Following a disappointing season and a front-office shakeup, Leafs captain Auston Matthews remains uncertain about his long-term future in Toronto as the franchise weighs a potential rebuild.
One of the biggest questions heading into the off-season for the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t get a clear answer.
Speaking to the media for the first time since sustaining a season-ending knee injury on March 12 against the Anaheim Ducks, Leafs captain Auston Matthews reflected on a disappointing campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. During the session, the captain was asked where he views his future with the club.
“I mean, I can't predict the future. Obviously, there's steps that kind of have to take place,” Matthews said. “They're going to hire new leadership and management and stuff like that. So I don't really know; I think that's kind of like I said, I can't really predict the future”.
The Maple Leafs parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving on March 30. It was Treliving who signed Matthews to a four-year, $53 million contract extension back in August 2023. The 28-year-old now has two years remaining on that deal. If the new front office decides that a rebuild is necessary rather than a retool, Matthews may not want to remain for the duration of that process.
When pressed on whether Toronto was a place he wanted to be long-term, the captain remained non-committal.
“I think all that stuff, I mean, there's always noise and there's always chatter,” he noted. “I think personally, I really don't pay attention to all that. I just focus on myself, focus on this team, and trying to be a part of the solution”.
Despite the uncertainty, Matthews expressed that he feels he can win with the current group, strongly suggesting the team could succeed with the same group in a retool. This sentiment follows a turbulent year; after finishing the 2024-25 season with the best record in the Atlantic Division, Toronto plummeted to the fifth-worst record in the NHL, finishing 2025-26 at 32-36-14.
While the roster saw changes like the departure of Mitch Marner and the addition of depth players, the club struggled defensively with a familiar back end and the goaltending tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll. Ultimately, any real change will be decided by the new head of hockey operations. Reading between the lines, the choice between a retool or a full rebuild will likely be the deciding factor in Matthews’ future with the franchise.
The Arizona native finished the season with 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games.