It has been a dreadful season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and due to a hit from Radko Gudas, Auston Matthews is out for the rest of the year. The hit and resulting suspension of Gudas have been the subject of controversy, as many have seen the punishment as too light.
Now, it is being reported that the injury to Matthews may have more of a longer-lasting effect on the franchise than just losing their captain for the final games of the regular-season, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
Following the hit, none of the Maple Leafs came to the defense of Matthews, showing little emotion, leading to criticism of the team. This has led to head coach Craig Berube looking to change the focus of his players.
“Berube’s immediate focus has been on getting his players to come together and step up their physical play after none of them came to Matthews’ defense when Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas took him out at the left knee last Thursday. Berube calls it ‘getting in there for each other,'” Johnston wrote on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the overall future of Matthews in Toronto may be in question. The Maple Leafs were already struggling before the superstar went down with the injury. They are in danger of having their worst-ever point swing from season to season in franchise history.
“A major conversation was looming between Leafs management and Matthews this offseason even before he limped off the ice at Scotiabank Arena with a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion,” Johnston continued. “The team is veering toward the biggest year-over-year points decline in franchise history and any suggestion it might immediately return to contender status seems flimsy at best. A gut check with a franchise icon two years before he’s eligible to hit unrestricted free agency was always a must under the circumstances.”
The Leafs had to sell at the trade deadline, but a trade of Matthews could be difficult. He has battled injuries over the past two years, while also having a no-movement clause, which would give him control over where he is going, or even if he is leaving the franchise. Further, the Leafs do not have much draft capital, which would mean the franchise could be forced to re-tool instead of stripping everything down to the studs and doing a complete rebuild.
Regardless, the season is lost for the franchise, and the long-term outlook is bleak. The Maple Leafs are 29-28-12 on the year, which places them in seventh in the Atlantic Division. They are also 12 points out of a playoff spot, with just 13 games left to play. They return to the ice on Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.
