The Toronto Maple Leafs aim for a fresh start to the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season under new captain Auston Matthews. Trying to put the past seasons’ failures behind them, the team must set their identity on the ice every night. However, after a frustrating loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Matthews called out his teammates and sent them a strong message. 



In a span of three seasons, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-maple-leafs">Leafs</a> have changed General Managers, head coaches, and now team captains. The team has left no stone unturned, though they remain confident on their players’ core and have shied away from making considerable changes to their lineup. The team has brought in experience with the likes of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but it remains to be seen whether the team can defeat the ghosts from the past.



Against Columbus, on Tuesday, the team showed no signs of improvement and went back on its steps. The Blue Jackets dominated the game and the Maple Leafs looked pleased with taking the loss and get on their plane back to Ontario. However, the recently appointed captain <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/auston-matthews">Auston Matthews</a> did not let the embarrassing outing slide and called out his teammates.



“Neutral zone was the Autobahn for them tonight,” Matthews commented, via TSN. “They were just coming in, flying through. We just got our butts handed to us a little bit. It’s a busy week for us, so there’s no time to sulk over this.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241024_BUS_259066_Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M-1024x576_83751b95.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates the puck during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0." class="wp-image-249720" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-the-M.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates the puck during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.</figcaption></figure>



The Leafs need to put the loss behind them and focus on a busy final stretch of the month. Toronto will face four opponents in one week, starting with hosting the St. Louis Blues, followed by road games against the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, before closing October with a Halloween Night matchup against the Seattle Kraken at Scotiabank Arena.


 

 

 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="BUS#/nhl/capitals-alex-ovechkin-makes-surprising-revelation-about-pursuit-of-wayne-gretzkys-nhl-record"></div>


<h2>Matthews rough night</h2>



The franchise’s cornerstone and captain Auston Matthews didn’t have a favorable match, whatsoever, in Columbus. The team’s superstar did not record a point, and on the contrary, he had a plus/minus of -3. That’s a very bad stat for a first-liner centerman who was on the ice as the opposition scored thrice. 



<h2>Leafs head coach comments on third loss of the season</h2>



Craig Berube has taken the reins in Toronto after Sheldon Keefe’s departure after another first-round exit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to old rivals, Boston Bruins. Berube received the nod from a franchise eager for success in the postseason. Leafs Nation is sick and tired of watching their team run out of gas in April and May, another disappointing season-finale and some difficult decisions must take place within the organization.



“I didn’t feel like we skated very well tonight,” Berube said. “They skated through us all night. We didn’t win many puck battles tonight, didn’t defend very well tonight and that’s what you get. It boils down to they outskated us. They outworked us and they were a harder team than we were. Bottom line.”



<h2>Maple Leafs defenseman fined for hit</h2>



Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers in June 2024, Oliver Ekman-Larsson joined the Leafs as a Free Agent and looks to bring his experience to the team. The veteran defenseman was fined by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for an Interference hit on Tampa Bay Lightning star Jake Guentzel.



The NHL statement read: “Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for interference against Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel during NHL Game No. 91 in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 21, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 5:32 of the third period. Ekman-Larsson was assessed a minor penalty for interference.“

NHL News: Auston Matthews calls out Maple Leafs teammates after ugly loss to Blue Jackets

NHL makes final decision on New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba&#039;s brutal hit

NHL News: New York Rangers third line looks to continue to excel against the Florida Panthers

NHL News: Auston Matthews calls out Maple Leafs teammates after ugly loss to Blue Jackets - Bolavip US

miniaturas

The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the 2024/25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season with high stakes. This campaign feels like a do-or-die situation, as time is running out for the franchise and its core group of players. In a bid to gain the postseason success that has eluded them, the Leafs added a Stanley Cup champion to their roster. The new Maple Leafs player recently shared the key to his early-season success with the team, captained by Auston Matthews.



The pressure is mounting on <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto</a>’s core, and the organization has shown its commitment to change by parting ways with both the General Manager and head coach in recent years. The players will likely be next if they fail to meet expectations once again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So far, the team is off to a promising start under new head coach Craig Berube, posting a 3-1-0 record, good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division.



Despite their strong start, the Maple Leafs’ true concerns lie in their postseason failures. To address this, they signed goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in the 2023/24 season. Toronto’s front office hopes this move will help aid their defensive problems and take pressure off <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/auston-matthews">Matthews</a>.



So far, Stolarz has fit in seamlessly, and he revealed the key to his adaptation to the team: “I think as a goalie that you can kind of control the game,” Stolarz said, per DailyFaceoff. “So for me, it’s just about going out there, being calm, cool, collected, and playing my game. It helps that I’m a bigger guy, so I’m able to play a little deeper, but I also think I’m extremely agile as well, so it’s just a good combination.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241017_BUS_254893_Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1024x576_0a8b800c.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-254918" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-against-the-Los-Angeles-Kings-during-the-3rd-p.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Los Angeles Kings during the 3rd period in an NHL game on October 16, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Kings 6-2.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Matthews’ first impressions as Captain</h2>



Auston Matthews, fresh off winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal-scorer with 69 goals in the 2023/24 season, had a slow start to his current campaign. It took the Toronto Maple Leafs captain four games to notch his first goal of the 2024/25 season. Matthews finally found the back of the net during the Leafs’ convincing 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, offering high praise for his team’s all-around effort.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="BUS#/nhl/nhl-news-david-pastrnak-sends-strong-message-to-boston-bruins-teammate"></div>

 

 


“I think just a good start, solid throughout, [Anthony] Stolarz made some big saves,” Matthews said. “I thought we defended pretty well and just contributions from all four lines. We were able to roll four lines throughout the game and when you roll them over like that, I think it can make it pretty hard on the opposition.”



Matthews’ goal, a blistering snap shot, left his teammates and fans awestruck. The shot was so quick that Kings’ goaltender David Rittich barely registered it as it sailed past him.



“You love to see it, he ripped that one,” Bobby McMann stated. “I think it went in and out before anybody even saw it. All the boys are smiling, you love to see that for him because you know there are a lot more coming.”



The Maple Leafs are banking on this being their breakthrough season. With a new head coach at the helm and Matthews embracing his role as captain, optimism is running high in Toronto. But as the postseason looms, so will the ghosts of past playoff disappointments. Whether the Leafs can finally exorcise those demons remains to be seen.

NHL News: Stanley Cup champion reveals key to early success with Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

NHL News: Flames goalie makes something clear on playing against Connor Bedard&#039;s Blackhawks

NHL News: Penguins HC Mike Sullivan makes something clear on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin

NHL News: Stanley Cup champion reveals key to early success with Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs - Bolavip US

The New Jersey Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division, though, they are yet to play a game in North America in the 2024-25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season. Back in Jersey, the Devils will host their head coach’s ex-club. Sheldon Keefe sent a clear message to his former organization, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and roster now captained by Auston Matthews.



The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-maple-leafs">Maple Leafs</a> were never able to get over the hump with Keefe at the helm, despite relative ease to cruise through the regular season, come playoffs time the team’s wheels came off and their core of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander was often looked at. However, the four key players remain in Toronto, instead the GM and HC received the boot.



Under new head coach Sheldon Keefe, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/new-jersey-devils">Devils</a> won their first two regular season games in their international series at Czechia. Ahead of the Devils’ debut on American soil, head coach Keefe sent a clear message to his former organization, now opponents.



“I got nothing but love and respect to the people on the other side … I do think the team is in a really good place,” Keefe said, per TSN. “I don’t know if it will be an emotional night because I’ve never coached against a team that I’ve been associated with in the past. The team is as good as it’s ever been and I wish them nothing but the best.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241010_BUS_249694_Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1024x576_ce832c69.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-249724" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Auston-Matthews-34-of-the-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-skates-after-the-puck-during-the-third-period-against-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates after the puck during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.</figcaption></figure>



After Keefe’s firing, Toronto made a captaincy change. John Tavares handed over the ‘C’ to the team’s franchise player <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/auston-matthews">Auston Matthews</a>. The Leafs hope this decision has any bearing in future postseason runs. 


 

 

 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="BUS#/sports/nhl-news-oilers-star-connor-mcdavid-makes-something-clear-about-2024-stanley-cup-final-loss"></div>


<h2>Maple Leafs’ scoring streak ends</h2>



The Maple Leafs opened their season at the Montreal Canadiens with a 1-0 loss. Toronto’s offense failed to score on their opener against their historic archnemesis and the conversation around the core players resumed. Throughout the 2023-24 season, the Leafs were never kept off the scoreboard. Yet, in their very first game this season, they were shut out by a Canadiens team considered to be inferior..



Such a feat raises the question: Is the team better off without Keefe? Was firing him the right decision, or was he merely a scapegoat for deeper issues within Toronto’s organization? While it’s too early to make definitive conclusions about the coaching change, one game into the season, the Leafs have yet to show any significant improvement over previous years.

NHL News: Devils' Sheldon Keefe sends clear message to Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

NHL News: Adam Fox issues strong warning to New York Rangers teammates

NHL News: Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk strongly called out after heated season opener vs Bruins

NHL News: Devils' Sheldon Keefe sends clear message to Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs - Bolavip US

Latest news from Auston Matthews. Find out about all the news related to Auston Matthews on bolavip.com/en

Auston Matthews - Page 29

NHL News: Auston Matthews calls out Maple Leafs teammates after ugly loss to Blue Jackets

NHL News: Stanley Cup champion reveals key to early success with Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

NHL News: Devils' Sheldon Keefe sends clear message to Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs