The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading into Game 5 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers following two straight losses. Now, a former Maple Leafs enforcer is calling out two of the team’s biggest stars, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews—with some brutally honest words.
At times during this year’s playoffs, the Maple Leafs have looked like true contenders. They eliminated the Ottawa Senators in the Battle of Ontario in the first round and took a 2–0 series lead against the Panthers in the second. Even Brad Marchand gave them credit, saying something seems to have changed with the team compared to previous years.
But over the last two games—both in Florida—the Maple Leafs haven’t looked as sharp. It’s been especially tough for superstar forwards Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. Marner hasn’t registered a single shot on goal in his last two games, and Matthews has just three goals in his last 20 playoff appearances.
Mitch Marner has zero shots
Now, Marner is being absolutely slammed by former Maple Leaf Jay Rosehill, who spoke on Leafs Morning Take about how Mitch Marner tends to “go away” when it matters most.
“I don’t really care. But when the going gets tough, he goes away,” Rosehill said.
“We want guys that rise up and make the going get tough. And Marner just seems to… like—zero shots in the last two games.
”Like, you go down to Florida with a chance to win the series, and you have to get the split, and you can’t muster up a shot?”
On his X account, Rosehill also said it’s “put up or shut up time” for Matthews and Marner. William Nylander has been the standout player for Toronto so far. And if the Leafs end up getting eliminated by the Panthers, the criticism aimed at players like Matthews, Tavares, and Marner will be enormous.
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