The Toronto Maple Leafs have a long and storied National Hockey League history, but the 2025-26 season will be one that team and fanbase alike will want to quickly put in the rearview mirror.
The Leafs are currently last place in the Atlantic Division at 27-26-11, and were just sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline for the first time in a decade, moving on from Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy on Friday.
Will the nightmare campaign affect captain Auston Matthews' future in the Six? As the Athletic's Pierre LeBrun speculated on Tuesday, it's very possible.
“It’s going to come down to how the Leafs’ offseason plays out in May and June,” wrote the hockey insider in his latest NHL trade column.
“Whether the Leafs are set up for a bounce-back season will greatly affect the thinking of Matthews and his agent. Either way, there’s an expectation of some serious conversations involving [agent Judd] Moldaver and management on No. 34 this offseason. My personal feeling is it’s 50-50 on Matthews moving or staying.”
It's been a tough season for the Leafs captain
Along with most of the roster, Matthews is having a down season in 2025-26. He's managed just 26 goals and 26 assists in 58 games, which is trending to be the lowest regular season point total of his impressive career.
The 28-year-old, who just led Team USA to a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan, has two more years left on his deal at a $13.25 million cap hit, along with a full no-movement clause.
And as LeBrun reports, there have as of yet been no conversations about the captain's future in Ontario.
“Let me start by pointing out one very important thing: According to league sources, the subject of Matthews’ future has not come up even once this season between Moldaver, general manager Brad Treliving and MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley. Not once. But given where the season is going, with the Leafs most likely to miss the playoffs, that conversation is certain to be had after the season.”
General manager Brad Treliving has one year left on his contract, but there's no guarantee he's back for the 2026-27 season. The same goes for Craig Berube, who just doesn't seem to be the right coach for this group.
“If Treliving, who has one year left on his contract, remains at the helm and the Leafs indicate they want to re-tool on the fly and add some pieces around Matthews and William Nylander to make the team playoff competitive for next year, then I do think No. 34 will stick around,” LeBrun concluded.
The Maple Leafs are not interested in a long rebuild, and for that reason, it's probably more likely than not that Matthews and William Nylander will remain part of the long-term plan.
But, after nine consecutive postseason appearances, it's going to be a long summer in Toronto nonetheless.
