To say that the recently-completed 2025-26 NHL season didn’t go the way that the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted would be an understatement, to say the least.
For one thing, the Maple Leafs had difficulty adjusting to the offseason departure of longtime forward Mitch Marner, who was dealt in a massive sign-and-trade deal to the Vegas Golden Knights.
They also suffered multiple injuries to key players, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Anthony Stolarz, and Chris Tanev, eventually missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
While Marner is thriving with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Semifinal, the Maple Leafs are left wondering how it all fell apart for them.
The franchise has already made multiple major changes at the executive level, dismissing GM Brad Treliving in late March and also hiring former Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka as his official successor.
Former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin is back in the fold as well as an executive advisor.
What Does The Future Hold For Auston Matthews With The Toronto Maple Leafs?
According to NHL Insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Matthews and his agent, Judd Moldaver, are set to meet with new Leafs general manager John Chayka and Sundin in the near future.
“Newly appointed Maple Leafs GM John Chayka plans to speak with captain Auston Matthews in the near future,” Pagnotta posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The two haven’t chatted yet, but Chayka has spoken with Matthews’ agent Judd Moldaver, who has also spoke with MLSE President Keith Pelley.”
Later appearing on Leafs Morning Take, Pagnotta expanded on the situation involving Matthews and Toronto’s new management team.
“Well, I thought the meeting was happening this week,” Pagnotta said. “I don’t think a date has been finalized yet. What’s going to happen is, Auston and his agent, Judd Moldaver, are going to sit down and talk with John Chayka and Mats Sundin. That’s supposed to happen sometime within the next, you know, one, to two-three weeks. I was told a few weeks, but we’ve got to get a move on that, since we’re moving towards June in a couple (weeks).”
But, the anticipation is that all four of those guys are going to sit down, talk, map things out, and have a proper discussion. But that hasn’t changed his mindset, which is that he wants to stay in Toronto, he wants to win in Toronto, he loves it in Toronto. But if the team’s not going to make those changes and do all the things we’ve been talking about, checking all these boxes, you know, going into next season, you’re kind of wasting everybody’s time.”
Auston Matthews Missed Multiple Games This Season
Not only did Matthews miss several games for the Maple Leafs earlier in the season, but his campaign was then officially finished after suffering a Grade 3 MCL sprain after being victimized by a dirty knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in early March.
Matthews, who was taken first overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Draft and was named captain prior to the 2024-25 season, has scored 428 career goals with 352 assists in 689 games played.
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