Could the Maple Leafs’ Lottery Win Change Auston Matthews’ Future?

Now that the Toronto Maple Leafs have won the first pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, their offseason plans are likely a lot different than they were a week ago. In fact, one of the biggest points of contention remains the future of Auston Matthews and William Nylander and whether they want to stay with the organization long term.

Now, with the first overall pick secured, they have a choice between Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. There is a good chance Matthews and Nylander could decide to stay and see how things develop, especially if they have a big summer after the 2026 NHL Draft. On the other hand, there is probably also a world where the Maple Leafs become more comfortable moving one of them now that another first overall talent is coming in. However, it still feels unlikely that Nylander will be the one on the move, so the bigger focus remains Matthews.

Is Matthews’ Future Any Different Now?

In an ideal world, Matthews and Nylander both stay with the Maple Leafs. Especially after they draft one of McKenna or Stenberg. Right now, it feels like McKenna is the obvious choice at first overall, and honestly, that changes a lot for this organization.

Adding a player like McKenna would instantly impact the roster. He brings a ton of star power and would completely change the look of their top six. If he slots onto the first or second line right away, it gives the forward group a different level of depth offensively. It also feels pretty easy to picture his skillset fitting beside Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line at some point. That alone should be part of the Maple Leafs’ pitch to Matthews during offseason meetings and one of the biggest reasons for him to want to stay.

If Matthews does stay and can stay healthy, there is every reason to believe he can get back to the level everyone expects from him. But this goes beyond just adding McKenna. There is going to be a completely different feeling around the organization now. Between the hype around the draft pick, the new front office group, and the possibility of even more changes this summer, things suddenly look a lot more promising than they did a month ago. Matthews could easily look at that and feel excited about where things are headed.

Unfortunately, the questions are still going to be there until he says otherwise. Matthews still hasn’t really committed publicly to anything outside of saying, “I can’t predict the future,” during his end-of-season media availability. Which honestly makes sense considering how many unknowns still surround this team right now.

But who knows. Maybe things change after the draft. Once the Maple Leafs officially add McKenna or Stenberg and start reshaping the roster, Matthews could end up speaking publicly about wanting to stay and be part of what comes next.