![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0b29869ffc0f01035d016386d5425ac9.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\nThe Toronto Maple Leafs lost 6\u20131 to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series on Sunday night. This marks the Leafs\u2019 seventh consecutive Game 7 loss\u2014and this one came after they led the series two games to none.<\/p>\n
Captain Auston Matthews once again\u00a0failed to put the puck in the back of the net when it mattered most. In his nine NHL seasons, the Leafs have reached the second round just twice (2023, 2025). Matthews has now played in 12 career second-round games and has scored just one goal, which came in Game 6 of this year\u2019s series.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
After lighting it up with 69 goals last season and adding 33 this year, Matthews simply hasn\u2019t looked like the same player in the postseason. That\u2019s led to growing speculation\u2014has he been playing hurt, or is the pressure just too much?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) shoots and scores against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.Sam Navarro<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Matthews met with the media and confirmed that he\u2019s been dealing with an injury dating back to training camp.<\/p>\n
“Physically, it was a very tough season,” Matthews said. “I don\u2019t want to get into the specifics of stuff. . . I\u2019m confident with some time off I\u2019ll be back 100% next season.”<\/p>\n
Matthews called his season, in terms of dealing with the injury, a \u2018roller coaster.”<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were good stretches, there were stretches that weren’t so good, it was just kind of a bit of a roller coaster, unfortunately, throughout the whole season, throughout the playoffs, just on a day to day basis,” Matthews added<\/a>.<\/p>\n This season, the 27-year-old and 2016 No. 1 overall pick missed 15 games\u2014the most he\u2019s missed since the 2017\u201318 NHL season.<\/p>\n