The Toronto Maple Leafs lost, yet again, in a Game 7. They were taken down by the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, who have advanced to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. After the game, a few members of the Maple Leafs had some comments for the media, and while it was clear they were all quite upset at the result, let’s analyze their comments a bit more.
Mitch Marner Doesn’t Talk About Future
As expected, forward Mitchell Marner was asked about his future with the Maple Leafs, considering his contract is now up and he will become a free agent this summer, and he didn’t give anything away. “I’ve always loved my time here. I’ve loved being here,” Marner said. “Like I said to you guys the other night, I have been so grateful and, you know, haven’t processed anything yet. It’s still so fresh and losing sucks.”
Related: Insider Believes Maple Leafs’ Marner Headed to Free Agency
Marner has been the centre of attention in recent weeks considering he is up for a new contract. Many fans believe he is ready for a fresh start and will get a massive contract from a different team this summer. Marner is a superstar forward who could command north of $13 million annually on a long-term deal, and now that the Maple Leafs will likely be looking to replace him, it sparks a new conversation of how different their team could look next season. Marner was careful not to give anything away about his future, but it sounds like he is going to take his time and consider every option before choosing what to do next in his career.
Auston Matthews Was Dealing With Injury
Fans were quite to criticize Auston Matthews for his lack of offensive production during the playoffs this season, but it sounds like he was dealing with some injuries all season. “It was a very tough season,” Matthews said Tuesday. “I don’t need to get into specifics, but I got injured in training camp. Obviously, I wasn’t feeling great throughout the first month of the season, took some time off, went to Germany, did all these things to try to feel better. I was in a place where I felt like I could manage it.” Matthews added he wouldn’t require surgery, and expects to be fully healthy next season.
Matthews scored three goals and added eight assists for 11 points through 13 games in the postseason, which wasn’t too bad of a performance, but fans were quick to point out he wasn’t able to elevate his game in clutch situations, but it sounds like his injuries played a huge part in his slight down campaign. Even in the regular season, he only scored 33 goals, which was 36 less than in the 2023-24 campaign where he had an incredible 69-goal campaign. Matthews sounded hopeful that he could get back to his elite form next season, and it sounds like he is confident he could establish himself as one of the NHL’s best pure goal scorers.
Craig Berube Wants Maple Leafs to Re-Sign Marner & Tavares
Head coach Craig Berube was asked about his experience coaching Marner. “Great. I love the guy and I love coaching him, love his energy, personality. He’s a hell of a player. You know, he does a lot for this team night in night out in a lot of different areas of the game. So, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him,” Berube said, also adding that he wants to see both Marner and John Tavares return next season.
This was Berube’s first season as the head coach of the Maple Leafs, and he has to chalk it up as a successful campaign considering they took the defending champions to seven games. Berube had won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, and the Maple Leafs seem confident he can help them get their first championship since 1967.
Panthers Criticize Maple Leafs Media, Praise Team
Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk took a shot at the media in Toronto, and had no problem placing some of the blame on them. “Sometimes you feel bad for them because they have some unbelievable players and a great team,” Tkachuk said. “I was actually saying this last night to some of the guys. If their team was not in Toronto, dealing with all the crazy circus stuff outside of it, they’d be an unbelievable team and such a hard team to play. They have so much to deal with. I feel bad, we don’t have to deal with that in Florida. I feel like that’s what makes me and my team so lucky. You almost use that against them.”
Tkachuk and head coach Paul Maurice also praised the Maple Leafs for being a tougher team to play against than in previous seasons, echoing the praise Brad Marchand had given them earlier in the series.
It seems as though the Maple Leafs are prepared to undergo some massive changes this offseason, while the Panthers are confident in their ability to make another run to the Stanley Cup Final this season. The criticism towards the Maple Leafs’ media has been echoed by fans around the league, with pushback from some who claim it’s more on the players than anyone else. At the end of the day, change seems inevitable in Toronto, but Berube would prefer to have both Tavares and Marner back rather than bringing in replacements.
The Maple Leafs will shift their focus onto the offseason now, while the Panthers get the third round going on Tuesday (May. 20) in Game 1 against the Hurricanes.
As the 2024-25 postseason moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
