The Toronto Maple Leafs saved their worst performance of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs for what was arguably their most important game yet. After being dismantled 6-1 by the Brad Marchand-led Florida Panthers, Mitch Marner offered a blunt admission at the final horn—one that seemed to be squarely aimed at Auston Matthews and the rest of the locker room following a downright pathetic showing.
The Maple Leafs find themselves in a familiar spot—on the brink of elimination after a promising start to the series. There was something in the air that suggested this NHL season might’ve been different, but things have turned bleak, as Toronto now has its back against the wall, pleading for mercy from Marchand and the Panthers.
The Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Cats and Leafs returns to Sunrise, where Marchand and the Panthers will hope to put an end to the grueling series against the Maple Leafs. The latter, on the other hand, will play with the urgency that characterizes teams with nothing to lose when facing elimination.
However, the mood inside the Leafs’ locker room is far from ideal, as the 6-1 loss on home-ice prompted a candid statement from Marner, who hoped to light a fire under Matthews and the rest of the team.
Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 07, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Some sloppy play. Not hard enough working. Gave them way too many opportunities around our net. I thought tonight was really the first night we didn’t reply well or play our game,” Marner told reporters after the game. “When you do that against a team like that over there, they are going to make you pay and that’s what they did.”
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Facing more than elimination
Marner can’t help but be overwhelmed by emotion as he gears up for Game 6. First and foremost, the 28-year-old star is staring down elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Leafs. In addition, he is bracing for what could be his final game in a Maple Leafs uniform, as he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) once the season comes to an end.
“No, no thoughts of that at all,” Marner firmly answered when asked whether Game 5 might have been his last home game in Toronto.
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Marner will be the most sought after UFA in the upcoming NHL offseason, but his disappointing performances in the postseason might hinder his stock. Regardless, he isn’t worrying about it at the moment, being fully focused on righting the ship in Game 6 and bringing the series back to Scotiabank Arena for an electric Game 7 matchup.
