The Toronto Maple Leafs' run a couple of weeks ago seems like a cruel joke on fans after back-to-back losses to the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. Losing to the Sharks this season is no longer an embarrassment. They’re a good young club with plenty of talent.
Meanwhile, the Oilers, well, Connor McDavid showed up like a man possessed and guided his team to a decisive victory.
The Maple Leafs, for their part, looked like one of those boxers clinging to the ropes, hanging on for dear life. The Leafs were ready to throw in the towel, but managed to get a couple of punches back for good measure.
But that hardly did anything to mask a reality. Connor McDavid went berserk, while Auston Matthews continued to fall flat. At this point, the only plausible explanation for Matthews’ lack of impact on the ice injury. He’s so good that despite an injury, he still scores goals and puts points up on the board.
Now, if the Leafs were atop the Atlantic Division and leading the NHL, I’d advocate for keeping Matthews going. But he’s not nearly at the same level he was once, and, frankly, the Leafs aren’t going anywhere this season.
So, the time has come for the Maple Leafs to just shut him down. I know, I know, shutting him down could essentially kill Matthews’ chances of playing at the Olympics. But that’s precisely the point. Shutting him down now would give Matthews six or seven weeks to prepare for the Olympics.
If, after Milano-Cortina, Matthews is really, truly, fully healthy again, he could return to the lineup. However, that would only make sense if the Maple Leafs were within striking distance of a playoff spot.
That’s still a possible situation at this point. The Maple Leafs can still get back into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at this point. But time is running out fast. Shutting down Matthews would effectively send the message that the club is punting on the season. But is there any other choice?
Brad Treliving and Craig Berube can pull a tried and tested political strategy to deflect attention from this season. When politicians get hammered in the polls, they often turn to the economy, climate change, opposing tariffs, or any credible external factor that can buy them time to figure things out.
Treliving and Berube can do just that. They can point to injuries and blame the losses of Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, Joseph Woll, Auston Matthews, and Brandon Carlo. And Treliving and Berube wouldn’t be entirely wrong. The loss of several lineup regulars has weighed on the club. Losing Tanev was a big blow. Losing Stolarz and Woll, at the same time, has been brutal. If not for Dennis Hildeby, the Maple Leafs would be chucking knucks with the Vancouver Canucks for last place in the NHL.
Ultimately, something’s got to give. If Matthews is trying his hardest to play through something, the team should just grin and bear it. If surgery is needed, let him get it and recover. Otherwise, the Maple Leafs could be stuck in an impossible situation. Leafs Nation must face the fact that the team really isn’t going anywhere, despite some valiant efforts.