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Jake McCabe continuously put his body on the line as Maple Leafs endured rough season

Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

By Michael Coyle

May 24, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: May 24, 2026, 12:32 EDT

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While the 2025-26 version of the Toronto Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, one player who drew praise from the fanbase was defenceman Jake McCabe.

The Maple Leafs originally acquired McCabe in February 2023, and he has become a staple on the club’s backend ever since. McCabe signed a five-year, $22.55 million extension on October 28, 2024, keeping him in Toronto until the completion of the 2029-30 season.

Speaking to the media following the signing of his extension, McCabe touched on why he felt staying in Toronto was right for him.

“It’s really exciting for me and my family,” McCabe said. “We’ve loved our time in Toronto thus far, and to be able to sign out for another five years is super exciting for us.”

How the year went

McCabe appeared in 80 games this season, picking up five goals and 20 assists, and his 25 points were only three off the career-high of 28 he set with the Maple Leafs during the 2023-24 season. Notably, McCabe finished the year with a plus-three rating, a strong showing on a team that only had two players finish on the plus side with at least 50 games played.

While goals aren’t the be-all end-all with McCabe, the defenceman endured a 50-game goalless drought, which was finally broken during a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on March 25. During that time, McCabe picked up 12 assists, but a few people close to him were questioning his ability to find the back of the net.

“It was funny, my kids are giving me a hard time today. They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals, when are you gonna score a goal,’” he said. “It’s nice to get one, especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching. Looking forward to seeing them in the morning and getting their reaction.”

McCabe was complimented by teammates night in and night out for his ability to be difficult to play against and his willingness to lay his body on the line. McCabe finished the year with a league-leading 190 shots blocked, throwing his body in the line of defence night in and night out.

Following that March 25 win over the Rangers, where McCabe scored and blocked a team-high four shots, goaltender Joseph Woll sang the praise of the veteran blueliner.

“He’s unbelievable, he eats minutes for us, and I love having him back there playing in front of me,” Woll said. “Obviously, he blocks a lot of shots, and he’s a great presence out there. He always makes the right plays and plays top minutes against opposing teams’ top guys, so it’s been awesome.”

Statistical profile

Category	Production	NHL rank
Expected goals percentage	44.94%	558th
Goals for percentage	47.01%	401st
Scoring chances for percentage	43.77%	580th
Corsi	44.08%	592nd
Expected goals for per 60	2.28	535th
Expected goals against per 60	2.80	441st

All stats on 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick, among all players with 400 minutes or greater.

McCabe’s value on the Maple Leafs comes from being hard to play against, being strong on the penalty kill, and keeping the puck out of his own net. The plus-four rating that McCabe racked up this season highlights the strong level of play he was able to showcase on a Maple Leafs team that struggled mightily.

The defenceman was on the ice for 63 goals for and 71 against, and while the minus-eight differential isn’t great, it should be noted that the Maple Leafs finished the season with an overall goal differential of -46. McCabe’s 63 goals clocked in at the same number he posted during the 2023-24 season, when the Maple Leafs finished with a 46-26-10 record, and a goal differential of +40.

With McCabe remaining under contract for the next four seasons with an AAV of $4.51 million, the Maple Leafs will be counting on McCabe to continue to be a player who racks up the shot blocks and hits as they try to prove the 2025-26 season was just an aberration.

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