Auston Matthews Opens Up About the Real Issues Holding the Maple Leafs Back
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews explained that his team feels comfortable with who they are, but are struggling at points with their mental game.
Sitting in the basement of the Atlantic Division was not what the Toronto Maple Leafs envisioned when they put out their 2025 lineup, however some bad injuries, uncharacteristic struggles, and shaky goaltending has led them to a 5-5-1 record.
While there is bad luck to blame, often times the team is making too many mental errors and it is costing them from the moment the puck drops, and several times we see players watching the puck, and not the player.
Matthews Says It's Not About Effort, It's About Smarter Hockey
Those errors have not gotten lost on captain Auston Matthews, who admitted that the team was making too many mistakes, and when they have those mental lapses it tends to snowball quickly.
Speaking to reporters after a terrible 6-3 loss to Columbus on Wednesday (that looked way better on the scoreboard than reality), Matthews made sure to say that his team didn't lack effort; but clarity at times:
I don't think it's an effort thing. Guys worked hard. I thought we competed. I thought we had a lot of o-zone time.
Just when breakdowns happen and mistakes happen, they're too big of breakdowns, too big of mistakes, we're giving up too many odd-man rushes and the puck is going in the back of our net.
I think it's more a cerebral thing than an effort thing.
Just when breakdowns happen and mistakes happen, they're too big of breakdowns, too big of mistakes, we're giving up too many odd-man rushes and the puck is going in the back of our net.
I think it's more a cerebral thing than an effort thing.
Matthews isn't one who skids by either, as while he's playing good defense he has shown a lack of intensity at times, and his killer instinct has suddenly disappeared.
He Still Believes the Maple Leafs Are Starting to Find Their Identity
The captain mentioned that the team has started to find who they are and it will be a matter of time, but those mistakes that are inevitable cannot be so glaring:
I think it's just being connected with all five guys on the ice. The effort's there, I think guys are competing, especially over the last week. I think we've found our identity but when mistakes happen, they're just egregious ones.
Don't expect any sympathy from Maple Leafs fans who are none too pleased with how the team has played, and recently took to social media to vent their frustrations.
But we've seen some positives recently, with newcomers Nic Roy and Dakota Joshua looking more comfortable, Max Domi is learning to shoot more, and Easton Cowan is impressing albeit not offensively.
There were always going to be growing pains this season, but fans certainly didn't expect them to be this bad.
But it's all part of this new transition period, and as we've seen before with the Maple Leafs, patience can pay off.
If Matthews is right however, and this goes beyond what we see chalked up in the playbook, it could be the difference between another Atlantic title, or a complete disaster of a season.
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