Toronto Maple Leafs fans turned their frustration toward Auston Matthews after Toronto’s 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. The defeat was the Leafs’ fourth straight loss out of their five-game homestand, starting with the Minnesota Wild. Fans voiced their anger on X, questioning Matthews’ role as a leader and impact in a game Toronto trailed early.
Speaking after the game, Matthews pointed to execution and mental mistakes.
“Honestly, I thought we came out better than we had – the last couple games,” Matthews said. “I think mental mistakes and just times where we just shoot ourselves in the foot. And then, you’re down two to the best team in the league, and you end up having to chase the game for the rest of the night.
“And so, I think that’s the frustrating part, just going through this adversity. It’s on all of us. All of us need to be better and better to execute with the play and with the puck more.”
However, this comment from Matthews did little to calm an upset fan base.
“Gotta trade this sleepy dude.. no heart, no passion.. not a true Maple Leaf.” One fan said, suggesting trading Matthews.
“Softer than a tortilla,” Another fan said of Matthews.
“Great player, not a captain though,” A fan pointed out to Matthews’ leadership role.
The loss felt familiar because Toronto was trailing early, down 2-0 after the first half of the first period. Brock Nelson scored twice in a 1:12 span, and later scored an empty net goal in the third to complete his hat trick. The Maple Leafs struggled to generate sustained pressure and failed to recover due to defensive issues.
Here are some more reactions from fans on Matthews:
“Came out better? were down 2-0 in first 2 min.” A fan qustioned.
“These guys don’t look like they are having fun. No wonder the injuries are mounting.” One fan said.
“No emotion, no fight, no push back, no getting pissed off, no starting shit to get the team going. Just nothing. So f***ing brutal.” A fan reacted.
Auston Matthews is focused on the Maple Leafs’ next game
The Toronto Maple Leafs now sit 24-19-9 and sit seventh in the Atlantic, led by teams like Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo. While the playoff race is getting tight, the consistency from the Leafs remains elusive.
Still, Matthews is focused on the games ahead and is looking to fight back.
“We’ve got one more game before we go on the road here, and you want to get back on the winning track,” Matthew said. “And especially when things are tough, and things are a grind, you just got to push through it even harder.”
With pressure mounting, Matthews and the Maple Leafs face rising scrutiny as results continue to lag expectations. The Leafs will next face Buffalo on Tuesday.
Edited by Ankit Kumar
