Auston Matthews told the Maple Leafs he needs to see moves before committing and that ultimatum starts now
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Auston Matthews is the leader of the Maple Leafs, so he's making sure that any reinforcements brought in are up to his standard or he's going to walk.
With the introduction of John Chayka and Mats Sundin to the Toronto Maple Leafs front office, it sparked a debate over whether or not it was the right team to lead the club into the future and bring them their often-denied success.
Amidst an awkward press conference came some pretty important information regarding captain Auston Matthews, as both Sundin and Chayka praised the leader heavily and were excited about having him to work with:
'We’re going to get together in the next couple weeks and spend some time. I think he deserves some answers about where we’re at and where we’re headed, and (I’ll) give him a forum to provide feedback and ask questions and then take it from there.' - John Chayka
'Listen, I think Auston is the best goal-scorer in the league the last 10 years. He’s a superstar in his own right. Won Olympic gold. I think he’s a good leader, a great leader. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the fanbase, I think, (are) very fortunate to have a player of that caliber.
Let’s hope that he’s committed to lead this team through the next period as well.' - Mats Sundin
'Listen, I think Auston is the best goal-scorer in the league the last 10 years. He’s a superstar in his own right. Won Olympic gold. I think he’s a good leader, a great leader. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the fanbase, I think, (are) very fortunate to have a player of that caliber.
Let’s hope that he’s committed to lead this team through the next period as well.' - Mats Sundin
It's a great sign that the new leadership group is looking to invest so much into their captain, however it might not even matter at the end of the day.
Matthews not fully committed to Maple Leafs for 2026-27 let alone 2028 and beyond
Chris Johnston's latest article for The Athletic delved deeper into Matthews' plan for the future and he mentioned that while there's obviously hope for Chayka and Sundin to convince him to stay, Matthews needs to see action now:
Matthews has two years remaining on his contract, but still isn’t sure if he’ll be back in Toronto in the fall, according to league sources.
The only sales pitch Matthews needs at this stage is real action, according to league sources. Before committing to another season in Toronto, he wants to see a roster that has been meaningfully upgraded through trades and free agency. This isn’t about selling him on a fancy 12-point plan or a bunch of vague promises. Seeing is believing.
The only sales pitch Matthews needs at this stage is real action, according to league sources. Before committing to another season in Toronto, he wants to see a roster that has been meaningfully upgraded through trades and free agency. This isn’t about selling him on a fancy 12-point plan or a bunch of vague promises. Seeing is believing.
With the draft lottery set to take place tonight, the Maple Leafs have a real shot to help solidify their case to keep Matthews by not only keeping their draft pick, but also by drafting someone who is seriously going to improve things (aka a franchise defender).
This is the first step to figuring out the game plan for Matthews and the discussion with Chayka has to include a list of players or types of players Toronto needs to bring in. Matthews won an Olympic gold medal but he had proper linemates and structure; so you'd think that would be priority.
Matthews is not waiting for promises he is waiting for July 1 and what the roster looks like after free agency decides everything
Now comes the fun part. Toronto has a few spots they need to fill from departing players and their blueline needs a serious overhaul. If they were serious about helping themselves they would go wild with offers in free agency and try to bring in guys like Darren Raddysh to bolster the backend.
Throw a blank cheque at Alex Tuch and see if he's willing to cross the QEW to join Toronto from Buffalo, and there's more than a few trades that can be made to clear up not only cap but roster space for new faces.
Don't forget the slew of AHL names who could also be on the cusp like Bo Groulx, Jacob Quillan, and William Villeneuve. Perhaps Matthews wants an onus on the young players getting a chance to shine, so they have to fit in too.
Heck, trade Anthony Stolarz away because Dennis Hildeby is right there. He'll get you at least a top-four defenceman and perhaps a top-nine forward; there's moves to be made.
This is no longer a wait and see attitude with the captain, because he waited 10 years and saw not success. It's time to sit down and focus on what he needs. He's earned the right to be a bit selfish, and Toronto should do their best to appease him before they lose him.
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