The Toronto Maple Leafs’ latest preseason outing against the Detroit Red Wings was anything but ordinary, leaving fans and analysts alike scratching their heads.

Despite fielding a full lineup, the Leafs stumbled to a disappointing 3-1 loss, overshadowed by a barrage of penalties and a lopsided shot count that saw them outgunned 42-19.

Yet, the real intrigue began after the final buzzer, when team captain Auston Matthews described the contest as “weird,” hinting at something more complex than a simple defeat.

What exactly made this game so bizarre in Matthews’ eyes? Was it the relentless whistle from referees, the unusual rhythm, or something deeper simmering beneath the surface?

As speculation swirls, Matthews’ post-game comments reveal both frustration and optimism, leaving readers to wonder whether Toronto’s preseason struggles are a sign of underlying issues or simply bumps in the road before the regular season.

With penalty kills showing promise and new faces stepping up, the Maple Leafs seem poised for progress—but questions remain about their readiness and discipline.

What lessons will the team take from this strange night, and could Matthews’ cryptic words point to a larger story about Toronto’s preparation and mentality? The answers may surprise you.

Oct 2, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) battles for the puck with Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

For the Toronto Maple Leafs it was a disappointing preseason loss to Detroit, however for Auston Matthews he felt it was much more bizarre than that.

Thursday night’s preseason game against Detroit did not go Toronto’s way, as the team wasn’t able to really get much going beyond Auston Matthews’ first-period one-timer, and ended up falling to their Original Six rivals by a 3-1 score.

Matthew Knies ended up throwing an elbow that might get him fined, the team was outshot 42-19, and ended up with 14 PIM as opposed to Detroit’s 8.

Auston Matthews Reflects on Strange Preseason Game

That was something that irked captain Auston Matthews, who spoke to reporters after the game and mentioned that the game itself had a very odd quality about it that he couldn’t quite nail down:

Tonight was a weird game, you know with the penalties, and just tough to kind of find a rhythm throughout.

But Matthews was also explaining in the same sentiment that he felt physically good and the weirdness of the game has no effect on his physical health, more just kept him perplexed throughout.

Although the game may have been weird for Matthews, he was very complimentary towards his team, and mentioned that Anthony Stolarz was a huge reason as to why the team was able to hang in there after being essentially dominated in the shot category.

What Matthews’ Comments Reveal About the Maple Leafs’ Preparation

It’s hard to blame Matthews or the rest of the team if they are getting blasted with penalty calls all night, and while there are some discipline issues that clearly need to be worked on, a couple of calls were a bit egregious.

Toronto was prepared with their full-lineup however seemingly weren’t prepared for the referees. Thankfully the team was able to kill off all six penalties they took, including a double-minor to Steven Lorentz, so at least their new PK units are working.

They were successful under Lane Lambert and found a big turnaround last season so their hope is they can build off of that in 2025-26.

That’s a huge sign of progress for a team who lost Lambert, and have a brand new group of killers, and kudos to assistant Derek Lalonde for shaping the group as it is thus far to great success

With the referees keeping a keen eye on things and seemingly focused on punishing the Maple Leafs at times, the team is at least prepared for what comes their way this year.

If they can find themselves comfortable killing off penalties like they did against Detroit, it could be a big season ahead.