Bruce Boudreau does not believe the Toronto Maple Leafs will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2026-27 season. Speaking on the latest episode of Leafs Morning Take, the former NHL Head coach pointed to the team’s defense as the biggest concern.
Asked whether he expects the Maple Leafs to reach the playoffs, Boudreau said:
“I really don’t think they will. I want them to. Okay, there’s a big difference there. And because I just don’t think their defense is good enough yet. I mean, I think it’s old, and with 84 games, I think it’s going to be a tough sledding on those guys. Berube wanted to have a real good defensive team.
Hiller in LA had a good defensive team. But I mean, these guys have still got to get the puck to the forwards if they want to score. So you’ve got to play a little more upbeat. I don’t think they can, and that worries me a little bit.”
Boudreau questioned whether Toronto’s veteran blue line could handle the NHL’s new 84-game regular season. He also wondered if the defense would be able to move the puck well enough to create offense.
Boudreau has long-standing ties to the Maple Leafs. He was selected by the Toronto with the 42nd overall pick in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft and played 134 games for the club over six seasons. He has also previously said Toronto is the only NHL team where he would consider taking an assistant coaching role.
How Jim Hiller could help Maple Leafs’ power play
One area Toronto will hope to improve under new head coach Jim Hiller is its power play. Toronto’s power play took a step back during the 2025-26 season, finishing with a 21.3% success rate, good for 15th in the NHL. It was a noticeable drop for a team that had regularly ranked among the NHL’s best power-play teams in recent years with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares on the top unit.
Hiller replaced Craig Berube after Toronto missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Maple Leafs finished the season with a 32-36-14 record and 78 points, ending eighth in the Atlantic Division before Berube was dismissed in May. Hiller was named the franchise’s 41st head coach the following month under new general manager John Chayka.
Before joining Toronto, Hiller coached the Los Angeles Kings, where he posted a 93-58-24 record over 175 regular-season games. He led the Kings to the playoffs twice, although the team was eliminated in the first round on both occasions. Los Angeles relieved him of his duties in March 2026 after a 24-21-14 start to the season.
Hiller is also familiar with Toronto’s core, having previously served as an assistant coach with the organization. His familiarity with the roster could make the transition easier.
Edited by Sonali Verma