OverDrive - Masters on the Maple Leafs' leadership under the microscope, Nylander's finger and Matthews' portrayal

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

TSN Maple Leafs Reporter Mark Masters joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Maple Leafs, the atmosphere for the roster, William Nylander's middle finger, Auston Matthews' views on the team, Mitch Marner's return to the city and more.

With corporate traveler, you get a dedicated travel expert and 24-7 support. So business travel feels effortless. Big meetings land. Business grows. With corporate traveler, the booking is just the start. Search corporate traveler today. Mark Masters. Mark, how would you describe the mood around the team today?

Yeah, I mean, frustration, I guess, is the word of the day, right? Like, you sense the frustration with how this homestand is going. William E. Leonard talked today about feeling frustrated with his injury and not being able to get back sooner. So I'd say probably frustration is the word of the day down here. Okay. And in terms of Willie's, you know, I guess apology or, you know, via culpah today, you know, he is injured. Generally, they wouldn't allow injured players to speak. But what did you make of Willie claiming he gave the finger to the camera out of frustration? Well, I mean, he was funny because we talked to Matthew Nyes about it.

He's like, I'm not sure what he was doing there. He was smiling when he did it. And it's kind of funny because he was kind of smiling when he apologized today, too. What do I make of? I don't know. It looked like he just thought he was going to make a joke, right? Like it was just, he said to Chris Tan, I'm like, watch this. I'll get the camera off.

I'm sure it's frustrating that he's up there, that, you know, that he knows we're talking about how he's not playing maybe. But, yeah, just, you know, poor judgment, as he said, not a good idea. His phone started lighting up right away. And he's like, oh, that was not a good idea. So I don't know what to make of it. It's just another thing where bad judgment and he's, you know, Craig Brubay wasn't making a big deal of it. He said, listen, he made a mistake.

We all make mistakes now. It's just kind of moving on here. Obviously, Neelander's never really dealt with that. He's missed more games due to injury this year than the rest of his NHL seasons combined. So this has got to be a really strange situation for him to even just be up there so much and being on camera. And I don't know. I don't know what to make of it. It's just, I guess, another kind of moment that kind of adds to the idea that things are just kind of not together right now.

Mark, what is the vibe you're getting from the Captain Austin Matthews? I know that, you know, we just spoke about him not addressing the media after the Friday game. And the way the team played this weekend, like what, like when you just, just look at him or kind of assess where he's at, what kind of vibe are you getting? A few games are that a point now for him, three in a row. So it's been quiet, listen, he's trying to keep the focus on the team as a whole. There was a couple times after the game, I think on Sunday afternoon, where, you know, I was asking him, you know, how is he feeling?

The puck's not falling right now, and he's talking about not being negative, you know, to compound matters, and he's talking about the leadership group needing a step up, and he was talking about keeping the focus on the main group right now. So he seemed okay, like he didn't seem like he was getting too down when we spoke to him Sunday. He did a long media session today. There's been a lot of requests for him to talk about the upcoming Olympics. So they set aside some time today just for people to ask questions solely on the Olympics. So he met with the media for almost 15 minutes today just talking about the Olympics.

So that was an avenue to kind of maybe talk about something, you know, that's obviously a better topic right now. now than how things are going for the Maple Leafs. So, you know, I don't sense he's too down or anything right now. He seems like he's usually like that self, kind of that unflappable way. So kind of that's where he's at. I know Krube said today that he met with the leadership group, which is Matthews, the alternate captives, and then a few other players.

And he felt like they were good talking about the mental grind that the team's going through, that they're falling behind early in these games at home, which is taking its toll. So, you know, they are kind of hashing things out. about how they'll be more patient and stuff. But, you know, Austin, for the most part, trying to keep the focus on the team as a whole right now. So, Masters, you know, for everybody listening, you know, take us through the process, for example,

either in morning skate or after a game, who decides who comes out to speak? You know, do you guys ask for a player or they offered by PR staff? I was asked that today, so I'm just passing that on to you because, you know, we've been certainly talking about well Matthews didn't talk on the Marner game and all of that type of stuff. How does that process unfold for you when you're in those scrums?

I put in requests every day when I'm covering the Leifes. I cover the Marner availability on that Friday. I don't know a lot of my colleagues did, so I wasn't in the Leif's dressing room after the game Friday. I did make it for the end of the bill on Friday morning, but a lot of media were at the Vegas hotel and then we're all waiting outside the Vegas room to talk to Mitch after the game on Friday. But oftentimes reporters will put in requests. Ultimately, the team will make the decision.

I know like yesterday, for example, one of the players were requested with Scott Lutton, but instead we got Joseph Wohl. So the team can make changes as they see fit depending on the game. Sometimes there's a player getting treatment. Sometimes a player just needs a break. In the case of that game, I think,

I'm not sure what happened Friday morning. I do not believe Matthews was a month. the requested players after the game Friday night. I know if I had been there at the Lisaville on Friday morning, I definitely would have asked to talk to Austin because, you know, I love asking a Mitch-related question. So I would have jumped to that opportunity. But that's how it usually works.

And usually the requests are granted. It's a very high rate. But the team can make changes as they see fit. Well, in terms of that Friday night, you were there for the whole day and the whole scene. what did you make of the atmosphere Marner's return, the crowd, the reaction, the video tribute,

how would you kind of describe it to someone that wasn't in the building? Yeah, we were talking, doing a hit afterwards for SportsCenter, me and Chris Johnston, and we're wondering, like, did we over-hype it a little bit just because it wasn't quite as intense as I thought it was going to be, like Mitch Marner got a lot more years than I thought

during that video tribute, there was a standing ovation. I think probably the way the game played out, played into that, right? Vegas was out 2-0 right away, and Toronto made a push in the second period, but could not quite get back into it. I thought it was funny they were cheering him when he left the ice after his shifts. I've heard of booze. I haven't heard of cheering a guy leaving the ice.

Mariner said that was a new one for him, and Bruce Cassidy was joking about how I didn't think he had a great shift there, Mitch. I don't know what they're cheering for. But, you know, I thought the lease would be more pumped. I thought they'd be more pumped up for it in Vegas, but it didn't seem like, you know, they were honest with us. They were talking about how we're not getting caught up in that. It's just another game.

But I thought they might use it to inject some more energy. And it really felt like the knights were the motivated team, despite playing on the second half of the back-to-back. And they came out and they embraced the atmosphere, and they wanted to go to Battle for Marner, who had a pretty quiet night, did not think he was great against the least. but his team was there, and boy, guys like Mark Stone, Jack Eichael, you know, Kegan Kolazar,

they were locked in to try and win the game for them. They wanted that game, and the least they told us, you know, leading into it, it was just another game, and it kind of played that way a little bit, it certainly at the beginning. So I guess an underwhelming performance by the home team, and it's just, you know, it was a good atmosphere, but I thought it would be more intense. Appreciate the time, as always, Mark. We'll do it again soon. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself.

No, Marner questions, the rest of the season. That's it. I'll figure some things out. At the Olympics, Austin, you get asked about playing them. Yeah. Thanks, Mark. Appreciate it. Thanks, guys. Mark Masters.

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