There are many questions about what the Toronto Maple Leafs will be doing in the General Manager position, and whether or not there will be a President of Hockey Operations. It looks like the latter when it comes to the Maple Leafs Hockey Operations department. However, a big cloud looms: the future of Auston Matthews.
NHL Rumors: Auston Matthews Won’t Rush Into Any Decision On His Future
Auston Matthews’ future is currently looking up after surgery for a Grade 3 ACL tear in his knee suffered by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. But Matthews and the Maple Leafs need to decide how he views the future and the “retooling” that will take place in Toronto.
The new hockey managers will try to convince Matthews that things are still going well and this is one year. Remember, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in the summer of 2021 they had discussions with Matthews about his future with the Maple Leafs. That was before he signed his four-year deal in August 2023.
However, that deal has two years left and the Toronto Maple Leafs went from one of the best teams to one of the worst overnight. It’s the same way the Vancouver Canucks have continued this season. Vancouver went to the second round of the playoffs in 2024 and missed the playoffs the following season and did everything they could to convince defenseman Quinn Hughes to stay.
However, the Canucks had his mind long before the 2025 season. Even with management a year out, he wouldn’t sign long term in Vancouver. The Canucks traded him to the Minnesota Wild for Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick. Vancouver knew there was going to be a rebuild but they took one possession and got four to lay the foundation going forward.
Toronto Maple Leafs Road Back Will Be Long
The same could play out in Toronto. Players understand that they have more control now. If teams see that Matthews can help at least two playoff runs they will do so. If Toronto wants to solve the problems within the organization maybe there is no satisfactory captain Auston Matthews the Maple Leafs will really come back.
We know William Nylander doesn’t want to be around to rebuild. But given what just happened with Quinn Hughes this is a scenario that could happen again.
“My opinion on this. This is my opinion. It’s just my theory,” Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast on Friday. “What I heard this week is that they will tell him that we will return to the situation next year, or we will try to come back at the beginning of the year, and see how it goes.
Like, I think, the Quinn Hughes thing, every player in that league, every team in that league, see how the Quinn Hughes thing played this year. And that you start the year, you see how it goes, and then if it goes off track, you adjust as needed. We will see. I could be wrong about that. But that’s my opinion, right now, that’s my opinion.”
Not a bad theory considering what recently played out in Vancouver. Also, Toronto needs to overhaul its farm system and draft picks. Additionally, moving a player like Nylander or Matthews gives the team the ability to bring in the next wave of talent for the Maple Leafs similar to what happened in 2014.
NHL Rumors: The Toronto Maple Leafs Fallout continues
So there’s a lot at stake with not only Toronto’s employment, but also captain Auston Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs moving forward. There are many chances that he will not finish his work with the team.
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