It is that time of the year again, when the Toronto Maple Leafs meet the media for their end-of-season media availability. Less than 48 hours removed from their Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers, the players and head coach spoke with the media members. They were asked about what happened in their terrible Game 7 loss, what needs to be improved, and for some like Mitch Marner and John Tavares, they were asked about their willingness to re-sign with the organization.
It is days like today, when the team speaks to the media such a short time after losing, that you get to see the raw emotions from the players, which shows just how much it hurts to lose. So, let’s jump into some of the biggest things said from the Maple Leafs’ press conference.
Craig Berube
This year’s press conference started a bit differently than years prior. Head coach Craig Berube started things off, whereas in past years the coach has gone last. There were a few interesting points that Berube touched on that the fan base should take away from this season. The biggest thing he mentioned was “structure” and how the team lost it at points in Game 7, which resulted in the Panthers scoring three goals and eventually running away with the game.
He also made sure to mention how well the team did overall, with all the things that they accomplished. “We all look at Game 7, and nobody’s happy. But we did a lot of good things this year that I’m proud of.” He did name a few things he felt were important, stating that the team won their division and finished with 108 points. Everyone knows that the coach isn’t about personal accolades, but that is important to remember too. The goalies had a great year, the defence took a major step forward, and although Matthews didn’t have the best year of his career, a lot of the forwards did.
Related: Should the Maple Leafs Be Okay With Marner Departing in Free Agency This Summer?
He also spoke on Marner and Auston Matthews. He said he loved coaching Marner and got to see how talented he was. As for Matthews, he noted that he grew as a leader throughout the season, but liked how well they worked together as a coach and captain. He ended the press conference by answering if he would like to see the Maple Leafs sign both Marner and John Tavares and he said, “100%.”
The Core Speaks
The first member of the core group to speak was Morgan Rielly. He looked defeated as he met with the media, and as he answered questions, it became more clear that he had taken this loss hard. There were a few quotes that stood out when Rielly spoke. The first one was when he was asked if he would consider change. He took a long pause and said, “That’s not what I’m thinking about right now.” It is obvious that his contract prohibits the Maple Leafs from making any changes without his say. However, there could be a chance that we are heading into an offseason with massive changes. That led to the next question—when he was asked about what it was like to play in this market. Rielly took an even longer pause, as his voice broke and tears filled his eyes, and he gave his answer: “It’s been an honour and a privilege.”
William Nylander was the next one to speak, and he highlighted that the team was not happy with their performance in Game 7. He described it as “Just a sh*tty game. That’s about it.” He mentioned that he wants both Marner and Tavares to re-sign with the team. His time on camera was short, and with a ton of technical difficulties, it was hard to keep track of all that was said. However, he did end his availability by saying he is considering going home to Sweden to play with his home country in the 2025 IIHF World Championships.
Tavares, one of the two big unrestricted free agents on the Maple Leafs, had his turn talking with the media. He seconded the same message that Berube did. Toronto lost their structure, and the Panthers kept playing their game, leading to the Game 7 loss. After that, he was asked about his time here and if it’s hard to think about next steps. He responded with “I’m very optimistic after speaking to Berube and Treliving. I’m very optimistic that it can work out where I’m back.”
Marner was up next, and the first question he was asked was about his future. He said, “I’ve always loved my time here… I haven’t processed anything yet.” The follow-up question was also regarding his time in Toronto and his future, to which he said: “It’s so fresh. It’s tough to say anything right now, future-wise. I was hoping to be playing hockey right now… I’ll sit down with my wife and decide (next steps) in the coming weeks.” Marner got the chance to speak on his longtime buddy Matthews, and he said the captaincy never went to his head and mentioned that it has been a “special time” to play alongside him. One thing that stood out from Marner’s availability is that it seems that he either hasn’t given thought on coming back to the Maple Leafs or that he doesn’t want to admit it publicly but has made the decision to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Matthews’ press conference started with a question about his growth as a captain, and he made sure to give his coach some praise, stating that “Chief pushed me.” He was also asked about the pressure that comes with playing in Toronto, and he said, “It’s an amazing place to play. I love playing in Toronto.” The key part of his press conference was regarding his injury. Every member in Leafs Nation was wondering just what had happened. We all know Matthews is a private person, so there is no surprise that he didn’t tell the media what he was dealing with. However, he did say, “Physically, it was a very tough season. I don’t want to get into the specifics of stuff. . . I’m confident with some time off I’ll be back 100% next season.”
He had a small run-in with a member of the media that was asking why he felt the need to keep his injury to himself, and he replied quickly with, “Because it is my right.” He was asked about Marner and his status as a pending free agent and repeated what he said after Game 7: “He’s my brother.” He also acknowledged that it is Marner’s right to explore other opportunities but did reiterate that the team loves him. Lastly, he mentioned how bad the Game 7 loss hurts. “This one stings the most,” Matthews said. “We were that close to being that close,” speaking in regard to being in the final 8 teams left and being one win away from the final four.
Related: A Look at the Maple Leafs’ 2025 Free Agent Class
Matthew Knies spoke about his injury and said he wasn’t 100% healthy for Game 7 but declined to say where specifically his injury was. He was hurt early in Game 6 when he was hit by a reverse hit and went to the bench. He tried to give it his all throughout the game but looked to be very badly hurt. He managed to come back for Game 7, but you could still tell something was off. He made sure to mention that “He was always going to play in Game 7.” Knies was also asked about his future with the Maple Leafs as a restricted free agent and the possibility of an offer sheet. He replied with an answer that will make everyone in Leafs Nation happy: “I want to be here. I want to play here. That’s all that matters to me.”
Other Players That Spoke
Chris Tanev met the media after Marner and was asked about the pressure that comes with playing in Canada. He highlighted that he has played in Canada for 14.5 out of his 15-year career and said it is to be expected since “Hockey is Canada’s game.” He compared Toronto to Vancouver in terms of pressure but said it is not the same in Calgary. He was asked if he would try and convince his brother, Brandon Tanev, to come to Toronto and he said, “I don’t know, I don’t know if the team wants him to come here, if he wants to come here.” He then was asked if he wanted to play with his brother, and he replied, “I don’t know.” Lastly, he was asked what his injury was, and he said it was his sternum where the joint meets his collarbone.
Anthony Stolarz also addressed the media today and spoke on what injury he suffered. He confirmed that it was a concussion and that he felt there was no malicious intent. He also stated that he believes the puck off the mask didn’t have anything to do with his concussion and noted that he is feeling fine now.
Max Pacioretty’s press conference was highlighted by his future in the NHL. He mentioned how hard it was being away from his family. He said that he needs to go home and discuss his future with family and is unsure if he will keep playing or not.
Joseph Woll met with the media near the end of the day and had some interesting things to say about the pressure that comes with playing in Toronto. He said, “Pressure comes from a good place, right? It comes from us having fans that care. I know that there’s nowhere I’d rather play and I’m happy how much people care.”
At the end of the day, there were some very similar talking points, one of them was structure and the importance of them maintaining that throughout games and series. The other one was, the importance of Matthews’ growth as a captain, and leader in the room. Lastly, this one is no surprise, the potential departure of both Marner and Tavares and what they mean to the team. It was mentioned by just about everyone, how much they’ve enjoyed playing alongside them and how they would love for them to re-sign with the team next season.
This isn’t it for exit interviews, the Maple Leafs’ GM Treliving will likely meet with the media in the coming days to go over what some plans look like for the summer and if there are any other urgent updates. There isn’t a set date for that yet, but that should be coming within the next week.
