Pundits Suggest Blockbuster Trade Sending Maple Leafs’ Matthews to Devils

With the Toronto Maple Leafs undergoing major changes in their front office, plenty of speculation has begun to surround their team as they try to make it back to the playoffs next season.

After the Maple Leafs decided to name John Chayka their new general manager, fans around the league began to wonder if superstar forward Auston Matthews would be happy with that move or if he would be open to a trade somewhere else.

There has been plenty of speculation since the Maple Leafs announced that hiring, but some pundits with Daily Faceoff decided to look at what could be a blockbuster trade between the Maple Leafs and Devils involving Matthews.

“Auston Matthews to New Jersey?”👀

The crew debates a blockbuster hypothetical between the Maple Leafs and Devils involving Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec, and a 1st round pick… but would Jersey actually do it?🤔

Presented by @bet365ca #bet365

FULL EPISODE:… pic.twitter.com/xctwfRkcSf

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) May 9, 2026

In the clip, they suggest the Maple Leafs trade Matthews to the Devils in exchange for Nico Hischier, with an extension attached, as well as Simon Nemec and a first-round pick.

The fan feedback was fairly mixed, but a lot of fans seemed to think it was a bit of an overpay for Matthews.

Maple Leafs Come Out Winners in This Deal

The Maple Leafs being able to bring back a potential top-pairing defender, a first-line centre, and a first-round pick in any deal for Matthews makes them the winners of this hypothetical trade. The risk associated with taking on Matthews, who has a monster $13.25 million cap hit, is high.

Not only is his contract massive, but he is only extended through the 2027-28 season. If the Devils were to bring him in and they weren’t able to become true contenders, he could walk to free agency as an unrestricted free agent, where they would have lost major assets for a temporary run with him.

Obviously, Matthews is one of the best all-around players in the NHL, but the risk associated with his injury issues could scare teams away as well, and paying a large price for him doesn’t seem logical. While the Devils take a huge risk on Matthews, the Maple Leafs essentially fast-track their retool and can be in contention for a championship within two seasons, as long as they fill the rest of their needs.

How Could a Trade Actually Work?

I would assume the deal that the pundits from Daily Faceoff suggested wouldn’t happen.

Realistically, trading for Matthews would cost a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and a prospect. It may seem like a low price for someone who scored 69 goals in a single campaign just three seasons ago, but the uncertainty surrounding him drops his trade value significantly.

I don’t think the Devils would be the ideal fit for Matthews in a potential trade, either. They could make it work, but they would be better suited to find more cost-effective options rather than swing big for him.

The Seattle Kraken and Boston Bruins both need centre depth badly, and they make more sense as fits. The Carolina Hurricanes have been rumoured to be looking for upgrades at centre for the last couple of seasons, and considering they were willing to swing big on Mikko Rantanen, there is no reason they wouldn’t be willing to swing for the fences on Matthews if he became available.

As of right now, it doesn’t seem like the Maple Leafs will entertain the idea of trading Matthews. Unless something changes this offseason drastically, Matthews won’t be playing anywhere but for the Maple Leafs heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

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