Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Reveals His Plans for the Future After Tough Loss in Game 7

The Toronto Maple Leafs' season came to a crushing end on Sunday, as they fell to the Florida Panthers in devastating fashion, losing 6-1 in Game 7 of the second round.

With the season now wrapped up, speculation is swirling about which players and executives will stay and which will go. One player who appears committed to staying put is first-year captain Auston Matthews.

According to Dave McCarthy on X, Matthews spoke candidly about the pressure of playing in Toronto and his love for the city:

Matthews is coming off a down year in terms of production, scoring 33 goals in the regular season-a sharp drop from the 69 he netted the year prior. His playoff performance also dipped, recording just 3 goals and 11 points in 13 games.

There has been speculation that Matthews' struggles this season were injury-related, which he confirmed, with the captain stating that he had been dealing with a lingering issue since training camp.

Veteran forward John Tavares echoed Matthews' sentiments, expressing his desire to remain with the Maple Leafs and his appreciation for playing in Toronto.

Meanwhile, Mitch Marner's cryptic post-game comments after Game 7 suggest he may have played his final game in the blue and white, potentially signaling a desire for a fresh start elsewhere.

Regardless of who stays and who goes, one thing is clear, the Maple Leafs are in need of change. As captain, Auston Matthews will play a vital role in leading the team towards a more successful future.