Auston Matthews avoided playing fortune teller when addressing his career moving forward long-term with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto’s captain met with the media Thursday following the Leafs’ final regular-season game the night before, a loss to Ottawa that signaled the end of a lost season for Toronto. Matthews wasn’t in the lineup — he has been sidelined by a torn MCL since mid-March — but with the Leafs heading into a transitional phase after missing their first postseason since 2016-17, Matthews was noncommittal on what lies ahead for him in Toronto.
“I can’t predict the future,” Matthews said. “There are steps that have to take place. They have to hire new leadership and management. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I think that’s kind of … like I said, I can’t really predict the future.”
Matthews’ shaky stance on next steps is tied to what the Leafs’ front office must accomplish in short order. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley fired general manager Brad Treliving last month and the organization has since retained the services of PBI Sports to help evaluate “data-centric” candidates to take Toronto in a new direction.
Pelley is open to hiring a general manager and president of hockey operations if needed. Toronto has leaned on an assistant general managers Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy to lead their behind-the-scenes operations under Treliving’s replacement(s) are found.
What that all means for head coach Craig Berube — hired by Treliving in May 2024 — is an open-ended question, too. Berube said on Thursday he does expect to return as Toronto’s coach for the upcoming season.
Still, uncertainty abounds about where the Leafs are going, and whether there’s a rebuild in sight. That’s another possibility Matthews wasn’t speculating on. He has two years remaining on a four-year, $53 million contract, but the 28-year-old is rumored to be uninterested in helming a lengthy re-tool. Matthews kept his comments on the subject neutral.
“There’s always noise and there’s always chatter [on the outside],” said Matthews. “Personally, I don’t really pay attention to all that. I just focus on myself and focus on this team and trying to be part of the solution.”
Matthews was more animated touching on the knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas that ended the center’s season. Gudas was suspended five games for the play and while Matthews wouldn’t dive into whether Gudas had reached out in the aftermath, there was some lingering frustration over being shut down early.
“I think you probably know how I feel about the hit,” said Matthews. “Up until two days ago, I was on crutches. Wasn’t sure I’d be standing here today. [Rehab] is going well so far [though].”
Calling it an “unfortunate” incident, Matthews expects to be ready for training camp and doesn’t hold it against teammates for not responding to Gudas on the ice when he went down.
“I thought they responded in the third period,” said Matthews.
Now, time will tell what happens for Matthews and his squad. Matthews expressed his belief in the group going forward and their ability to make a last-place finish in the Atlantic Divsion a one-off experience. But there’s too many variables for Matthews to speak with any conviction.
“I don’t know what that [all] means,” he reiterated about a rebuild or his part in it. “That will be up to new management.”
