Toronto Maple Leafs middle Auston Matthews might now wish to follow the crew, despite the fact that it missed the playoffs this season.
On Tuesday, a report surfaced that Matthews, who has two years remaining on his contract, is unsure he’ll return to Toronto subsequent season. He might really feel otherwise in regards to the franchise’s prospects after it won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday evening.
Securing the highest choose within the 2026 NHL Draft (scheduled June 26-27 at KeyBank Heart in Buffalo) might assist the Maple Leafs reboot the franchise after going 32-36-14 this previous season. Matthews, who turns 29 on Sept. 17, ought to wish to be included in that.
How successful the NHL Draft Lottery will increase Auston Matthews’ probabilities of staying with the Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs haven’t chosen No. 1 general since taking Matthews within the 2016 draft. Just like the one-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, Penn State Nittany Lions left winger Gavin McKenna (5-foot-11, 170 kilos) might change into a franchise staple.
“Principally, calling McKenna a play-driver is an understatement,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Hannah Stuart in a scouting report. “He is so harmful with the puck, significantly alongside the wall, and the way in which that he can management the circulation of the sport, his dealing with is unreal.”
McKenna’s easy puck dealing with made him one of many premier playmakers within the nation final season. He tied for fourth within the nation in factors (51, 15 targets and 36 assists).
The Maple Leafs want that playmaking means after buying and selling proper winger Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights in June 2025. His departure partially explains why Matthews’ numbers have been down this previous season. He scored a career-low 27 targets in 60 video games.
Including McKenna would not be the one solution to persuade Matthews to remain in Toronto. The Maple Leafs have to make different large strikes, and new basic supervisor John Chayka has mentioned he will search the middle’s enter earlier than doing that.
“We will get collectively within the subsequent couple weeks and spend a while,” Chayka told the media Monday (h/t Vivek Kalia of The Hockey Writers). “I feel he deserves some solutions about the place we’re at and the place we’re headed, and [I’ll] give him a discussion board to offer suggestions and ask questions, then take it from there.”
These conversations between Chayka and Matthews will likely be crucial in figuring out whether or not the middle stays. Anticipate the GM to make use of the No. 1 choose as a robust promoting level of their talks.
