Overview
- After a direct check-in this week, Elliotte Friedman reports both Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs reaffirmed there is no change in their commitment, with Matthews expected to remain for 2026–27.
- Matthews is 28 and in the second season of a four-year deal carrying a $13.25 million annual cap hit through 2027–28.
- The front office has begun league-wide outreach to gauge interest in roster pieces, with early conversations described as routine rather than extraordinary.
- Reporting points to potential trade chips outside the core, including veterans and cost-controlled forwards such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bobby McMann, and Scott Laughton, with additional UFAs also cited.
- Toronto’s fading playoff outlook and the calendar pressures of the Olympic roster freeze on Feb. 4 and the March 6 trade deadline are shaping the team’s seller-leaning stance.