{"id":604852,"date":"2026-04-15T03:39:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/604852\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T03:39:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:39:23","slug":"doug-gilmour-exposed-the-harsh-truth-about-auston-matthews-and-the-pressure-in-toronto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/604852\/","title":{"rendered":"Doug Gilmour exposed the harsh truth about Auston Matthews and the pressure in Toronto"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t \"Toronto <\/p>\n

Photo credit: NHL.com (Left) Brad Penner-Imagn Images (right)<\/p>\n

Doug Gilmour was a guest panelist ahead of Toronto’s game vs. Dallas and gave some interesting perspective as to what pressure might be for Auston Matthews.<\/p>\n

If you had to ask Maple Leafs fans<\/a> who could be considered the greatest to ever put on a jersey, you’d have many saying Doug Gilmour; who helped give Toronto the closest chance to a Stanley Cup and became an icon beloved by all.<\/p>\n

But he also understands what it means to play with the pressure of an entire city banking on you to be their saviour. Gilmour never got there, and right now it’s the same situation current captain Auston Matthews is facing.<\/p>\n

The fans are desperate to see a win, and time is ticking away.<\/p>\n

Why the warning from Doug Gilmour about the psychological demands shifts the entire narrative<\/p>\n

It was there he talked about what Matthews could do in order to focus on himself and not let the constant chatter get to him:<\/p>\n

The biggest thing, the pressure on you; absorb it. Grow with it and play. I spoke with him after he got hurt, you know, he took it in stride. You go through those injuries, but he wants to get back to where he was.<\/p>\n

It was as simple as can be when it comes to offering some advice, but sometimes you say much more with less.<\/p>\n

Gilmour had the pressures of dealing with a Stanley Cup playoff run that ended in heavy controversy with his high-stick on Wayne Gretzky that’s still debated to this day. Matthews hasn’t reached that level but he understands the pressure has been building up since 1967.<\/p>\n

Eventually that is going to erupt and the best way to quiet the rumblings is to come out and prove you can take all the weight being thrown on your shoulders and carry it with pride \u2014 and Matthews’ shoulders are pretty broad.<\/p>\n

How the intense mental pressure of the Toronto market is weighing heavily on Auston Matthews<\/p>\n

As stated previously, 1967 was the last time the Maple Leafs won the Cup. Back then, gas cost 33 cents a gallon, 50 cents bought you a dozen eggs, and The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper.<\/p>\n

To say that’s a long time is a severe understatement, so you can imagine how Matthews feels knowing that he’s the one who everyone is counting on to lead them to victory.<\/p>\n

He always seems to have a smile on his face, and you can genuinely tell he loves the city. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have hobbled his way to ice level and handed out season’s tickets on Monday night.<\/p>\n

Arguably, the biggest pressure is already off Matthews \u2014 potentially forever. He already won an Olympic Gold Medal,<\/a> and while a Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize in the NHL; that’s another level of success only a select few will ever experience.<\/p>\n

He knows what it takes to win and win with a team built around him. The pressure is equally on management for them to make sure they surround their captain with the best possible pieces both up front and on the backend.<\/p>\n

For Doug Gilmour, he led the Maple Leafs for years with a chip on his shoulder and cashed it in to have a strong legacy despite never winning it all.<\/p>\n

Matthews is hoping he can say the same, and with how he’s handled things so far; he could follow in ‘Killer’s’ footsteps.<\/p>\n

Previously on Hockey Patrol<\/p>\n

POLL<\/p>\n

3 HOURS AGO|62 ANSWERS<\/p>\n

Doug Gilmour exposed the harsh truth about Auston Matthews and the pressure in Toronto<\/p>\n

Do you agree or disagree with Doug Gilmour’s perspective on Auston Matthews playing in Toronto?<\/p>\n

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