Big Trade Avoided: Matthews Gives Maple Leafs Important Reassurance

It sounds a lot like Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is sticking around—and he wants to do so with no drama and no second thoughts. Even as the Maple Leafs appear to be falling apart and are in tough to make the playoffs this season, Matthews is committed to the team.

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A slump can bring out the true feelings of a player. A continued slump and several seasons of early playoff exits could lead to a superstar wondering why they’re remaining loyal. With the Leafs staring down the real possibility of not even making the postseason and having a chance to write years of consecutive missed opportunities, Matthews could be ready to move on.

However, it sounds like the face of the franchise has made it clear he’s still in.

Nothing Has Changed For Auston Matthews

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman broke it down on the latest Saturday Headlines (January 31, 2026). He reports that the Maple Leafs sat down with Matthews’ reps this week for a simple, no-BS check-in.

Basically, they asked, “Hey, with how rough this season’s been, anything changed? Any doubts about coming back for 2026-27?”

He and his people responded, “Nothing has changed,” Friedman quoted. Matthews is still all-in on Toronto, and the team wants him back just as much. For fans who’ve been stressing that their captain might bail when things got tough, this is a huge weight off.

It comes at a turning point. The Leafs are starting to make calls around the league, poking around to see what’s out there—classic early moves for a team leaning toward sellers ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. They’re probably going to move some pending free agents or pieces that don’t fit the long game to shake things up and bring in fresh assets. If Matthews wanted out, Toronto might have gauged the market on its best player.

Instead, they can rest a little easier knowing he’s part of the future. Whatever it is they do, he’s dug in. He signed that big long-term deal a few years ago and hasn’t wavered.

For Leafs Nation —at least the members who want him to stay—knowing the face of the franchise is committed long-term gives everyone some breathing room while management sorts out the mess. It won’t magically fix the real problems the team is facing, but it kills one of the scariest offseason rumors before it can get out of hand.

Next: No Bad Luck Here: Maple Leafs Were Built to Self-Destruct