for the first time in four years.

2006-07 Maple Leafs

First, I want to say that I know the 2006-07 Maple Leafs didn’t actually make the playoffs. However, their resilience kept them very close.

Led by first-year head coach Paul Maurice, Mats Sundin’s team endured a seven-game losing streak from late November into December. When the calendar turned to 2007, Toronto’s record was 17 wins, 17 draws and 5 losses, ranking last in the Northeast Division. Then, as the new year brought new hope, the club rallied, winning seven of eight games in January and February to enter the playoff conversation.

The Maple Leafs ended the season on a high note with a dramatic 6-5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at home and set the stage for a playoff push. Unfortunately, the New York Islanders defeated the Atlantic-leading New Jersey Devils 3-2 in a shootout, allowing the Islanders to easily defeat Toronto on the final day of the regular season and secure the final playoff spot. Still, that shouldn’t take anything away from our energetic comeback efforts.

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2002-03 Maple Leafs

The 2002-03 Maple Leafs probably should have been better than they were. In addition to replacing Curtis Joseph in net with Ed Belfort, the organization returns much of the same lineup from its two Stanley Cup Final wins — which remains the deepest of any Toronto franchise this century.

However, the Maple Leafs failed to build on that success, recording just four wins in their first 15 games. As is the case this season, the club’s woes are particularly concerning as they have had a relatively easy start, with 10 of their first 15 games being played at home.

From that point on, the situation immediately reversed. Toronto won 10 of its next 13 games. While that alone wasn’t enough to secure their playoff future, it helped them to 10 wins in 11 games in January and February. They ended the season back in a familiar position as the second-best team in the Northeast Division behind the Ottawa Senators.

While all of these examples constituted a comeback of sorts, none required a dramatic overcoming of impossible odds to make the playoffs — and that’s the point. Even though things are looking a little dire this season, the Maple Leafs still have plenty of time to right their wrongs. If their recent games are any sign, it’s that if they do turn things around, they can make up lost ground quickly.