The Toronto Maple Leafs are no strangers to relentless media attention, but this preseason has brought a new level of scrutiny—and frustration—for captain Auston Matthews.

With Mitch Marner’s departure still fresh in the minds of fans and reporters alike, every press conference seems to circle back to the same lingering question: how is the team coping without their former star?

For Matthews, the constant barrage has reached a boiling point. After yet another round of inquiries about Marner’s impact on his daily routine, the captain finally drew a line, issuing a clear and unexpected ultimatum to the media.

But what exactly did Matthews say, and why has his response sent such shockwaves through the hockey community? As the Leafs prepare for a pivotal season, this tension between players and reporters is shaping up to be one of the most compelling storylines to watch.

Is this just the beginning of a new, distraction-free era for Toronto, or are there deeper issues simmering beneath the surface? The answers—and the drama—are only just starting to unfold, promising a season filled with intrigue both on and off the ice.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews

Photo credit: Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to be asked about Mitch Marner, and it is becoming clear that these questions are getting on his last nerve.

Ever since Mitch Marner left the Toronto Maple Leafs, there has been a huge media push to get the current Leafs’ players to talk about him.

Throughout training camp, guys like Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly have been bombarded with questions about the forward, with many wondering if they’ll miss Marner.

As you can imagine, these questions can be quite tiresome. After all, the Leafs’ stars simply want to focus on those who are on the team as opposed to off of it.

Auston Matthews is fed up with hearing about Mitch Marner

After a practice today in Toronto, Matthews was asked yet another question about Marner, and how the forward’s absence is impacting the Leafs captain’s post practice ritual.

This led to a very strong answer from Matthews, who told the media that they have two more weeks to ask these kinds of questions before he shuts them down completely.

You got two more weeks, and then we’re done with these questions.

At the end of the day, these kinds of questions can be extremely annoying, and it makes sense that Matthews would want it to end.

After all, Marner is a narrative that is going to exist for the rest of the season. Fans are sad to see him go, and that won’t end anytime soon.

If the Leafs have a bad start to the season, you can expect questions about Marner to continue, much to the dismay of the Leafs’ players.

Hopefully, Marner will be forgotten soon. It would be the best outcome for everyone involved.