Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews says that he “can’t predict” his future with the only NHL team he’s ever played for.
Matthews, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Leafs in 2016, has spent his entire 10-year NHL career so far in Toronto. The San Ramon, California, native is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the NHL, having tallied 428 goals in 689 career games. When it’s all said and done, Matthews will be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he will likely end up as the greatest U.S.-born hockey player who ever laced up their skates.
While that may all be true, there is no guarantee that Matthews finishes his NHL career as a member of the Maple Leafs. The team has had very little playoff success since he joined the team 10 years ago, and with the Leafs looking for a new General Manager this offseason after firing former GM Brad Treliving last month, there is a chance the Leafs may look to move on from their captain. What once seemed like a crazy suggestion to trade the Leafs’ best player is now starting to seem like a potential reality.
Speaking to reporters at the Leafs’ season-ending media scrum, Matthews was asked about his future with the team. Instead of definitively saying he expects to be back, Matthews left the door open for a potential exit from the Leafs.
“I mean, I can’t predict the future. Obviously, there are steps that kind of have to take place. They’ve got to hire new leadership at management and stuff like that, so I don’t really know. Like I said, I can’t really predict the future,” Matthews said.
Auston Matthews Only Has 2 Years Left on His Contract
Matthews signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension with the Leafs in 2023, of which two years have already finished. That means he has two more years left on his deal, after which he will become a free agent. The Leafs will need to know whether or not Matthews is committed to the future of the team and would potentially re-up on a new deal, or if he plans on testing free agency once it’s over. If it’s the latter, the Leafs may look to see what kind of trade proposals other teams around the league may throw their way for the team’s captain.
New Leafs GM May Look to Change the Culture
The Maple Leafs are currently searching for the team’s next general manager and potentially team president, with names like Mike Gillis and Sunny Mehta being thrown around. Once the Leafs hire their next management group, they will have key decisions to make about the future of the team, including with Matthews. While he is the team’s best player, he likely also has significant trade value. If the Leafs are going to try to retool the team for the future, perhaps it is in the Leafs’ best interest to shop Matthews around the league and see what trade value he has. Until a new GM is hired, though, we won’t know what his future with the team holds.
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