The Maple Leafs have one season before Auston Matthews' future becomes the story again

So, Toronto got their new coach, new lineup and new front office for Auston Matthews. It's a shame then that we're going to be having the same talk next summer too.

A whole bunch of chatter since the season ended was how will the Toronto Maple Leafs make enough changes to satisfy Auston Matthews. Wanting to see some true action, needing some protection up front and a much more mobile defensive unit, there was a lot for the team to take care of.

But so far, in all honesty - it's been pretty solid. John Chayka and Mats Sundin certainly got lucky with the Gavin McKenna pick, but even looking past that, the team added some seriously good defenders into the bottom-six and completely removed all PK responsibility from Matthews.

It was meant to give him a shot at being that offensive superstar again, and with Jim hiller in charge - someone who is intimately familiar with Matthews - it could lead to something special and we could finally see him not only return to form but also find new success in the postseason.

Toronto's reset has one season to convince Auston Matthews

They have to hope that things work out though, because for all the changes that the team has made so far, we're still going to be having the same conversation next year. Toronto only has one real season to convince Matthews this is the plan, and the flurry of two and three-year deals reflects their desire to win while he's here.

But if they don't, then they are going to have to ask themselves what else they need to do. If drafting a generational talent doesn't bring him around, or if the team collapses again despite the changes; is he even going to entertain an extension?

Toronto is banking on a soon-to-be 38-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky to help steady the crease, while also praying that Darren Raddysh can replicate his ridiculous season in 2025-26. Is it possible they completely explode and help? Sure, but it can also implode just as easily.

But beyond results, the team needs to show actual progress. None of this win a couple games, lose three, win three, lose two nonsense.

There needs to be fluidity and consistency where the team can play the same style and the same game every night. The issue with Craig Berube's style is that while effective, it needs the right players and the team never had that.

Matthews will want to see a team who fights for each other while also maintaining a certain level of success on a regular basis. If he wants to stick around, he wants to be sure he's going to be winning.

Matthews' contract timeline raises the stakes for John Chayka immediately

Well here comes the toughest part of things, and that's for John Chayka to figure out whether or not it's going to be worth paying Matthews past 2027-28.

If the team fails this season, he isn't going to have a happy captain and it's less likely that he sticks around (or even stays to see the last year). But if the team is competitive it still may not be enough.

It's not just making the playoffs that's the goal. It's winning. Matthews' whole career has been predicated on never winning the big one, and since he did so in the Olympics in 2026, his expectations are raised even more.

Unless Toronto can prove that they can withstand the second round blues and make it to the Conference or even Cup Final, that may be the only way to convince Matthews that failure isn't a bad thing and that real progress was made.

But Toronto and John Chayka only have a year to really analyze things and make any big changes necessary before the 2027-28 season because if not - then theycoulf be kissing their captain goodbye.

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