The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up a shootout win on Saturday, but it doesn’t change the outlook of their season. A few losses away from feeling like the campaign might be a write-off, as of February 1, 2026, they’re at 25-21-9 with 59 points through 55 games. That puts them tenth in the Eastern Conference and well behind Boston and Buffalo, who hold the two wild-card spots.
Their playoff chances are slipping away fast, and with the March 6 trade deadline closing in, the front office has started making calls around the league. For the first time in years, it looks like they’re shifting into seller mode.
That has led to questions about Auston Matthews.
Matthews Says He’s Still Committed to the Team
Understandably, the organization is probably a bit concerned with what Matthews is thinking through all of this. Questions about whether he is still fully on board is at the back of their minds.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet’s Saturday Headlines that the Leafs and Matthews’ camp had a straightforward conversation this week, and they came out and asked. They wanted to know, has anything changed? More importantly, with the deadline creeping up, is there any reason Matthews might not want to come back for 2026-27? If so, the Maple Leafs might have had to consider their options.
“Nothing has changed,” Friedman emphasized. Matthews is committed.
Is This A Good or Bad Thing for the Maple Leafs?
Matthews signed his four-year, $53 million extension in 2023, carrying a $13.25 million cap hit through 2027-28, when he’ll hit unrestricted free agency at 30. He’s never once hinted at wanting out, but the reality is, it might have been better for the Maple Leafs if he had. With the team struggling, questions should be asked. Is this a short-term problem or a long-term one?
In other words, did the organization just dodge a massive bullet by getting this reassurance, or would things actually be better if Matthews had quietly (or not so quietly) pushed for a fresh start somewhere else?
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Nylander, Domi, Moldenhauer & Reset
On one side, if he’d wanted out, it could’ve forced a total reset. Maybe that’s what the Maple Leafs need. They’ve yet to do one, even though this past summer, they got the ball rolling with Mitch Marner’s departure. What they received in the trade wasn’t much. What they’d get for Matthews if they proactively make a move is a haul: top prospects, multiple first-round picks, maybe a young NHL-ready player to kickstart a rebuild.
Selling high could’ve handed GM Brad Treliving some real building blocks to reshape the roster or build around a younger group. And, at 28, Matthews has plenty left. With this season and two more still on his contract, if the Maple Leafs are moving him, now might be the time.
Matthews’ Position May Change If Winning Doesn’t Come Soon
His loyalty is commendable, but that doesn’t mean things won’t change. Toronto fans have watched too many stars leave or force their way out, with little to show for it. That can’t happen with Matthews, and a clear-cut understanding that both sides are open to a fresh start could have moved this franchise forward.
Yes, losing him would’ve been a huge blow to the fanbase, the sponsors, and the brand—it could’ve hurt for years. But Toronto is Toronto, and the fans support the team in their own unique way. Any glimmer of hope that the club is on the right path is enough to keep the attendance high and the profits flowing.
More practically, Matthews’ saying he is ready to move on if there’s a trade to be made leaves room to retool instead of blowing everything up. Now, with Matthews locked in as the anchor, management will have to settle for moving non-core guys like Max Domi, Scott Laughton, or Bobby McMann.
It’s difficult to know if those trades will really move the needle.
Matthews saying he’s committed isn’t bad news. However, it shuts down the nuclear option, which could be what this team needs. In a season that’s gone completely sideways, but bigger questions remain about seasons that will follow, knowing their biggest trade piece doesn’t want to go creates its own set of challenges.
Did they dodge a bullet? In a manner of speaking. Could things have been better in the long run if Matthews had turned around and said he didn’t see a future in Toronto? Perhaps that would have been better to know now than in a year or two.
