Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - A New LOW For The Toronto Maple Leafs 😬 Ft. TSN’s Darren Dreger | BB Clips

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

Pinder and Cabbie are joined by TSN’s Darren Dreger to break down what might be a new low for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season after Auston Matthews took a knee from Radko Gudas and went down with an injury — with little response from teammates in the moment. The guys discuss the reaction around the league and Morgan Rielly taking “full responsibility” afterward for not responding to the hit. The conversation then shifts to the bigger picture as the crew debates what this moment says about the Leafs’ identity and what it could mean for the future of the team — and Matthews’ future in Toronto.Video Link: https://youtu.be/KkMVcheq64w#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #torontomapleleafs #toronto CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin Matthews, take us to Toronto. I mean, this was a miserable, miserable season with all kinds of questions to be answered about their future and how they move forward in the offseason before their captain left with what looks to be a serious knee injury. Could be the low point of the year for the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's saying a lot when you look at the level of disappointment. That is pretty evident when you know you're essentially a non-playoff participant.

You know, and this is a team that was supposedly built. on promise. But in that moment, you know, you saw your decorated leader in Austin Matthews taken out on a dirty play by Radco Gudis. I mean, I think everybody can appreciate that Gudis knew he was caught there. You know, he's got Austin Matthews who seemed to be all alone, just point blank. And, you know, in the moment, I guess I would be willing to give him a benefit of the doubt. Is he trying to poke check there? What's he trying to do? But where you take away that moment of doubt is in the extension of the knee and how he powers through Matthews in delivering that knee on knee check. So that's that's the hockey side of it if you're willing to call that a hockey play.

And it sounds like George Perroson, Department of Player Safety are. Otherwise, it would be an in-person hearing and he'd be getting six or more games. So it'll be five or fewer. But even more damning than that. And I'm educated now to say, that because the injury doesn't appear to be as bad as it looked. Yes, he's going to have imaging later today to fully diagnose the issue. It sounds like a sprain or a strain and not something

more damaging. So yeah, he's still going to be lost for several games, if not the remainder of the regular season. But the big takeaway was, you know, it pulled a curtain back. You know, many people who are the naysayers don't love the way Craig

Barouba coaches feels like there's been a disconnect between coach and management and the players. The curtain was pulled back now, right? Otherwise, how do you explain how four other guys on the ice don't recognize what's gone on and respond? Now, do you have to see exactly what happened or is it enough to see your captain lying face first on the ice? I think it should be enough, right? That's the DNA of the athlete of a hockey player, whether you're a person. pee-wee hockey player or a star in the national hockey league. To have zero response at that point is just brutally unacceptable.

But it tells us something because, again, you know, those who are chasing after Craig Barou-Roe, are, oh, well, you know, he hasn't been able to get this team to play the way he needs them to play, expects them to play, tells them how to play. Well, how many times do you deliver that message before the player just doesn't doesn't want to do it or isn't listening or isn't willing, right? And so in in that moment for a lot of people, oh, okay, I get it. I mean, you shouldn't have to tell a player how to respond when his captain or his linemate or his teammate is lying face down on the ice after a dirty hit.

So yeah, it could be galvanizing. We'll see how they move forward. But the takeaway was that there needed to be your response. And there wasn't until they probably, you know, got. the tar ripped out of them during the intermission. So if Craig Ruby is playing on this team, I know where he is after that it happens. And knowing a little bit about Brad Trilliving and his history in the miners,

I know what he's doing if he's on the ice. Yeah. They've tried to build around a core that might be perceived as soft. Yeah. A lot of tough veteran, you know, physical players. Like I understand why people are like, it's not working with Baruba here. but like he can't give them his harder head is what he said the other day.

Correct. And so it just feels like how he wants to coach is with a group of players that can't or don't want to play the way that he wants to have his staff. Yeah. But that's why the challenge moving forward is so daunting. You know, if you believe in Craig Barubei and Brad Trulving as a coach and general manager, all right, well, then you allow them to try and, go out and get players that are going to be willing,

who have the heart and have the smarts to play that type of game. Man, is that a tall ask? That's really hard. I mean, Triloving has been looking for those players. It's not like Craig Barube doesn't tell his general manager. All right, look, man, we're too small up front, and we don't play with any sort of intestinal fortitude. That needs to change.

We got to get stronger, bigger, and faster. and they just haven't been able to acquire those pieces. They haven't been. But I will tell you this, and I don't think that Trulving would mind me sharing this. It was his first year as general manager of the Maple Leafs, and I don't know if you guys remember, but it was Marshawn and Timothy Lolligrant,

and it wasn't good. It wasn't good. And there really wasn't much of a response on that play either. And there was either a team meeting called or Trilabing took advantage of a team meeting and said, this will never happen again on my watch. It doesn't happen. You know, if a teammate is taken out, then it's your responsibility as a fellow teammate

to do what's right and show a response and be a good teammate. And to be fair, last night was the first time that I recall where we've seen it as glaring and as blatant as that. So look, I mean, I don't know what Keith Pelly, who's, you know, now the boss, Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment views, that play, lack of response. I'm going to guess that like, you know, everybody else, you know, fans and media, coach and management didn't love it. But they've got to look at the bigger picture.

And there should be a full organizational review at the end of the year where. Yeah, that's where I want to get to. But hold on. Like Pelley needs to be part of that review. you 100% well because he can't he just can't wash his hands and go no okay no I'm still the boss here I get to I get to determine the fate of Brad Trilliving and uh and Craig Rueb and the coaching staff you know I I think it's been bad enough this year that if you're doing that forensic audit in review then do it do it do it but start at the top and work your way down I believe he's a year in is that right because he

had his opening press conference and he basically said winning is the only thing that matters like Yeah. I don't really care for anything of subtitles. And you're, well, are they a long way away from that. He's a guy that's bouncing around sports media. I think he did some stuff over the European tour. Like, if he's doing an audit, who's helping him?

He's not run a hockey club before, if I'm correct. Right. It's a good question. And, you know, is that help internal under the umbrella of Bell and Mapley Sports and Entertainment? Yeah, I mean, there's some experience voices there, not people who have run an action. National Hockey League organization.

But, you know, I think that given the circle of people that he would associate outside of his work environment, oh, I don't think there'd be a shortage of opinion. There'll be lots of people who have some ideas. But I always say the same thing, guys. And it doesn't matter if it's Toronto or if it's Calgary or any team in the national hockey league, any sport. When you're firing managers and firing coaches, who's right? ready or able to step in that you can guarantee is going to be better.

And if Keith Pelley is around and he's making those changes to his hockey operations, then isn't that really the definition of that decision? You're promising your bosses that, okay, we're going to pay Craig Barubia out for the remainder of his deal. Likewise, Brad Troubting. Okay, good luck, fellas, but you're no longer wanted or needed here. we're bringing in this person or these people to take your jobs. Well, it's up to Pelly to say they're going to be better

and they're going to take us back to the promised land. And, you know, I always say it. I know all the time in the world for Peter DeBore as an NHL head coach. I do. I think he's in that elite class of being an NHL head coach. He hasn't won. He hasn't won. He had a superb team in Dallas.

and, you know, had his little spat with the game of Jake Gottinger doubled down on it two, three days later, and he's out of work. You know, so, you know, to somebody pop up in the offseason, I don't know. And I'd say the same thing in management. It's not easy replacing NHL general managers, especially in a Canadian market and a market that has the volume of media and faces and voices that Toronto has. And again, if we're talking about the future of the club and you're talking about a GM and a coach, like if you're interviewing guys, like, well, what am I working with here?

Like, do we have Austin Matthews? Am I allowed to trade Austin Matthews? If I say I want to tear this down to build it up, am I now not on the short list? Like, yeah, they have to figure out what the heck they're doing long term because you would get a king's ransom for Austin Matthews. And if you keep them around, I don't know how you get enough assets around them in the next three, four years. They've traded most of the top prospects and picks. Yeah, and look, I would say there's an undercurrent of concern and I don't know that it's concern that Brad Trillving or Keith Pelley have or Craig Baroube has.

I would just say collectively out there that maybe Quinn Hughes as an NHL superstar has blazed the trail here. For these players who have the clout to look at their contract and go, okay, well, I'm a year out. Okay, I'm not going to do with Connor,

McDavid did and extend now, I'm going to tell you two years in advance of my contract expiring that I'm probably not going to extend. And if you're not good with that, that doesn't sit with you as an organization, okay, then bring me your trade options. But here is the list of teams that I'd be willing to consider going to. And maybe that list is one or two teams, right? but it's almost the new wave and just a fortunate few players have that type of clout. Let's be honest here.

Austin Matthews definitely has that level of clout. Connor McDavid, of course he does. So doesn't it feel like based on what we saw from Hughes? And look, Vancouver got a hell of a return for Quinn Hughes. So if you're Toronto and you're not sure that you can turn this ship around as quickly as you would need to to satisfy Austin Matthews, then that would have to be considered if Matthews, in fact, shares that sentiment.

And I don't know that he will. I think he needs to see action in the offseason and he needs to see promise that this team is going to be better. And look, we talk about a lot in this market. And much has been made. He scored last night, nice goal. Got a bit lucky to be fair, but it went in the net, right? And then we make a lot of the, of the,

the scoring gout that he just came out of. And you look at the data and you show, oh, look, he's had this many shots on that in his last 10 games or whatever it is. Okay, but you're talking about an elite level goal scorer who isn't scoring goals despite the fact that he's got these chances. And he can sing to the media about, hey, I'm still upbeat and confident because I'm getting these chances. You know what he doesn't get? The elite grade A opportunities that were put on his stick,

a number of times a night by Mitch Meyer. An elite level playmaker. So again, that's just another layer of the retool, if that's what we want to call it. You know, I mean, if Matthews is going to stay in Toronto longer term, then Toronto's got to do a better job of finding better players to play with this man. That's just playing in some point.