Brad Treliving reflects on Auston Matthews' season ahead of the playoffs: "His goal-scoring may be down, but I think his overall game is as good as I've ever seen it"

Ahead of the playoffs, GM Brad Treliving expressed enthusiasm for the first Battle of Ontario in over 20 years, emphasizing the rivalry's importance to fans and the game itself. He noted the emotional investment from both players and fans makes this matchup special. Reflecting on the team's performance, Treliving praised their preparation and progress over the last six weeks, stating that their game has improved not just in results but in the overall process. He aims to leverage the team's emotional and competitive readiness for a strong playoff run.

Treliving: "Playoffs are great regardless of who is playing, but when you can have a rivalry with a history like this one, it is great for the province and great for the game."

Treliving: "Those are long-standing rivalries. The game has changed a little bit, right? But it is high emotion. Great fan bases."

Treliving: "What makes it great is the investment - the investment the fans make, and the investment the players make."

Treliving: "In the last six weeks, I have really liked our game. It is not just the results. The results are great, but it is the process of getting to the results."

Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove