Maple Leafs Take on New Identity as NHL's Heaviest Team With New Additions

With the offseason officially behind us and NHL rosters finalized for the 2025-26 season, early analysis is already rolling in, and the Leafs stand out as one of the most intriguing teams to watch, simply for the change in personnel alone.

With a new report, it seems the change in personnel is starting to take a real effect, as the Maple Leafs are now the heaviest NHL team, marking the true impact of the Craig Berube era behind the bench and Brad Treliving in the General Manager's office.

Just a few seasons ago, the Leafs were best known for their speed and finesse. But this year, the narrative is shifting in a big way. Prioritizing size and snarl, the Leafs are no longer an "easy out" for rival teams.

This transformation isn't accidental. With the additions of Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy specifically, Toronto is building a lineup that's capable of going toe-to-toe with physically dominant teams like the Florida Panthers, the very team that's bullied the Leafs in recent playoff matchups.

Under Craig Berube, the focus has clearly shifted to a more direct, punishing style of play. His system emphasizes north-south hockey; simple, fast, and physical. Move the puck up the ice, get it in deep, finish your checks, and make opponents pay on every inch of the ice.

It's a style that's proven successful for Berube in the past; as is commonly known that Berube won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 with this very system. The proof is there, and his style could finally push Toronto over the edge.

For years, Leafs fans have watched their team get pushed around by heavy hitters like Florida and Boston. Now, for the first time in a long time, it feels like Toronto is ready to push back.

If this new identity sticks, the Maple Leafs might finally be the aggressors - not the ones retreating to a perimeter game.