Here we go again, another Game 7 letdown for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews, being a veteran with the Maple Leafs, has definitely felt this before, but this time it hit harder since he was leading the team as captain. His performance in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs was pretty concerning. He ended up with just 3 goals and 8 assists in 13 games. Mike Futa, an NHL analyst and Stanley Cup champion coach, shared some worries about a possible health issue that might be impacting Matthews’ performance.
“There has to be something with his health. You can’t dramatically drop off that much and just look physically not the player. Again, I don’t question everybody. It’s a hard market to win in. I don’t question the effort as much as when you see a player at his best and see what he can do. There has to be, in my opinion, a physical ailment that led to him not being able to shoot the puck,” Futa said. There are undoubtedly several factors at play, but based on his coaching background, there must be some secret information about Matthews’ health.
He also talked about the competitive scene in the NHL, and even though the Maple Leafs have a great hockey history, he mentioned that just having star players doesn’t guarantee a playoff win. Futa also pointed out that the shots the Maple Leafs captain took during the Playoffs looked a bit off compared to his usual style. This drop-off is pretty noticeable compared to his regular-season performance, where he was one of the league’s top scorers.
Futa mentioned, “You can question certain things about a player, but when a shot that scores 70 goals one year just doesn’t, is shooting wide, and it seems off, I just think that there’s got to be something wrong with him physically. I think this is his first year as captain. It’s going to be another building year, but when you’ve got players that talented and world-class talented, sometimes you’ve just got to build a different palace around them, so to speak, and see how it flourishes.”
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Auston Matthews had a decent 2024-25 regular season, racking up 33 goals, 45 assists, and a total of 78 points. Even though it wasn’t his best season, he still managed to guide the Maple Leafs to the top spot in the Atlantic Division. So, according to the coach who led the Stanley Cup champions, Toronto really needs to keep an eye on their core players. There are quite a few things that need to be talked about, and he also had some strong thoughts on another Maple Leafs star player.
Probably a worse fate for Auston Matthews’ teammate
“You never know until you’re behind the curtain. I can’t fathom the amount of money that Marner, his statistics basically add up to what he should be making. I don’t see how that balances out with his performance in Toronto,” Mike Futa mentioned after checking out Mitch Marner’s playoff performance. Honestly, this year wasn’t exactly a standout for the hockey forward. With just 2 goals and 11 assists, he ended up with a total of 13 points, which isn’t something anyone could really celebrate.
So, what’s the main thing? Marner signed a contract worth $65.4 million in 2019. But, over the last five postseasons, from 2019 to 2024, Marner has faced some challenges in those crucial games. He hasn’t scored any goals and has picked up five assists across 16 combined Games 5, 6, and 7.
Futa mentioned, “Again, he’s a superstar player. He showed some flashes of brilliance throughout his entire tenure here, but it’s gotta be tough. I honestly, I don’t have that. We were talking off the air about this burning jerseys and this ridiculousness. That to me is just so insane, but for a Toronto-born kid to put up the numbers he’s done and really truly embrace, I think, being a Maple Leaf and then to have the lack of success in the playoffs, I think it probably breeds best for him to find himself another home.”
The Stanley Cup champion coach believes that a player like Marner is a superstar for the Maple Leafs. It’s during these moments that players like him really step up their game and deliver the results that fans have been hoping for. Once again, Futa believes it’s time for Marner to move on from the Maple Leafs and explore new opportunities in the NHL.
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