Speaking about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff woes, NHL insider Chris Johnston noted on his podcast this week that audio likely exists of the bench argument between William Nylander and teammates Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. The footage is all over the Internet of Nylander barking at his teammate, even though all parties say everything is fine and the bickering was typical stuff teammates do when trying to get the best out of each other.
Most insiders think the Leafs will do whatever they can to bury that audio. I say, let it get out there.
The Leafs are down 3-1 in their series with the Boston Bruins and the narrative surrounding the core group of Maple Leafs stars is that they might not be on the same page. Marner and Nylander were seen laughing at practice on Monday, so this is all likely water under the bridge, but it hasn’t changed the fact the team needs their stars to show up, be on the same page, and avoid elimination. If they can’t changes to the core might be made over the summer.
Even if the team ultimately splits this summer, there’s no harm in proving that these guys are emotional, care about the success of the team, and hold each other to high standards. In fact, it would be good to have that proof out there.
What Was Said Between the Leafs Stars?
Most fans who saw the footage think Nylander yelled:“Stop f***ing crying.” Others believe he added, “This isn’t junior.” or “Just fu***** shoot!” Either way, Nylander was on his teammate’s case and he wasn’t the only one. Fans have been pretty hard on Marner since that loss and the dynamic forward needs to turn things around to get back on the good side of a big chunk of Leafs Nation.
Marner talked about the argument with the media. He didn’t reveal what was said but noted that they don’t yell like that because they hate each other. Head coach Sheldon Keefe said the talking or arguing was a good sign. He believes it meant that they care and that, in the past, these guys might have held it in. He didn’t comment on what was said, only that “I look at it as progress and those guys care.”
It sounds like both statements were accurate because Marner and Nylander were all good on Monday.
The Maple Leafs Should Release The Audio
The best plan might be to share the audio. On the surface, it sounds like a terrible idea, but it might be beneficial. Barring something getting caught on the mic that would…
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