The idea of Auston Matthews’ time with the Toronto Maple Leafs coming to an end is the last thing fans want to see this week. Toronto will be buzzing Friday night as infamous former superstar Mitch Marner returns home for his only visit to the city this season. While the return of a franchise favorite usually brings back fond memories, Friday night will likely be anything but that.
Most Maple Leafs fans think Toronto will be just fine without Marner. The players who signed extensions and stayed, like Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares, are the ones the city holds close to their hearts and will be the ones to end the city’s Stanley Cup drought. However, Sportsnet personality Nick Kypreos had some disturbing comments about Matthews’ future in a recent article for the Toronto Star.
“In a short time [Matthews] saw the changes ripple through ownership, the front office, behind the bench and, most importantly, the lineup. He has seen the team’s prospects and draft capital stripped to the bare bones. He’s seen elite NHL players force a change of scenery, like Matthew Tkachuk did with the Calgary Flames in 2022 and Quinn Hughes with the Vancouver Canucks this season. Might he consider doing the same?”
Matthews still has two years left on his contract after this season. While the Leafs may think it’s too early for the captain to give up on the team, there could be tough conversations for the entire organization if Toronto fails to make the playoffs.
Auston Matthews tries to lead Leafs out of Funk
Matthews was on fire in January, scoring ten goals in the team’s eleven games. He’s one of the top scorers in the league again, but the Leafs have won just six of those games. A lack of depth in the lineup and a ruthless defensive unit riddled with injuries leaves Toronto on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.
The noise around Matthews will only get louder if Toronto continues to struggle. Now that Marner has left town, the media is focused squarely on the Leafs captain. If the team fails to make the postseason, things will only get uglier.
Next: Maple Leafs explored various trade scenarios for Mitch Marner before his departure
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