Auston Matthews Pokes At Toronto Media Ahead of Leafs' Team Bonding Trip

As the Toronto Maple Leafs enjoy their annual bonding trip, the timing couldn't be better. These trips are designed to bring teammates closer together, give players a mental reset, and provide a much-needed break from the day-to-day grind of training camp.

For a team like Toronto, it also means a rare escape from the most intense media spotlight in the NHL.

Captain Auston Matthews has never shied away from sharing his feelings about the media. Earlier this offseason, he set a firm deadline for questions regarding former teammate Mitch Marner, stating that he doesn't plan to field those types of questions after a certain point.

This week, just before the team embarked on their bonding trip, Matthews took a minute to poke some fun at reporters, joking that the trip is not just for a break from training camp, but that he's looking forward to a little time away from reporters as well.

By Matthews' lofty standards, last season was considered a down year. Matthews fell short of the 40-goal mark and battled through injuries that kept him from being fully healthy. Still, he remained a productive force in the lineup.

This year, however, Matthews enters camp with a clean bill of health for the first time since his 69-goal season, which should have Leafs fans feeling optimistic.

With some critics speculating how his production might change without Marner on his line, and Matthews' ridiculously low placement of 15th on the NHL Network's Top 50 Players list has only given him more bulletin board material ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

This Maple Leafs roster is one of the deepest in recent memory, and with extra cap space still available, management may not even be finished making moves.