Maple Leafs News: Craig Berube Speaks On Auston Matthews' Offensive Struggles

Auston Matthews’ goal-scoring struggles have become a growing concern for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and head coach Craig Berube has addressed the issue multiple times in recent days. 

Matthews, who scored 69 goals last season, has just 24 in 51 games this year and only four in his last 17. While his offensive production has dipped, Berube remains confident that Matthews is still playing the right way. "He’s getting the opportunities. That hasn’t really changed from last year," Berube said. 

"It’s just not going in as much this year. But his overall game for me, I go off last game, he did a great job defensively going up against (Aleksander) Barkov, who’s one of the best in the league."

🚨🎙️ Craig Berube on the Leafs leadership group:

“They want to win. Trust me on that. They want to win. There’s a sense of frustration, for sure, and we gotta look past that. We can’t complain or get undisciplined because teams are checking us hard. That’s what you gotta get… pic.twitter.com/BSk03lX4nY

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) March 16, 2025

To try and spark Matthews, Berube reshuffled the lines before the Leafs' game against Ottawa, moving Mitch Marner alongside John Tavares and William Nylander to a third-line role. 

Matthews centered Matthew Knies and Max Domi, but the shake-up didn’t deliver immediate results, as the Leafs lost 4-2, their fifth defeat in six games. After the game, Berube didn’t hold back, saying, "It is an attitude we have to have from the start of the game. You have to hold your players accountable, and they have to hold themselves accountable." 

Matthews, who briefly broke a three-game goalless streak against the Senators, acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, "The margins have been really small. It’s on us to figure that out and just be better."

Craig Berube wants to see the Leafs play with more urgency off the jump more consistently pic.twitter.com/JNneUeUceo

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 16, 2025

Matthews’ absence from a recent practice fueled speculation that he may be dealing with an injury, though Berube insisted it was a maintenance day. 

Still, questions remain about whether something is affecting his ability to produce at his usual level. With the playoffs approaching and the Leafs battling for position in a competitive Atlantic Division, they need their captain to find his scoring touch. 

"We need him to play 200 feet," Berube said. "He’s got to keep shooting." As the pressure builds, the Leafs can only hope that Matthews starts converting his chances before it’s too late.

Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images