With the announcement of John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as executive counselor on Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs officially completed their front office over the weekend.
With so much already on their plates, Chayka and Sundin will only have a limited opportunity to get acclimated. The most crucial thing is to ascertain if there is any possibility of retaining captain Auston Matthews in Toronto over the long term.
Matthews’ future is still very unclear, according to TSN insider Chris Johnston. Before deciding whether to play for the Maple Leafs even for the 2026–27 season, the celebrity center wants to see what the new management team does to strengthen the squad during the offseason.
Johnston stated:
“This is at a time when the future of franchise player Auston Matthews is still very much up in the air, in a year when NHL free agency leaves a lot to be desired, and in a year when the cupboard inherited is sadly lacking in assets. ” According to league sources, Matthews has two years left on his deal, but he is still unsure about whether he will return to Toronto in the autumn.
According to league sources, Matthews only needs genuine action as a sales pitch at this point. He wants to see a roster that has been significantly improved through trades and free agency before deciding to play another season in Toronto. It’s not about trying to persuade him with a complicated 12-point strategy or a series of vague pledges. Seeing is believing. In essence, the Chayka-Sundin front office will be evaluating the team’s most influential player with their actions surrounding draft week in late June and the start of free agency on July 1. Thus, they should not anticipate any pledges from Matthews regarding his future until after that moment, when he can assess the team’s position as it approaches 2026–27.
As previously stated, Matthews, 28, is eligible for a new extension on July 1, 2027, and has two years remaining on the four-year, $53 million extension he inked with the Maple Leafs in 2023. In 2025–26, he scored his career-low 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists).
Undoubtedly, Chayka and Sundin are under a lot of pressure, and Tuesday’s draft lottery might be the first domino in influencing Matthews’ thoughts.
Despite numerous reports indicating that Matthews wants to remain and succeed in Toronto, it’s reasonable to question if he would be better off using his skills elsewhere following such a tumultuous year.
