The Toronto Maple Leafs have work to do with new management coming in, led by General Manager John Chayka and Senior Advisor for Hockey Operations Mats Sundin.
First, the Maple Leafs need to decide if this is a partnership, a one-man show, teaching for Sundin to take over later, or a way for Chayka to be protected, as Sundin will do all the media and stuff. After that, the roster work begins, starting with Auston Matthews.
There is a popular narrative going around that Matthews wants out. At an accurate rate; however, as Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Season said on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio on Saturday's May 9th edition of TFP Hotstove with Dennis Bernstein and Ryan Paton, Matthews wants to win in Toronto, but if he doesn't think he can, then he'll look for a new place where he can.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Convince Auston Matthews to Stay
I believe they will face Auston Matthews next week (within the next few weeks) in Scottsdale. They're going to try to get on the same page about what the timeline is and all that. Then it's a matter of execution.
And everything Auston doesn't want to be in Toronto, sure, and this and that. I think it's a little twisted. All these things that CJ reported this week, Chris Johnson reported last week, and I think Elliotte did something about it to Friedman, okay, it's all accurate. I've been saying it all week. I've been putting it a little differently, so I think maybe some of the verbs are twisted.
But the concept is still the same. The message behind the report is exactly the same, and fully accurate. Auston wants to win in Toronto, but if the Leafs don't show him that next year and the year after, they're going to be competitive, the hell is he going to stay there?
Matthews has been the talk of the town because he has two years left on the four-year deal he signed in August 2023, worth $13.25 million. You just saw how management traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights and he couldn't replace that production. The Maple Leafs used to have a top five; now they have the top three. So there is work to be done on the list.
As Chayka said during the press conference, there is a gap between where they are and who they want to be. How big that gap is remains to be seen. How far are you from the team that lost in Game 7 of Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Florida Panthers, who will go on to win the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row?
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and San Jose Sharks
Same situation with the Edmonton Oilers. The Maple Leafs need to rebuild their defense. Chayka talked about a moving defender. They need a legitimate third-line center. Score deep after Bobby McMann exits. Redo the bottom thumb, possibly the third and fourth row. Does Morgan Rielly live? What is the package if they sell him?
The Toronto Maple Leafs, like the Edmonton Oilers, don't have the draft picks or assets to make a significant move without trading a roster player. And if that happens, are they headed for conflict or reconstruction?
Having the first full option in 2026 is great. This is not a very complicated situation, despite what some may say; takes Gavin McKenna. Having a player on the wing who plays up top helps Matthews and Matthew Knies. But as Pagnotta noted, the two enjoy playing around each other, but that's not the only thing that will move the needle for Auston Matthews.
“I got to both of their camps, Gavin McKenna's camp and Auston Matthews' camp, the day of the lottery,” Pagnotta said on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio. “Like, right after the lottery, there was excitement on both sides. And on Auston's side, it's still good. This is great. This is exciting. But what else is there? Like, I need to see more.”
Adding a top-six player on an entry-level contract helps the Maple Leafs cap-wise. But free agency is a nightmare this year, so it will be hard to find good players. It looks like Craig Berube could continue the season after management met with him at the weekend.
But there is a timeline: mid-July for Auston Matthews. We know the draft is at the end of June and Free Agency is July 1st. You want to see action. Although it is true, the timeline needs to be short, and the management should put their foot down and finally call the goals. Don't let the players continue to run the organization as it has been in the “Core Four” era.
What Is The Near Future For Auston Matthews And The Toronto Leafs?
Now that may be an arbitrary timeline, as that's when moves tend to happen in the NHL, and players make their own decisions. However, if Auston Matthews has made his decision, like Quinn Hughes in Vancouver and Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary, and no matter what the team does, he wants out, then the organization needs to know that now.
Also, wanting to win in Toronto is good. But being confused right now is also good. Let's be honest, if you were a Maple Leafs player, you would have questions about the direction of the team after the two press conferences that Keith Pelley spoke at.
It's an exciting time with all eyes on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews' future with the franchise.
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