NHL Trades and Rumors
Insider Says Auston Matthews’ Future with the Maple Leafs is “50-50”
All eyes will be on Auston Matthews’ future with the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer.
Things have unraveled rather quickly for Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs upon returning from the Olympic break. As a result, everything is in question when it comes to the future of the franchise.
Those questions begin with the captain, and the direction of the team moving forward will depend on his decision. All reports leading up to last week’s NHL trade deadline indicated that Matthews remains intent on staying in Toronto, but conversations this offseason are expected to be the ultimate decider. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the current feel on how those discussions will go is a toss-up, and it’s considered 50-50 whether Matthews winds up being traded or stays with the Maple Leafs.
“Again, it’s going to come down to how the Leafs’ offseason plays out in May and June. Whether the Leafs are set up for a bounce-back season will greatly affect the thinking of Matthews and his agent. Either way, there’s an expectation of some serious conversations involving Moldaver and management on No. 34 this offseason… My personal feeling is it’s 50-50 on Matthews moving or staying,”
The 28-year-old Matthews is in year two of the four-year, $53 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2023, eligible to extend again come July 1, 2027.
He’s having a down year offensively by his standards, with 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) produced in 58 games, currently mired in an 11-game goalless drought.
No fan wants to imagine a scenario in which they have to trade Matthews — the face of the franchise for the past decade — but the trajectory of the Maple Leafs, combined with his underwhelming play in recent years, has changed everything.
While the hope is that the 60-goal, MVP version of Matthews is still in him and will emerge with a better supporting cast, we just haven’t seen enough of it lately. So, if the Maple Leafs aren’t able to quickly retool around him and William Nylander, it might not be the worst idea to explore what a potential return package could look like.
Of course, if Matthews comes to the conclusion this offseason that he’s leaving regardless, the team will have no choice but to start that process. Nonetheless, it sets up what could be a fascinating summer of franchise-altering decisions in Toronto.
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