Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Can't Resist a Dig at Toronto Media: 'Getting Away From You Guys'
Photo credit: YouTube - Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews decided to have a bit of fun with reporters after a much needed vacation and couldn't be happier to have left them behind.
For Auston Matthews, his focus the majority of the time is when he is trying to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs on and off the ice and being a pillar for the community and the face of the franchise.
All of that comes with a lot of tiring and exhausting media appearances, intermingled with practices and games; it gets tiring after a while and Matthews looks forward to the little vacation time he gets in his year.
Matthews Keeps It Light With the Media Before Season Begins
He cherishes it so much in fact, that he wasn't allowed to let reporters spoil it and perhaps he decided to put his phone away over the last week or so, because he felt a lot of relief.
Speaking to reports post-R&R session, Matthews explained that his time off was glorious if only because he didnt have to deal with the Toronto media:
One of the best things was uhh...getting away from you guys for a minute. -chuckles-
Obviously Matthews holds no ill will towards the people just doing their jobs, though it must be mentally overwhelming at times to have so many people viewing you under the microscope.
But it also signals that there's a lot more looseness in the Maple Leafs locker room, with Craig Berube cracking jokes as well; some air of negativity got lifted and something is shining through the team.
From Frustration Over Marner Questions to Playful Banter
It's quite interesting to see Matthews be joking with the media after he was so stern with them previously about Marner talk (though his stoic nature could simply be a case of deadpan humor).
But clearly a new wave of clarity or relaxation has washed over Matthews and the rest of the team, and their bond is becoming closer than ever.
Taking part in the Leafs Legends Golf Classic, you could see Matthews and the others enjoying their time together and becoming a lot closer, and it looks and feels a lot different without Marner in the picture; as if they were reluctantly letting
him join in.
him join in.
The atmosphere in the locker room is night and day from a year ago or even in years previous, and there is really nothing that is looming overhead that can really change their focus this year.
Auston Matthews couldn't be happier to get away from the media, but he's also motivated to show everyone why they can't count him out.
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