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Auston Matthews challenges Brad Treliving after another bad loss


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Alexander Cole
January 30, 2026  (10:25)
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Jan 29, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) battles Seattle Krakendefenseman Ryker Evans (41) for the puck during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena.
Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews watched his team lose yet another game on Thursday night, and now, the team is facing the consequences.

Thursday night was a difficult one for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as they lost their sixth game in a row. They are now 10 points out of the playoffs, and everything feels like it is about to crumble.
Auston Matthews is about to miss the playoffs, and one has to wonder how he feels about all of this and if the captain will want to jump ship.
General manager Brad Treliving is certainly feeling the heat right now, and there are even reports that he could be fired in short order.
Last night, Matthews didn't make things easier on his GM. In fact, the captain was asked about whether or not the Leafs should be buyers or sellers.

Auston Matthews with a challenge for Brad Treliving

This led to an extremely honest answer from the captain, who noted that this is not his decision. Instead, management should decide what's next for the team.
You kind of leave that up to the management. For us, it’s about the next game. It’s about winning.
At the end of the day, this is a clear example of Matthew challenging his general manager in what could be described as an antagonistic way.
Clearly, the captain is fed up with what he has seen. He just wants to play hockey and not have to worry about the roster as a whole.
With that being said, this team is going nowhere fast, and it is easy to see why there is so much frustration to go around right now.
Going into the Olympic break, it will be fascinating to see what happens next, and whether or not the Leafs end up becoming victims of their demise.
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Auston Matthews challenges Brad Treliving after another bad loss

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