SIMMONS: It’s time for the Maple Leafs’ Core Four stars to shine in the post-season but……
It’s time for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Core Four — Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares — to step up and carry this team where it needs to go. For years, Leafs fans have heard about their potential, their skill, and their regular-season numbers. But in the playoffs? It’s been mostly disappointment.
This group has been together long enough. They’ve had the experience, they’ve felt the heartbreak, and now the excuses are gone. Management has stuck with them. The team has changed around them, but they remain the pillars. It’s time to reward that faith.
Matthews has the ability to take over games. Marner can be a magician with the puck. Nylander has grown into one of the team’s most consistent offensive threats. Tavares, the captain, is still capable of clutch moments. But it’s not about stats anymore — it’s about winning.
The window doesn’t stay open forever. Other teams have figured out how to turn talent into playoff success. The Leafs have yet to do it with this core. If not now, when? The spotlight is on. The Core Four needs to lead. Not just in points, but in passion, poise, and performance.
