Auston Matthews has long been considered one of the NHL’s premier centers. Still, recent preseason rankings have raised eyebrows: the Toronto Maple Leafs star isn’t consistently listed among the top three pivots, and on some lists, he doesn’t even crack the top five. For a player who once challenged Connor McDavid as the league’s most dominant center, this drop might look alarming — but does it really signal trouble for Toronto heading into the 2025-26 season?
More importantly, should it have any impact on his future with the organization? If outsiders are losing faith in Matthews as a top center, should the Maple Leafs?
Why the Drop for Matthews?
First, it’s important to understand why Matthews’ ranking has slipped.
Much of it comes down to playoff performance. While he has proven himself as one of the league’s top scorers — notching 69 goals just two seasons ago — his drop in production last season, combined with a modest recent postseason résumé, has critics questioning whether he’s still as dominant a goal scorer. If not, is that level of performance enough to keep him among the NHL’s elite centers?
Some of that may be due to his recent injury history. He hasn’t been at full health in some time.
But can injuries be used as an excuse? Peers like Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov, and Jack Eichel have all dealt with injuries of their own. The big difference is that these other centers have all either now won a Stanley Cup or gotten close on multiple occasions. The Leafs under Matthews’ leadership haven’t sniffed the Stanley Cup Final. That matters to those making these rankings lists. Eventually, it should matter to Maple Leafs fans, too.
Is Regular Season Success for Matthews Enough Anymore?
Matthew’s regular-season numbers have been outstanding. If these lists were based exclusively on what happens outside of the playoffs, he might still be ranked in the top three. And to be fair, his playoff numbers aren’t abysmal; they just aren’t enough to move the Leafs forward.
Matthews remains one of the league’s most complete two-way centers. That should count for something, too.
But the question should be asked if Matthews doesn’t find another gear and use these rankings as slights to get himself right back in the conversation: Is he the leader the Leafs need?
This season, he’ll be asked to shoulder a bigger load without Mitch Marner in the lineup. There is so much to prove this season, Matthews is running out of excuses not to step it up.
First, the team needs him more than ever. Second, the team hasn’t won when it counts, and that needs to change. Third, he’s now being overlooked by most analysts and ranking lists.
What else does he need to fire him up this summer?
Centers Are Being Evaluated on Their Wins Now
The drop in rankings might also reflect how the NHL evaluates centers today. Offensive production, two-way impact, faceoff efficiency, and playoff success all play a role in the rankings of these centers.
What might be concerning for the Leafs is that even someone as “experienced” as Sidney Crosby is ranked higher than Matthews. Crosby and the Penguins haven’t been in the playoff mix for some time. Unless he’s traded, he may not play another post-season game in his NHL career. Yet, Crosby is ranked higher than Matthews.
An argument could be that Crosby gets the nod because of his legacy and his previous wins. That said, it’s still telling that Matthews has fallen below him.
Should The Leafs Be Concerned?
For the Leafs, Matthews’ place in these rankings shouldn’t be a source of panic. At the same time, it will be important to note how he reacts to them. The team from TSN OverDrive said he should take these rankings personally. What if he doesn’t? What if Matthews continues to act like he’s above this stuff? Worse yet, what if he does and has another mediocre season by his standards?
If anything, it can serve as motivation. If he doesn’t take this narrative that he’s being underrated and find a way to deliver a more dominant performance, how do the Maple Leafs respond?
