The Athletic’s Chris Johnston has reported, citing league sources, that Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews “still isn’t sure if he’ll be back in Toronto in the fall.”
What this means, according to Johnston, is that Toronto’s freshly-hired hockey operations leaders, GM John Chayka and senior advisor Mats Sundin, “will be auditioning” to keep Matthews “with their work around draft week in late June and the opening of free agency on July 1.”
Matthews reportedly has “some understandable concerns” about the Maple Leafs’ ability to vault back to their prior status as a team legitimately capable of contending for a Stanley Cup.
What Matthews appears to be looking for from the Maple Leafs is “real action,” meaning tangible transactions that meaningfully improve the caliber of the roster Matthews currently occupies a spot on.
Chayka and Sundin will meet with Matthews at some point in the coming weeks to discuss his future, but a firm decision on where he’s leaning is not expected at that time.
Whether the new leadership will be able to make enough changes to turn around the Maple Leafs, who finished 28th in the NHL just a year after finishing fourth in the standings, is the key question.
The upcoming class of free agents is widely considered to be thin on difference-making talent, and the team’s prospect pool (which ranked No. 29 in the NHL according to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler) isn’t overflowing with valuable trade chips.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t avenues for the Maple Leafs to make significant improvements. Every summer, there are unheralded signings or trade additions that end up making a big impact in the years to come. But what it does mean is the Maple Leafs don’t have an abundance of obvious routes back to contention.
In most cases, that’s totally fine. Hockey operations leaders almost always more interested in moves that translate to wins on the ice in the winter, not wins in the headlines in the summer.
But in Toronto’s case, the scarcity of available big-name talent might genuinely matter. If their most immediate, pressing task is convincing Matthews they can quickly rebound and return to contention, working the margins of the roster and relying on savvy moves for undervalued players may not be enough to move the needle.
It’s too early to tell whether the Maple Leafs will ultimately be successful in their efforts for a quick turnaround. But Johnston’s reporting is still significant, as it indicates that the future of Toronto’s best player is far from set in stone.
Photos courtesy of John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
They should have been taking offers before he even put this out there, tbh. This roster is dog water, we have no goaltending, no prospects
Somehow, I see Matthews going to LA for Laferriere, 2026 1st, 2026 CBJ and Buff 2nds, and a B prospect.
3 picks in this years’ draft could be very appealing to the Leafs.
I gotta think they can get more.
Declining stats and injury time and a hefty salary…..I say NO!
Agreed but Laferrier? I see Turcott and one of the top GK prospects. Thats just as valuable to a team going into a rebuild Maybe a b prospect and pull back one of the 2nd rounders
Well … he’s got a full no-move, he makes a giant amount of money, and the last couple seasons begs the question: is he in decline? I doubt they can *get* more. This may well be Panarin 2.0.
Lol the Leafs were never Stanley Cup contenders.
Auston Matthews should get out of Toronto. He’s wasted enough of his career in that dumpster fire. Based on the article, in what Matthews is reportedly looking for from Toronto, I don’t see Matthews staying and truthfully, he shouldn’t. If Matthews becomes available there will be plenty of teams wanting his services.
Toronto needs a complete overhaul and ironically, the best way to improve is shipping out Matthews, Nylander & etc. They won’t be a contender for some time but at this point, it’s necessary.
He should stay on that sinking ship…..after all, he is the Captain! 😀
Well, being the Captain, at least he can rearrange the deck chairs while it goes down! 😆
Exactly! 👍
Breaking News;
Mathews ranking fell from top 10
“The Hockey News ranks Auston Matthews the 27th-best player in the #NHL. For 13 and a quarter mil? Ridiculous. The sooner he’s elsewhere, the faster #Leafs can begin to move forward…”
JZ you are officially on my AM watch with your take lol. I say he moves this year and again is a top 10 player and mvp candidate. It was a bad year there but sure he looked great in the Olympics. Plays an elite 2-way game and a prolific goal scorer- there aren’t many comparables in nhl history. Our last friendly debate was ekblad would leave/stay in Florida. @based
We’ll see if they get to keep their 1st tonight or if it goes to Boston
I keep going back to the flyers for AM. Having the leafs unprotected in 2027 is a huge asset in a trade. If the leafs do rebuild they are gonna need that pick.
There is definitely no quick fix for the Leafs regardless if they keep or lose this year’s 1:st round pick.
Both Matthews and Nylander should be on their way out before long.
Window is closed . Time to move Mathews and Nylander
Can’t really move them until after the Bruins get the 1st round pick, whichever year that is.
The Leafs reportedly have “some understandable concerns” about the Matthews’ ability to lead a team, win when it matters making it as a team legitimate impossible to compete for a cup when at the same time expecting maximum money for a steady decline in production
Leafs #5 OA gets moved to #1 OA……..Matthews stays
Leafs #5 OA gets moved to #6 OA……..Matthews goes!
I would say the opposite. If they keep the 1st this year they could lose it next year or 2028. If you trade AM now there is a greater chance Boston is going to get a very good pick.
Huh????
Boston gets the pick if it becomes #6. Leafs need help now.
If it stays at #5, Leafs will pick a RD or Caleb Maholtra if there. No immediate help, Mathews may go.
Possibly, but here’s the alternative: the Leafs keeping a top-five pick means better trade bait for impact players that can help right now.
If they move him they’re gonna get less than what the fanbase is expecting for a return. Matthews trade value might be at an all time low.
Chayka must be allowed to do everything possible to improve the club for the 2-3 seasons ahead not trying to win now because that’s a stupid and delusional plan for now. Matthews and Nylander both must be traded as soon as possible for the best return they can get. Need to build around Knies and Cowan to start. Trading one of the goalies is also a good way to get the summer rebuild going.
Pretty entitled attitude by Matthews, but that is nothing new and the Leafs have fostered his growth in that area. Giving him the captaincy was a mistake.
He has the organization over a barrel.
I dunno … *you* have broad choices in where and for whom you want to work, and I bet you’d resent people pointing fingers at you for your “disloyalty.” Matthews is an elite superstar who’s already given Toronto a full decade. Like most other players, he wants to win. Like anyone with more than three brain cells to rub together, he can see the team moving in the wrong direction. I can think of Hall of Fame team captains in similar situations who asked to be moved so they could get a Cup before they retired; fellow by name of Bourque comes to mind.
You’re comparing Bourque’s situation to Matthews’? I don’t think you’d catch ol’ Ray publicly whispering that he wasn’t sure about his team’s direction in early May when he still had 2 more years left on his contract.
He was musing some of the same things that Matthews has: suggesting that the team needed to show more of a commitment to win. The team was bombing out that season, it was riddled with injuries, Marty McSorley had just had his stick swinging incident, and Sinden hadn’t made any deals of consequence.
I can certainly see Matthews on a team located in the U.S., And West of the Mississippi River by next fall. Anaheim, Dallas, L.A., San Jose, Or, Lost Wages.
Kings trade Fiala, Doughty(retain 50%) Turcotte
And a 1st!
You would have to get Chayka to smoke a lot of peyote to not kill himself laughing at that offer.
Good stuff. Not based in reality but very amusing.
Nothing on here is based in reality! It’s fantasyland!
Now you are catching on!
Maybe Mathews needs a long chat with Sundin – their new Senior Executive Advisor Of Hockey Operations.
Then again, “the longer the title, the less important the job.”