Maple Leafs Shut Down Three Players — Could This Mean the End?

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that defensemen Brandon Carlo, forward Dakota Joshua, and goaltender Anthony Stolarz are all done for the 2025–26 season. The Maple Leafs have officially pulled the plug on three key players as the team sits out of the playoff race with just a handful of games left.

With the Leafs missing the postseason for the first time since 2016, the decision to shut down players with nagging injuries makes sense. Berube said the move was due to their status and the lack of incentive to push through the final stretch. "There’s not much left to play for," he said.

Joshua, who was signed in the off-season to bolster the forward depth, has struggled with consistency and missed a significant chunk of the season with a lower-body injury. He has just 12 goals and 26 points in 54 games. Carlo, acquired at the trade deadline last season, has dealt with recurring knee issues and contributed only 18 points in 42 games. Stolarz, who started the season as the backup to Joseph Woll, has been sidelined with a shoulder injury that could affect his training camp readiness.

The Maple Leafs have not followed the lead of the Florida Panthers, who shut down several key players after securing a playoff spot. Some have questioned why the Leafs haven’t also rested William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and others who have battled injuries. Knies, in particular, has been a topic of discussion. He missed over a month with a lower-body injury and admitted in late March that it was uncomfortable but not debilitating. Now, with no playoff push left, the pressure to sit has increased.

With a new general manager expected to take over in the summer, the futures of Carlo, Joshua, and Stolarz are in doubt. All three remain under contract for next season, but their injury histories and lack of production could make them trade chips. Stolarz, in particular, is seen as a likely candidate for a midseason trade given the Leafs’ plans to retool the goaltending position.

William Villeneuve will make his NHL debut for the Maple Leafs in their home game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. The 24-year-old was drafted in the fourth round in 2020 and has tallied 40 points in 55 games with the Marlies this season.

The Leafs will play their next game on Thursday against the Panthers, with several key players likely to sit. The focus now shifts to the offseason and the incoming GM’s plan for a rebuild or retool.