NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn — Craig Berube defends Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner after Leafs’ Game 7 loss (Source: Imagn)

Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube makes honest admission on Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner's playoff scoring woes

Modified May 27, 2025 12:04 GMT

On Sunday, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, on the "Nasty Knuckles Podcast" with Riley Cote and Derek Settlemyre, spoke about Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner’s struggles in the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs had a strong regular season, winning their first true division title since 2000. They also won only their second playoff series in the Matthews era but lost 6-1 at home in Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.

Craig Berube said there's a lot of pressure on Auston Matthews and Marner to perform in the playoffs. However, he made it clear that the blame shouldn't fall solely on them. He said hockey is a team game and that everyone shares the loss. The team didn't play well enough as a whole in Game 7.

“There’s a lot of pressure there, and there’s been a lot of pressure put on him,” Berube said (34:49). “I think all the playoffs not advancing enough, and then moving forward, they seek out certain guys and get on 'em. In the end, yeah, those guys have to produce for us in the playoffs. But it’s not just all about them in the playoffs, it’s a team.

"The way I look at it is we didn’t do a good enough job in Game 7 as a team to win that game, and that’s why we lost. It’s not on Marner, it’s not on Matthews, it’s on everybody.”

He praised Marner for having a good season and called him a hard worker and a great person. Berube said the best way to handle pressure is to stay focused and not listen to outside noise.

Craig Berube reflects on Brendan Shanahan’s departure from the Maple Leafs

On the "Nasty Knuckles Podcast," Craig Berube also spoke about Brendan Shanahan’s exit from the Maple Leafs.

“It was a tough day," he said.

Berube shared that he talked with Shanahan every day during the season.

“I loved talking to him about hockey on a daily basis,” Berube added.

Berube described Shanahan as someone who knows about winning and called him “a great player.” He said Shanahan spent a lot of time around the team.

“He was around us a lot, which was great,” Berube said.

He also said they would travel together and spend time as a staff.

“We would go on the road and hang out together,” he added.

Berube praised Shanahan’s work in Toronto:

“He did a great job in Toronto and built a really good team.”

Craig Berube ended by saying he wishes Shanahan all the best and that his time with him was excellent and memorable.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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