Before Connor McDavid re-signed with the Edmonton Oilers, he made it pretty clear that he needed the team to be competitive if he wanted to stay. McDavid waited all summer, panicked Oilers Nation thinking he was leaving, and eventually signed a short two-year extension.
Auston Matthews, he believes, could be willing to make the same move to analyst Nick Kypreos.
Is Matthews about to hold the Maple Leafs to the fire?
Some fans in Toronto won’t care if Matthews leaves. Others will. But it’s important to note that traces of the old Matthews are back, which is great news for the Maple Leafs. But the better he plays, the more that same fanbase, happy that he’s become a superstar again, might feel a little uneasy.
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At the start of the 2025/26 season, Matthews did not look like himself. It was slower, quieter and disconnected. Whether it was due to injuries, system changes, new linemates or simply frustration boiling over, the result was the Maple Leafs playing terrible hockey and sitting well outside the playoff picture. Now that he’s rolling again, the Leafs look more dangerous.
Matthews scores at will and drags the Leafs back into games, sometimes single-handedly. That kind of on-ice leadership comes with influence, and with so many roster and organizational changes, he may be ready to play an interesting hand.
Kypreos writes:
“In a short period of time, he has seen changes ripple through ownership, the front office, behind the bench and, most importantly, in the lineup. He has seen the team’s prospects and draft capital stripped to the bare bones. He has seen elite NHL players force a change of scenery, as Matthew Tkachuk did with the Calgary Flames in 2022 and Quinn Hughes with the Vancouver Canucks this season. Could he consider doing the same?”
Is Matthews going to pull a McDavid?
His blunt response to questions about Mitch Marner recently could be the first sign that Matthews is done messing around. Kypreos suggested this is a superstar who is done waiting.
For a team that has had high expectations but never lived up to them, Matthews is running out of time to fulfill them. Kypreos adds:
“What Matthews will need to convince him that Toronto is where he needs to be long-term, just like McDavid is looking for in Edmonton, is proof. He needs proof that the goaltending can hold up, that the defense can defend, that the supporting cast can provide strength, push the opposition back and execute when he catches his breath on the bench.”
After this season, Matthews has two years left on his contract. Kypreos seems to hint that the term was no coincidence. Matthews wanted to exercise power. He positioned himself to evaluate the Leafs while still in his prime, just as McDavid has done with the Oilers.
And as McDavid hinted in the way he negotiated his extension, Kypreos believes the message is already clear: Build a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, or don’t expect Matthews to stay. Maybe Matthews is done waiting for the Maple Leafs to “figure it out.” And it makes sense for Matthews to question his future.
The warning signs are there. Toronto has burned through draft capital. The selection has been reshuffled repeatedly. Coaching staff and philosophies have changed. Goalkeeping remains a nightly adventure. Big stars leave for ‘greener pastures’.
If Toronto misses the playoffs, the conversation will immediately change. His contract negotiations, or lack thereof, will do the talking.
The Leafs need a long playoff run. Matthews must have confidence in the future of the organization and its ability to remain competitive. He wants to be part of a team that can win and isn’t completely dependent on him being able to do so.
What if he doesn’t see it? Then Toronto could soon find itself in the same awkward position that Edmonton knows all too well: trying to convince its best player that patience is still worth it.
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