"Show some f***g emotion": Ex-Maple Leafs enforcer takes aim at Auston Matthews over slow start

After their 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost six games, including one overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken. They just have five wins, and their highest win streak is only two games. This shows that their play has been inconsistent, with weak defense and poor special teams.

The team allows 3.82 goals per game, ranking near the bottom of the league. The power play has struggled at just 13.8 percent. William Nylander leads the team with 15 points, while John Tavares has six goals.

On Leafs Morning Take, Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill discussed the team’s struggles. Both of them suggested that Nylander is their best player right now, and not captain Auston Matthews.

"Nylanader is at a point where I could almost consider him the best player on the team," Matthews said. "I don't know if it's a shot at the captain, but I think pound for pound, Nylander is their best player in this team right now. Like... you really notice when Nylander isn't playing."

Rosehill, a former Maple Leafs enforcer, called out Matthews for his poor play. He said Matthews has not looked like his usual self this season.

"He (Nylander) has been their best player," Rosehill agreed. "Like it's just not. There's no hiding from it. He has been their best player. Auston Matthews has not been at all."

Rosehill added that Matthew Knies has looked better than Matthews at times. He questioned why Matthews is not showing the effort Maple Leafs' fans expect.

"There's times, many nights, when Matthew Knies looks better than Matthews," Rosehill said. "I don't know what's going on with them. Like he hasn't been that guy that we know with the trophies on his case all of last year ... like, what is going on? Where is your stuff?"

Rosehill mentioned that the Maple Leafs captain has not played like his old self. He noted poor shot choices and weak plays.

"He's throwing hopers at the net from the blue line," Rosehill said. "They get deflected into the netting up top. It's like, ...what are you doing? ...and that's what that guy's doing. He's one of the best goal scorers ever."

Rosehill said it is surprising for a player with Matthews’ skill. He added that Matthews’ scoring has dropped too quickly. He even brought Jonathan Cheechoo's name into the conversation, who scored 56 goals in the 2005-06 season with San Jose. Then his scoring kept dropping (halving) every year, and in the 2008-09 season, he just scored 12 goals and moved to Ottawa. There he played just one season, scoring 5 goals, and then his career ended.

"This isn't like a Jonathan Chichu situation, ... How does a guy's goal production go down that much, that fast?" Rosehill questioned. "Not saying that's the case with Auston Matthews, but we know what you're capable of, and you're not even close to that. So what is the problem?"

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Rosehill on Maple Leafs' captain's lack of emotion

Jay Rosehill also spoke about Auston Matthews' lack of emotion during the Maple Leafs' games. He said Matthews looks the same after wins or losses. Rosehill wants to see more fire and passion from him on the ice.

"I just want him to start playing up to his abilities, and in the meantime, while he's not, I question why he's not able to," Rosehill said. "And, you know, sometimes I'm like, "Why don't you do something different tonight, like, why don't you go out there and play with a vigor...? "Why don't you get out of your comfort zone a little bit? Why don't you get pissed off? ... No, he's got the same look on his face... like show me some fu**ing emotion, is what I'm looking for from the whole team."

Matthews has five goals and eight points in 11 games this season. His scoring pace is far below his 69-goal year in 2023-24. His shooting percentage is down, and he has been less effective offensively. The Maple Leafs need Matthews to regain his form to find consistency and success this season.

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Edited by Ankit Kumar