The Toronto Maple Leafs have an expensive problem that it needs to address this season.
A recent study by the folks at casino.org ranked Toronto 16th in the league in terms of payroll spent per penalty minute. The data showed the Maple Leafs forking over $305,607 across a total of 367.8 shorthanded minutes in 2025-26.
That number may not seem like an eye-popping figure, particularly since the Leafs weren’t exactly at the top of the league.
But the broader question here would be the question of even playing shorthanded to begin with. Logic dictates that the less time spent killing penalties, the better off the team would be in the long run. Instead of having Auston Matthews kill penalties, the team would be much better off having him man the power play.
That situation will hopefully turn around under Jim Hiller. Craig Berube’s failed physical approach led to needless penalties. Hence, the Maple Leafs will dispense with a style of play that wasn’t really conducive to its strengths.
All told, the Maple Leafs would be better off focusing on scoring goals instead of wasting valuable minutes in the penalty box.
Maple Leafs Had a Messy Penalty Kill Last Season
Last season was particularly difficult for the Maple Leafs’ penalty kill because they lost one of their most important pieces almost immediately.
Chris Tanev played only 11 games after dealing with injury, robbing Toronto of one of its best defensive penalty killers for most of the season. He averaged 2:08 shorthanded per game in those appearances, showing just how important he was to the unit.
Then there was the departure of Mitch Marner.
Losing Marner obviously hurt the Maple Leafs offensively, but his absence also created another hole on the penalty kill. Toronto increasingly turned to Matthews, who averaged 1:10 per game shorthanded while also carrying a massive offensive workload.
That’s not necessarily a criticism of Matthews. He is more than capable of killing penalties.
But should he?
The Maple Leafs need Matthews scoring goals. They need William Nylander creating offense. They need their best players attacking at 5-on-5 and on the power play.
Every minute those players spend killing penalties is another minute they aren’t doing that.
Toronto’s penalty kill finished at 81.22% last season, which was actually above the league average. But that doesn’t mean the Maple Leafs should be satisfied with simply surviving the penalty kill.
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Jim Hiller Can Help Toronto Find a Better Balance
This is where the change from Berube to Hiller could become important.
Berube wanted the Maple Leafs to play a more physical, defensive style. That isn’t inherently a bad thing. Physicality can win puck battles and make life miserable for opponents.
But there is a fine line between playing hard and constantly playing on the edge.
The Maple Leafs weren’t the most penalized team in the NHL, but an aggressive style naturally creates more opportunities for penalties. And when that happens, Toronto is essentially taking its most dangerous offensive weapons off the ice.
The Maple Leafs still need to be aggressive. They just don’t need to try to outmuscle everyone.
Toronto has too much offensive talent for that.
Matthews should be used to score goals. Nylander should be used to create them. And Gavin McKenna should eventually be given every opportunity to showcase the offensive talent that made him one of the most coveted young players in hockey.
The Maple Leafs don’t need to become a soft team.
They simply need to make sure their aggression is working for them rather than putting them in the penalty box.
Maple Leafs’ Penalty Numbers Reveal an Expensive Problem