Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has refused to quit Toronto's season.

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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews says the team will keep fighting despite a difficult season and recent trade deadline changes.

Matthews emphasized to reporters before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning that the team still needs to give its fans and teammates a strong effort in its final game.

The Maple Leafs have struggled greatly throughout the 2025-26 season. Toronto enters the game with a record of 27-25-11 and sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with 65 points. The latest six-game losing streak has pushed the team further away from a playoff position in one of the NHL’s most competitive divisions.

More: Maple Leafs GM warns players with ‘season over’ message

Matthews said that despite the standings, the players cannot give up easily with 19 games remaining.

“I mean, it’s just taking it one game at a time and making sure we’re ready to compete every night,” Matthews said. “It’s about having fun, sticking together and trying to make people proud when they leave the rink.”

Matthews added that the team has a responsibility to its fans who continue to support the club.

“I think we owe it to each other, we owe it to our fans who pay to come see us play and give us a good effort,” Matthews said. “So, that’s all we can ask for. I don’t think we’ll just look at the standings and fold.”

Auston Matthews says despite the rankings and sales at the deadline, the team still owes it to their fans for paying up and giving them a good effort in the remaining 19 games.

“It’s definitely not ideal, and it’s not fun. It’s never fun to lose and be in that situation… pic.twitter.com/unPmue1te7

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) March 7, 2026

Toronto’s struggles this season have largely come from defensive issues. The Maple Leafs allow an average of 3.16 goals per game but are one of the worst defensive teams in the league, allowing 3.46 goals per game.

Auston Matthews’ offense declines after 69-goal season

Meanwhile, Matthews continues to lead the team with 26 goals, while William Nylander tops the list with 58 points. But Matthews’ scoring pace has slowed compared to his historic 69-goal season in 2023-24. The decline follows an upper-body injury that sidelined him for much of the 2024-25 campaign.

Toronto now faces a difficult test against the Lightning, who have a 38-18-4 record this season. The Lightning also won the previous matchup between the teams 4-2.