“We had too many passengers,” Auston Matthews said, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, following the Leafs’ humbling 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the playoffs. TSN analyst Cheryl Pounder shed some light on Matthews’ rather cryptic confession.
She felt that, by passengers, the Leafs captain was referring to the immobilized state of the players on the rink in that playoff match against the Panthers — they weren’t taking charge like drivers do, they were like passengers. Pounder also felt the team’s top players underperformed, including standout Mitch Marner, who’s now on a $96 million deal with Vegas.
In a dramatic new development of this storyline, following Marner’s highly publicized exit to join the Vegas Golden Knights, Leafs fans believe that the team’s embarrassing playoff performance had much to do with Marner’s mental resignation.
Toronto Maple Leafs Fans React to Mitch Marner’s Shocking Admission
In a recent media appearance, Marner, who was seen sporting a Golden Knights jersey, admitted that during the 4 Nations Face Off, where he played for the victorious Team Canada, he and his wife discussed the “living style” in Vegas with Vegas players.
While Marner added that he wasn’t seriously considering a move at the time, Maple Leafs fans have now flooded the comment section with their views.
#LeafsForever Mitch Marner admits he and specifically his wife were talking to Vegas players during 4 nations about what it is like living in Vegas. He’s been gone for a while… pic.twitter.com/5HctIw0dx7
— Deon Sutton IV (@SeanDutton1111) July 2, 2025
The reactions were swift and unforgiving. Some fans alleged tampering, while others called Marner out for insincerity during the playoffs. One fan quickly drew upon Matthews’ ‘passengers’ comment following the playoff Game 7 loss: “Auston Matthews: ‘We had too many passengers.’ HE KNEW IT LMAOOO.”
Could Matthews have somehow meant Marner when he made that comment? Well, this fan is certainly convinced that he did. Another fan echoed the belief and even went a step further to tag Marner in his comment: “Too many passengers.”
Auston Matthews: “We had too many passengers”
HE KNEW IT LMAOOO https://t.co/tqlIiVvbtx
— Ty (@LeafsFan3488) July 2, 2025
Other Leafs fans were also vocal about their grievances regarding the playoffs and Marner’s role in them. One speculated a move to Vegas was all on Marner’s mind during the critical playoff games: “This hurts to hear… imagine what he was thinking during this playoff run. He knew it was his last chance to win.”
Another expressed a similar opinion, “That’s why the playoffs happened the way they did. He was already checked out.” Another lamented that the standout player’s alleged Vegas aspirations were responsible for the team’s wasted Stanley Cup pursuit: “In our best shot at a stanley cup in this era, our leading scorer had one foot out the door.”
in our best shot at a stanley cup in this era, our leading scorer had one foot out the door
— mj (@Hockey_Is_All) July 2, 2025
Some Maple Leaf fans suspected foul play and alleged tampering. One added, “League should investigate for tampering,” while another echoed the sentiment, “Is this not literally the definition of tampering?”
While Marner accumulated 13 points (two goals and 11 assists) over the 13 postseason games, Maple Leafs fans have come out harshly against the 28-year-old following his trade to the Golden Knights. Now that Marner is set for a new chapter of his NHL career, what could the future hold for him?
