When Toronto fails or disappoints, the media is on top of them like a pack of hyenas, however this time around with no production from their Core 4, the Maple Leafs and their stars have nothing but excuses as they face the daunting challenge of having to overcome an 0-3 deficit.
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander have combined for 0 goals in the first 3 games of the series and only fired 7 shots on goal combined in Game 3. Taking up about $40 million of the salary cap, the Maple Leafs' top players have no one to blame but themselves and with such lofty expectations - which comes from their mammoth contracts - there's always the idea of trading at least one of their stars if they fail yet again in the post-season.
On the flip side of the coin, what is Marner supposed to say? As professional athletes you have to deal with the media and the fan base when things go sour, just as you relish in the limelight when things are going swimmingly. However, it has taken them 7 years to finally get over the first round hump and the moment they sniffed success, lady luck went against them as they now sit in a very unenviable position. Marner, Matthews, and Tavares have been invisible, heavily out played, out-chanced, out-manned, and have looked like a shell of their former selves from just one round ago. Nylander has played a little better, but still hasn't scored either.
The clock is ticking, contracts are expiring relatively soon, negotiations could begin sometime this summer for Matthews and Nylander, and if another playoff is squandered, changes have to be on the horizon in Toronto and it starts with the top dogs making $10M-$11M a season. Mitch Marner could find himself on the chopping block given his horrendous play in potential elimination games and series clinching scenarios.
