Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews following trade deadline: 'We have to take responsibility'

"It's always tough. Every year, you're going to lose guys. Obviously, this year is a little bit different. We lost some great people, great teammates and obviously great players. I think it's always tough, but you got to keep pushing forward."

"I think each night, just taking it one game at a time, making sure that we are ready to compete each night, having fun and putting in an effort that we can be proud of. I think it's something we owe to each other and owe to the fans that come watch us play."

"I think the energy in this room has been good. Obviously, we're trying to get off this slide, and it's a good opportunity to play against a really good team in our division. It's going to take all 20 guys, it's going to take a full 60-minutes and we're going to have to compete throughout the whole game."

The NHL Trade Deadline has concluded with the Toronto Maple Leafs operating as sellers, trading away Nicolas Roy, Bobby McMann, and Scott Laughton. Captain Auston Matthews acknowledged the emotional difficulty of losing teammates and friends, noting this year feels different. With 19 games remaining, the Maple Leafs face an unfamiliar position after maintaining a nine-year playoff streak. Matthews emphasized the importance of competing each night, having fun, and putting forth effort the team can be proud of. The Maple Leafs currently face a six-game losing streak and will challenge the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Atlantic Division leaders, requiring full team effort and 60 minutes of competition.

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