If the Leafs can't get tougher around Auston Matthews, a summer trade becomes possible
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Daniel Lucente
Mar 15, 2026 (12:34)
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Elliotte Friedman tied Auston Matthews' knee issue and Toronto's soft response on the Radko Gudas hit to a summer trade debate at $13.25 million.
That is not idle noise when the player is the captain, signed through 2027-28, and protected by a full no-move clause. It becomes a roster-construction warning.
The real point is not that Matthews is suddenly easy to move. The point is that if he ever feels the competitive edge is slipping, every team would line up.
On the ice, the fit is obvious anywhere. Matthews still drives pace, wins pucks back, finishes from the slot, and changes a power play with one touch.
For Toronto, the danger is bigger than one hit. A star playing through knee trouble needs a harder team around him, especially when spring hockey turns nasty.
"Auston Matthews' season-ending knee injury could officially 'start the clock' on the 29-year-old captain's future with the Toronto Maple Leafs."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
If that protection does not show up, the summer conversation gets loud fast. That is why Friedman's read lands harder than a normal TV segment.
Auston Matthews puts Toronto Maple Leafs on notice
Leafs fans can live with losing a game, but they do not forgive a core that looks easy to push around in March.
Matthews' contract gives him control, not management. A full no-move means Toronto cannot shop him unless he wants the door opened.
That matters because a blockbuster would not be about talent, it would be about belief. If the room stops looking built for him, the market becomes the whole league.
The next game matters now. Toronto has to show more bite off the forecheck, more support after whistles, and more conviction in the hard areas.
This is why the story feels like strategy, not gossip. The Leafs do not need to trade Auston Matthews this summer, but they may need to prove why he should never want one.
Also read on HockeyLatest :
John Tortorella calls out NHL after Radko Gudas ends Auston Matthews' season
John Tortorella calls out NHL after Radko Gudas ends Auston Matthews' season
| POLL | ||
MARS 15|322 ANSWERS If the Leafs can't get tougher around Auston Matthews, a summer trade becomes possible Should Auston Matthews trust the Toronto Maple Leafs core after this warning? | ||
| Yes | 83 | 25.8 % |
| No | 239 | 74.2 % |
| List of polls | ||