
Any hope the Toronto Maple Leafs had of winning a Stanley Cup when Auston Matthews was drafted nine years ago went up in a cloud of apathy-filled smoke when the Maple Leafs lost Game 7 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers Sunday night.
It wasn't just that the Maple Leafs lost. They do that a lot at this time of year. But to be so embarrassed and to go down without so much as a whimper has permanently doomed this group to mediocrity. These guys lose because they're losers. That's what they do.
Mitch Marner is almost certainly gone. John Tavares will be 35 years old. Morgan Rielly looks close to finished. The Leafs' captain, Auston Matthews, talked about there being, "too many passengers," and he should definitely put himself in the front seat of that bus.
Regardless of the changes, this group cannot get the job done. It can't even come close. Because when the heartbeat of your team is so weak and so fragile, you are doomed.
Watch the video reaction to the Maple Leafs' final game of the season and share your thoughts.
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Promo image credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images