Ex-Leafs enforcer blasts Auston Matthews for his early season slump: "A guy that's collecting a paycheck right now"
Former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi ripped into captain Auston Matthews amid the team's sluggish 8-7-1 start, branding the superstar "a guy that's just collecting a paycheck right now" on a recent podcast appearance. Domi, known for his tough-guy tenure in the 1990s and early 2000s, didn't mince words over Matthews' early-season slump, managing just 14 points in 16 games without longtime linemate Mitch Marner, who was traded in the offseason. The scathing critique comes as Toronto sits second-last in the Atlantic Division, with Matthews' production dipping far below his 69-goal explosion in 2023-24 and 78 points in an injury-shortened last year. Leafs insiders Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne echoed concerns on their show, pinning blame on the captain's lack of form. As Matthews nears Mats Sundin's franchise goal record, Domi's blast amplifies pressure on the $13.25M man to awaken.
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