Everyone is waiting to see if the Toronto Maple Leafs can write a new chapter: Mitch Marner is off the roster, and all eyes now fall on Auston Matthews.
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In a recent appearance on The FAN Hockey Show, Sportsnet’s Anna Dua unpacked how Matthews’ season projections might shift without his longtime running mate. Her insights were delivered with the kind of candid tone many Maple Leafs fans love. The focus of her conversation was working to engage the underlying question: Does Matthews need Marner, or did Marner serve Matthews’ game more?
Dua’s Bottom Line: Matthews Won’t Miss Marner This Season
Dua argued that even without Marner, Matthews’ production shouldn’t suffer much. She pointed out that over recent seasons, Matthews has matured into a 200-foot player—one who doesn’t just wait for chances, but commands his edges, defends, and steps into plays.
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The thought is that this new season might be less about replacing Marner’s assists and more about Matthews continuing to assert himself as the fulcrum of Toronto’s offence. If he can do it, he will make skeptics eat their words.
Matthews’ Projection Without Marner
There’s no argument that Marner’s departure leaves a big assist void. But Dua argued that it’s not quite a hole—they don’t necessarily need a pylon beside Matthews to produce elite numbers. She expects his goal-scoring and point totals to hold firm, even rise, if he’s healthy and confident. Here, the justification is that Matthews has already evolved beyond a pure finisher into a more well-rounded NHL star—someone who can bear the load.
(Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
Of course, for all this to work for the Maple Leafs, chemistry matters. The question is not whether Matthews can still score, but whether he’ll find the right linemates to mesh with his style. His teammates will need to adapt; pass patterns change, spacing shifts, and his linemates’ reads must mature into a workable set of instincts that suit Matthews. But with his skating, high-end shot, and increasing two-way reliability, Dua believes Matthews is equipped to find and build those relationships quickly.
Matthews’ 200-Foot Evolution
Dua further argued that Matthews’ growth as a 200-foot player gives him the foundation to handle this transition. No longer simply a goal-scorer waiting for passes, he’s become more involved: disrupting plays, recovering pucks, and engaging in puck battles. Over recent seasons, that maturity has become second nature.
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Her point: without Marner, Matthews won’t suddenly revert to an incomplete version of himself. He’s built a template of trust with coaches and teammates alike. So even as the playmaking burden shifts, Matthews has already earned the credibility to drive the offence, not just be driven by it.
The Pressure of the Spotlight Will Demand a Fuller Matthews’ Leadership
Losing Marner doesn’t just change the lines—it changes the narrative. Matthews steps into seasons where eyes measure not just his goals, but his leadership, consistency, and capacity to rise above roster shakeups. Dua teased that Matthews might feel a chip on his shoulder: undervalued in rankings, dismissed when compared to Connor McDavid or others, and now facing a new test head-on.
In her telling, instead of seeing Matthews fall into a hole, this could be his year to prove critics wrong. The bar has always been high, but now he must show he can command that burden alone. If he thrives, it won’t just be about meeting expectations—it’ll be about shifting them altogether.
What’s the Question Left Hanging for the Maple Leafs?
As I watched Dua’s interview, the question that kept echoing was this: In the end, does Matthew need Marner, or does Marner need Matthews more? The safer bet is that the chemistry was mutual—but the power dynamic might well now tip toward Matthews. The production ceiling remains Matthews’ domain; Marner served as the conduit. Without the conduit, Matthews must become even more self-reliant.
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Can he do so? Dua believes he can—and will. Maple Leafs fans will find out soon enough. If Matthews responds with a career season, it will look like inevitability. But if the Maple Leafs falter, the absence of Marner will be pointed out first. The season ahead may reveal not just how much Matthews can produce, but how completely he can carry a team.
For me, considering Dua’s conversation, the question is not Matthews’ skill but the strength of his determination.
