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Auston Matthews Makes Heartbreaking Comments on Mitch Marner Following Frustrating Game 7 Loss

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 19, 2025 10:19 AM ET

Auston Matthews was crushed following their Game 7 loss, and he's made a clear statement on teammate Mitch Marner ahead of his free agency.

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally appeared on the verge of doing something special this season, but after saving their season on Friday night down in Florida, they were blown away on Sunday in Game 7, falling 6-1 and ending their season in disappointment once again.

Not only is it the end of their season, but it's potentially also the end of the Mitch Marner-Auston Matthews combination on the teams top line, as No. 16 is set to become the biggest unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025 in the NHL.

Wallowing in the sorrow of the Game 7 defeat, Matthews was asked about the future of his friend and long-time teammate, and while he didn't address that, he kept his comments very short and simple on Marner:

We obviously love him to death.

That doesn't give us very much indication of what the future holds for Marner at the NHL level and whether or not he'll seek to move on from Toronto in the wake of the overwhelming criticism he received in this series, but it does tell you a lot about how his teammates see him.

After Mikko Rantanen was signed long-term by the Stars, Marner became undisputedly the top free agent available in the league, and after this performance, it's more likely than not that the biggest deal he can get in the summer will come from a team not named the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While some fans will be happy to see him go if that happens, the players certainly won't, as Marner has become an integral part of this organization over the past decade, so for now, this will be one of the biggest stories in the NHL between now and free agency.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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