Pundits Suggest Blockbuster Trade Sends Maple Leafs’ Matthews to Devils – Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

As the Toronto Maple Leafs make major changes to their front office, a lot of speculation has started to swirl around their team as they try to get back to the playoffs next season.

After the Maple Leafs decided to name John Chayka as their new general manager, league fans began to wonder if star forward Auston Matthews would be happy with that or if he was open to a trade elsewhere.

There has been a lot of speculation since the Maple Leafs announced that hire, but some Daily Faceoff experts decided to take a look at what could be a solid trade between the Maple Leafs and the Devils involving Matthews.

“Auston Matthews is going to New Jersey?”👀

The team is debating a speculative blockbuster between the Maple Leafs and the Devils that includes Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec, and a first round pick… but can Jersey really do that?🤔

Presented by @bet365ca #bet365

FULL EPISODE:… pic.twitter.com/xctwfRkcSf

– Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) May 9, 2026

In the clip, they suggest the Maple Leafs trade Matthews to the Devils in exchange for Nico Hischier, with an extension attached, and Simon Nemec and a first-round pick.

The fan response was pretty mixed, but many fans seemed to think it was more of a payoff for Matthews.

Maple Leaves Are Out Winners In This Deal

The Maple Leafs being able to bring back a potential top-two defenseman, a first-line center, and a first-round pick in any Matthews contract makes them the winners of this hypothetical trade. The risk associated with taking Matthews, who has a monster $13.25 million cap hit, is high.

Not only is it his biggest contract, but it is only extended through the 2027-28 season. If the Devils were to sign him and become a true contender, he could go to free agency as an unrestricted free agent, where they would lose big assets by running with him for a while.

Obviously, Matthews is one of the best players in the NHL, but the risk associated with his injury problems could scare teams away, and paying him a big price doesn’t seem to make sense. While the Devils are taking a big risk on Matthews, the Maple Leafs are speeding up their tool and could be in contention for a championship within two seasons, as long as they fill their other needs.

How Can Trading Really Work?

I would imagine that the deal suggested by the Daily Faceoff commentators would not have happened.

In fact, trading Matthews would cost a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and a prospect. It might seem like a low price for someone who has scored 69 goals in one campaign over the past three seasons, but the uncertainty surrounding him lowers his trade value significantly.

I don’t think the Devils would be a good fit for Matthews in a potential trade. They can make it work, but they’d be better off finding cheaper options than turning him around too much.

The Seattle Kraken and Boston Bruins both need center depth badly, and they make more sense with the balance. The Carolina Hurricanes have been rumored to be looking for an upgrade at center for the past few seasons, and considering they were willing to swing for Mikko Rantanen, there’s no reason they wouldn’t be willing to swing for the fences on Matthews if he becomes available.

Right now, it doesn’t seem like the Maple Leafs will entertain the idea of ​​trading Matthews. Unless something changes drastically this offseason, Matthews won’t be playing anywhere other than the Maple Leafs heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

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