The Maple Leafs receive bad news about their future with Auston Matthews originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
If Toronto Maple Leafs fans were hoping the Auston Matthews rumors would be put to rest soon – well, you’re out of luck.
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This will be one of the most rampant speculations of the entire offseason.
On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston published a new article with the latest updates.
“Matthews has two years left on his contract, but it remains uncertain whether he will return to Toronto in the fall, according to league sources,” Johnston wrote.
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Clearly, this seems to open the door to a variety of possibilities in the trade market.
Johnston’s language didn’t immediately make it clear whether Matthews wanted to leave or whether Toronto’s new front office would consider all possibilities.
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“For Matthews, who is about to celebrate his 29th birthday in September, it’s understandable that there is some concern about where things are going,” Johnston wrote. “An athlete’s career is limited, and he’s still far from a Stanley Cup. While Chaka intends to pick the brains of the franchise’s all-time goal leader in short order, it’s safe to say the new general manager probably won’t like everything he hears.”
Matthews isn’t having his best season in 2025-26, but to be fair, few on the Leafs have been able to do that.
They need a reset, some improvements, and some simple changes to put a different product on the ice.
“According to league sources, the only sales pitch Matthews needs at this stage is action,” Johnston wrote. “He wants to see the roster meaningfully upgraded through trades and free agency before committing to one more season in Toronto. This isn’t about selling him on a fancy 12-point scheme or a bunch of vague promises. Seeing is believing.”
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The Maple Leafs don’t have Mitch Marner back, but they didn’t do a good job of replacing him last offseason.
They have to get better or they could get worse quickly if Matthews decides he’s seen enough.
