Maple Leafs get bad news on their future with Auston Matthews

If Toronto Maple Leafs fans were hoping that the Auston Matthews rumors would quiet down sooner rather than later -- well, you're out of luck.

It's going to be among the most rampant speculation of the entire offseason.

The latest buzz came in a new article by The Athletic's Chris Johnston on Tuesday.

"Matthews has two years remaining on his contract, but still isn’t sure if he’ll be back in Toronto in the fall, according to league sources," Johnston writes.

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That obviously seems to leave the door open for all sorts of possibilities in the trade market.

Johnston's language doesn't make it immediately clear whether it's Matthews who wants out or whether it's Toronto's new front office that will consider all the possibilities.

"For Matthews, set to celebrate his 29th birthday in September, there are some understandable concerns about the direction things are headed," Johnston writes. "Athletes have finite careers and he’s never been further from the Stanley Cup. And while Chayka intends to pick the brain of the franchise’s all-time goals leader in short order, it’s safe to say the new GM might not like everything he hears when that happens."

Matthews didn't have his best season in 2025-26, but to be fair, very few of the Maple Leafs did.

They need a reset, and some improvements, and simply some changes to put a different product on the ice.

"The only sales pitch Matthews needs at this stage is real action, according to league sources," Johnston writes. "Before committing to another season in Toronto, he wants to see a roster that has been meaningfully upgraded through trades and free agency. This isn’t about selling him on a fancy 12-point plan or a bunch of vague promises. Seeing is believing."

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The Maple Leafs aren't getting Mitch Marner back, but they didn't replace him well last offseason.

They have to get better, or they might get worse in a hurry if Matthews decides he's seen enough.

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