SEATTLE—Auston Matthews was back with Mitch Marner, and maybe that would fix him. The Maple Leafs would never say that aloud, of course, and maybe not behind closed doors, either.
But as Toronto navigates another season that is both low and high stakes at the same time — the playoffs are assured, but there lies a reckoning — a simple truth is that their franchise player hasn’t been himself. It’s not that Matthews has been bad; he just hasn’t been the guy who won a Hart Trophy last season, and it’s been striking. He’s been a devoted 200-foot player, but he hasn’t been the same consistent force. Even missing a few games, a 25-year-old Matthews shouldn’t be the fourth-leading scorer on his own team.
Source: https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/opinion/2023/02/26/auston-matthews-roars-to-life-in-seattle-for-the-leafs-it-could-mean-more-than-any-trade.html
