Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs may be entering a Quinn Hughes situation as the culture fades
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
One analyst believes the Toronto Maple Leafs face a potential Quinn Hughes style exit with Auston Matthews.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could be forced into dealing Auston Matthews, one analyst seems to think is the case, but that the Leafs could avoid it.
On TSN 1050's 'First Up', Aaron Korolnek and former NHLer Carlo Colaiacovo discussed the potential of Leafs Captain Auston Matthews leaving, and that it's something that would happen if Toronto can't correct course next season.
I do believe in the off season, the noise Around Matthews will get louder, because you're entering a Quinn Hughes situation, right where you know, remember, Jim Rutherford didn't have to say what he said about Quinn Hughes in his end of the presser, and then when he dropped that little seed, it's kind of like, okay, oh boy, Vancouver's got an issue here with with Quinn Hughes, and they cannot lose this guy for nothing.
If you ask me, I don't think Auston Matthews is going anywhere this off-season. If this team has every intention to be a playoff team next year, Awesome Matthews is going to be part of it. But the performance on the ice, and the results on the ice next year are going to determine the future, not just of Auston Matthews, but others that are involved. - Carlo Colaiacovo
The reference about Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford came from him discussing trading Quinn Hughes last season, ultimately doing so this seasonin which Hughes was dealt to Minnesota.
The Maple Leafs risk a Quinn Hughes style exit if the organization fails to provide a resilient blueprint
The argument laid out by Korolnek and Colaiacovo is that, if the Toronto Maple Leafs don't have a clear game plan to improve next season, it could force Matthews to demand an exit.
Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this month that the Leafs have been in the past been in communication with Matthews about his future, and it was made clear by him that he isn't going to leave Toronto, but Friedman said, "as long as it didn't go off the rails he was staying".
The fear of Toronto being put into a situation is less Matthews demanding to leave, but the team feeling forced that he'll have to, a scenario like Vancouver having to deal Quinn Hughes to rebuild.
The lack of response instructs the Maple Leafs that a mandatory house cleaning is imminent
The Leafs goal is to retool, not rebuild, and a world in which Auston Matthews seeks an exit is the culmination of Toronto's worst case scenario, and one that this offseason needs to be pivotal in working to avoid.
Saying that the team will be better is easy to say, harder to do. But it's hard for the Toronto Maple Leafs to struggle as they did this season, but they still have to fix it.
The obvious need for the Leafs this offseason is adding in free agency, utilizing an increasing salary cap and being competitive on the open market.
Brad Treliving's biggest mistake since taking over as the Leafs GM has been his hesitancy to rush into deals and wait things out, which in free agency has had him miss out on top players signing on July 1st, and at the trade deadline seeing other teams take away Toronto's opportunities for a partner.
Certain players such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson may be moved out after this season, but if the Leafs don't improve, players such as Matthews and Nylander enter the conversation as Toronto contemplates if rebuilding is needed.
If the Leafs don't put into motion a serious push to improve this season, they risk Auston Matthews considering if there's the chance to win in Toronto.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 19|1004 ANSWERS Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs may be entering a Quinn Hughes situation as the culture fades Do you think Auston Matthews is considering asking for a trade? | ||
| Yes | 666 | 66.3 % |
| No | 338 | 33.7 % |
| List of polls | ||