NHL Trades and Rumors

Could Pittsburgh Be a Landing Spot for Auston Matthews or William Nylander?

Should we keep an eye on Kyle Dubas swinging for one of his former Maple Leafs superstars this summer?

by
Jackson Weber
April 6, 2026

The core of the Toronto Maple Leafs has seemed to come under question every year they fall short in the playoffs, so missing the postseason altogether in 2025–26 has only increased the chatter around the potential for major change.

This time, it’s not just whether the Maple Leafs want to keep their superstars, Auston Matthews and William Nylander, but also whether those two want to stay after hearing the plan Keith Pelley and new management have for the team moving forward. Plenty of landing spots have already been floated for both, should either reach a point where they become available, and one that’s getting more mention as a team to watch is the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Penguins insider Josh Yohe spoke about the potential during a recent episode of the 2 For Talking podcast.

Yohe said:

“Does Willy Nylander want to be there?”

His co-host Joe Bartnick playfully said he’s coming to Pittsburgh because he loves Kyle Dubas, to which Yohe then responded:

“Well, I think they do have a good relationship, and I think the Penguins would certainly be equipped to make such a deal, both financially and with the number of picks they have at their disposal. Yeah, and I mean the Penguins would be on the short list if Auston Matthews wants out, I don’t think there’s any question about that, so that’s something to consider,”

The 28-year-old Matthews will be entering year three of the four-year, $53 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2023 next season, while Nylander, 29, will also be entering year three of the eight-year, $92 million extension he signed to stay in Toronto in 2024.

While it’s unknown what kind of relationship Dubas still has with Matthews and Nylander, the familiarity can’t hurt, and seeing how Dubas appears to have turned the Penguins around much quicker than anyone expected could intrigue them.

We first need to find out what Matthews plan is and from there Nylander’s. For the time being, however, teams around the league will be keeping an eye on both situations to pounce should the opportunity arise, and Pittsburgh is certainly a landing spot that checks a lot of boxes.

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