Auston Matthews: “I feel like we say that every year.”

It is another disappointing end to the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs with yet another early first round exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and unfortunately that is a story that their fans have heard many, many times before.

Those same fans have heard the team's vaunted core four make many of the same statements year after year after failing to achieve their ultimate goal, but this time around it was something that the team's top star, forward Auston Matthews, acknowledged himself in his post game comments following a tough loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7.

A very drained Auston Matthews did little to hide his disappointment.

"I think that's pretty self-explanatory," said Matthews. "It's obviously tough."

Matthews took the time to praise his teammates for rallying back in the series in his absence.

"I'm really proud of the guys who battled back and hung in there being down 3-1," said Matthews. "I don't think there was any doubt that we could get to this point and climb our way back in the series. It was really hard to watch those two games but I'm just really proud of the guys to fight and battle back and give ourselves a chance."

Matthews refused to comment on his injury status.

"I'm not gonna get into that tonight," admitted Matthews.

Matthews stated that he felt the team was united in the locker room, but did admit after the fact that it is something he has said in the past as well.

"This is as tight of a group as I've been a part of here," began Matthews. "I feel like we say that every year."