One of the major subjects hitting Toronto Maple Leafs news is that of captain Auston Matthews’ future with the team. Plenty of speculation has hit the airwaves regarding what could happen to Matthews moving forward.
Insider Elliotte Friedman revealed Auston Matthews’ future in Toronto during the January 31 segment of Saturday Headlines. During the appearance, Friedman was adamant in stating that Matthews wasn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
“First of all, nothing has changed. There was a conversation this week between the Maple Leafs and Matthews’ representation, and they just asked, ‘Is anything here different?’”
The reply reaffirmed the commitment between both sides, at least for next season.
“Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to each other.”
That’s at least one bit of good Maple Leafs news. The club has been looking to sell off pieces and retool, much like other clubs have done in the past. However, one of the major question marks had been Matthews.
Now, it seems that Maple Leafs news will not, at least, feature any chatter about Matthews heading out the door.
Matthews Potentially Pulling a Marner
One of the biggest concerns the organization had was that Matthews could pull a Marner. Specifically, letting the club know about a year in advance that he didn’t plan to re-sign with it.
That situation with Marner dominated Maple Leafs news throughout the entire 2024-25 season. The chatter eventually culminated with Marner’s sign-and-trade deal to Vegas. That very same outcome was something that fans and the media feared would happen with Matthews.
Nevertheless, Friedman’s comments can put that topic to rest. Matthews has two more years left on his current deal after this season. He would be eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1, 2027.
Under those circumstances, it wouldn’t be a stretch to suppose that Maple Leafs news could soon reveal talks about an extension at some point next season.
Maple Leafs News Not Exactly Uplifting
Beyond the positive developments in the Matthews saga, the Maple Leafs haven’t really gotten much encouraging news to work with.
While the team’s 3-2 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks was a positive step, the fact is that the Leafs are part of ongoing chatter calling for the team to be gutted down to the bone.
Some Maple Leafs chatter posits that the Maple Leafs could tear everything down. Meanwhile, other talk just focuses on a minor sell-off heading into the trade deadline.
Perhaps the club will focus on selling off minor pieces at the deadline, with major decisions coming in the summer. It seems that Maple Leafs news will not die down during the offseason as the club looks to recalibrate for the 2026-27 season. It’s tough to envision this current iteration moving forward.
Unless Toronto rails off a mind-shocking winning streak and sneaks into the postseason, there won’t be much to talk about. Maple Leafs news will most likely feature numerous moves after the Olympics and leading up to the March 6 trade deadline. So, it will be an interesting time for Leafs fans.
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