Auston Matthews' Time in Toronto Coming to an End, Sooner Than Most Think?

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S. Harper
March 9, 2023 (10:14)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas has done everything he can to help the Toronto Maple Leafs finally get past the first round of the playoffs this year.

Now it's up to the players to do it and they better because time could be possibly running out on their opportunity to contend, with many hockey Insiders and Leafs fans concerned about Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews contract coming up soon, with one year left on his current contract that pays him $11,640,250 annually.

Many believe the Leafs will do everything in their power to keep the reigning MVP. Despite Matthews not lighting it up like previous seasons, Matthews is still a point-per-game player this season including scoring 29 goals. But the Leafs have a lot of players they need to sign with limited money.

There's also been plenty of rumours that Matthews, who's American born and a Arizona boy, would want to return home like John Tavares did to the New York Islanders where he went to his childhood team (the Leafs). On the Cam & Strick podcast, they discussed the very open possibility of a trade being hammered down this summer to avoid losing him for nothing.

If they don't sign him this summer then they may have to move him, in fact I think they have no choice but to move him if they don't sign him this summer. Lose him for nothing? That is risky and I don't think he's gonna re-sign there."

If they win the cup or something like that then you can't really just trade Auston Matthews. If they lose early - and you're going to get a boat load for Auston Matthews - you can't lose him for nothing and you probably have to trade him this summer. He gone, sorry Toronto, hate to do that to you."

"Regardless, they're going to have to make him the highest paid player in the game, which he will be, but Matthew Tkachuk last off-season, he steered his way to Florida. Auston's gonna be able to do the same thing, so who's gonna step up and trade for Auston Matthews this summer."

Very interesting from Cam & Strick podcast but they made a lot of valid points. Matthews has all the power next season with a full no move clause kicking in so if the Leafs wanted to trade Matthews, it would be this off-season, but I imagine Dubas will do absolutely everything in their power to keep Papi in Leafs Nation.

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