Elliotte Friedman revealed that Toronto's game plan for Auston Matthews isn't about how he can elevate his teammates but rather how much they can give him the puck.
So far this season we have seen a rejuvenated Auston Matthews and it's a huge relief. He has 10 points through his first six games, has a four-game point streak, is shooting like his old self, and is skating as good as he ever has.
After two years of misery, injuries, and a system that never worked for him, Matthews is finally thriving once again, and the additions of Kirill Marchenko, Jack Roslovic, Gavin McKenna, and others have all been instrumental in helping him get back to the level we know he can reach.
Maple Leafs have a game plan for Auston Matthews: Let others work
However that is seemingly all by design by GM John Chayka, despite the Maple Leafs trying to tell everyone otherwise.
Elliotte Friedman revealed on his Thanksgiving edition of 32 Thoughts that the Maple Leafs' plan for Matthews centres around how much they can get him the puck in order to do damage - not be the one expected to run things:
Trading for Marchenko, the growing up of Cowan, the putting of Nylander a bit and now McKenna getting confident. From what I have seen and other teams have told me - the Maple Leafs are doing whatever they can to have Matthews carry the puck less.
They want Matthews to be a seer, a puck hunter, he's very responsible defensively. If they are to be successful, they have to have him carry the puck less. This talk about Matthews carrying the puck more, they may say it but we're seeing what they really want to do.
While the team isn't exactly prohibiting Matthews from carrying the puck, their goal is to try and get him focused on where he is most dialled in which is shooting.
He's elite at winning puck battles down low, and the help from guys like McKenna, Marchenko, and Nylander allows him to find open space as opposed to needing to win the battle and then run the offense.
Staying consistent is making sure that Auston Matthews is thriving
So far it's been paying off though Matthews is still getting his touches on the puck and he is driving things still, but it's often a speedy cut through the neutral zone, a dish off to his teammates, and they start the play.
Matthews has thrived so much thanks to the shuffling of the lines and the new additions that he has put up more four-point games during the first six games of the 2026-27 season than he had the entire two years under Craig Berube.
Looking back at 2025-26, he had the most assists from Max Domi of all people, and had a total of 12 different people giving him help, but they weren't exactly offensive drivers besides Nylander and John Tavares.
If the team can settle down who gets Matthews the puck more consistently, they won't need a revolving door to see who fits with him because they already have their dedicated group. There has been lineup shuffling, but he always has someone driving the play - be it Nylander, McKenna or Marchenko which has been their real goal all along.
Do you think that the Maple Leafs have succeeded in helping Auston Matthews?
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