Questions persist over whether Auston Matthews still has a future with the Toronto Maple Leafs, plus a look at some suggested off-season moves for the Nashville Predators.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' hiring of John Chayka as their new GM was met with skepticism from pundits and fans over whether the former Arizona Coyotes GM is the right man for the job.
Chayka's biggest challenge as he takes over the role will be deciding what to do with captain Auston Matthews.
The 28-year-old superstar center has two years remaining on his contract, which has Leafs Nation worried that he might depart if he feels the club is heading in the wrong direction after missing the playoffs this year.
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun reported that Matthews is open to what Chayka has to say about his plans for the club's future. However, Koshan indicated it's still a "wait-and-see" approach on Matthews' part.
Chayka acknowledged this, saying he'll have to sell the Leafs' captain on what they're capable of and how they intend to reach their goal of becoming a Stanley Cup contender.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic believes the Maple Leafs are on the clock with Matthews. He cited league sources claiming the high-scoring center isn't sure if he'll be back this fall.
Johnston believes Matthews wants to see a meaningful upgrade of the roster this summer through trades and free-agent signings. That could be a daunting task for Chayka, given the shallow pool of talent in this summer's UFA market and the Leafs' limited trade capital.
If Matthews forces a trade, Johnston doesn't believe the Maple Leafs will come out on the better side of the transaction. He felt that, at best, they might get a return of future assets comparable to what the Vancouver Canucks received from the Minnesota Wild last December for Quinn Hughes.
The Maple Leafs won the first overall pick during Tuesday's NHL draft, which has led to speculation about whether that could improve Matthews' chances of wanting to stay.
The Hockey News' Michael Traikos suggested the Leafs draft Gavin McKenna over Ivar Stenberg first overall to try to replace Mitch Marner as a playmaker for Matthews.
Turning to the Nashville Predators, Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean proposed three bold moves for whoever replaces Barry Trotz as their new GM.
One option is buying out left winger Jonathan Marchessault, whose production has declined during his two-year tenure with the Predators. Daugherty believes a trade would be ideal but doubts they could find much of a market for the 35-year-old, who has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
Daugherty also suggested looking into acquiring Philadelphia Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov via trade or signing Dallas Stars left winger Jason Robertson to an offer sheet.
The 21-year-old Michkov's production and ice time declined under Flyers coach Rick Tocchet this season. However, it's doubtful they'll part with the promising youngster because of a sophomore slump.
Robertson could seek a long-term deal worth around $12 million annually. The Stars currently have $11.1 million in cap space, which could make the 26-year-old a tempting target for an offer sheet, assuming that he's willing to sign one.
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