The Toronto Maple Leafs closed their regular season with a disappointing 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. The defeat capped off a frustrating year that ended with Toronto missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.
As if the result itself wasn’t enough, the night also brought a new layer of drama, with Senators fans directing a pointed chant at Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
Senators Fans Taunt Maple Leafs With Auston Matthews
Matthews and the Leafs endured a turbulent season filled with injuries, inconsistency, and controversy. The star center is currently recovering from surgery after suffering a Grade 3 MCL tear in a knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks. The incident quickly became a major talking point, not only because of the severity of the injury, but also because of the lack of an immediate response from Toronto.
Teammates, including Brandon Carlo, William Nylander, Easton Cowan, and Morgan Rielly, were on the ice at the time, yet none confronted Gudas while Matthews remained down. The moment drew heavy criticism from fans and media alike. Although players later addressed the situation and responded better in their next games, the narrative lingered throughout the remainder of the season.
Off the ice, change also arrived quickly. The organization parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving, signaling that further restructuring could follow in the offseason. With Toronto missing the playoffs and Matthews sidelined, speculation about the team’s direction, and even Matthews’ long-term future, began to surface.
That backdrop set the stage for Ottawa fans to stir the rivalry. During the game, a brief but noticeable “Matthews leaving” chant echoed through the arena. It wasn’t just standard rivalry banter; it carried an edge because of what happened the previous year.
During the 2025 playoffs, Senators fans taunted Toronto with “Marner’s leaving” chants directed at the man himself. At the time, it felt like typical postseason trolling. However, months later, Marner was moved in a sign-and-trade deal to the Vegas Golden Knights, turning what once sounded like a joke into an eerie coincidence.
Marner’s situation unfolded differently, but the parallels remain. Despite posting 102 points during the 2024-25 season, criticism around his playoff performance intensified. Between 2017 and 2025, Marner managed just one goal in 26 high-stakes Games 5, 6, and 7, a statistic that fueled debate about his postseason impact.
After a second-round loss to the Florida Panthers in 2025, pressure reached a breaking point.
Tensions with management also escalated. Marner reportedly declined to negotiate an extension during his final contract year, raising concerns he could walk for nothing. At the trade deadline, Toronto explored moving him to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen, but Marner used his no-movement clause to block the deal, further straining relations. Eventually, the two sides parted ways.
Whether the same storyline could unfold with Matthews is far from certain. His importance to Toronto remains immense, and his circumstances differ significantly from Marner’s. Still, the timing of Ottawa’s chant, combined with Toronto’s disappointing season, inevitably sparked speculation.
For now, it remains nothing more than rivalry noise. But given recent history, some Leafs fans may view the chant as more than just trash talk. Whether it becomes another strange omen or simply fades away will depend on what comes next for Matthews and the Maple Leafs. For his part, Matthews shouldered the blame for Toronto’s wretched season, and made it a point to note that it’s an honor to be captaining the franchise.
However, Matthews also did not commit to staying in Toronto, pointing out that he doesn’t know what the future holds.
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