The Toronto Maple Leafs held their end-of-season media session, giving reporters a chance to ask players and management the burning questions that have been on the minds of fans since the team was eliminated from the playoffs on Friday.
The Leafs were defeated by the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their best-of-seven second-round NHL playoff series, which they lost four games to one, despite being favoured to win and holding home-ice-advantage.
Although they finally got out of the first round for the first time since 2004, the Leafs once again bowed out of the playoffs in disappointing and frustrating fashion, leaving the future of this current team in question.
“[It’s] disappointing to be here,” General Manager Kyle Dubas said in his opening remarks at Monday’s press conference.
“[I] feel that the group had a substantial opportunity to continue on this spring and unfortunately, we did not execute to the level that we would all like. It’s another hard lesson for all of us; the entire organization.”
The feeling of disappointment was evident across the board, and for many of the players, it’s a feeling they’ve become accustomed to.
“It’s not where you want to be,” said Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly; the team’s longest tenured player.
“You spend time thinking about things and processing things. It’s a feeling that’s all too familiar but every year feels a little bit different.”
Prior to this year, the Leafs had been one win away from advancing in the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, but were unable to get over the hump.
Despite finally doing so this year, Leafs management find themselves back at square one, with questions swirling about whether or not the team’s core group of players has what it takes to win at the highest level.
Dubas has so far resisted the urge to break up the so-called “core four” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, team captain John Tavares and William Nylander, but hinted today that he’s open to doing anything that will improve the team ahead of next season.
“This spring and summer through to next October, I'm interested in doing anything, after a very thorough evaluation… with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup,” Dubas said.
“So I would take nothing off the table at all, and I think everything would have to be considered.”
One of Dubas’ most important decisions will be whether or not to extend Matthews, who won the Hart Trophy last season as league MVP after scoring 60 goals, but was unable to find the back of the net at all during the Leafs’ second-round series against the Panthers.
He’ll become a free agent at the end of next season, but indicated today that he’d like to stay in Toronto long term.
“My intention is to be here,” Matthews said, adding that signing a contract extension is something he hopes can be finalized before the start of next season.
“I think it’s important and it’ll all work its
