Auston Matthews’ path to unrestricted free agency in 2028 has already put one team on the radar: the Los Angeles Kings.
That’s not because Matthews is expected to be headed there. It’s because the Kings’ ongoing search for Anze Kopitar’s successor could leave them chasing a top-end centre when Matthews’ current deal runs out. For Toronto, that makes Los Angeles a team worth tracking for a very different reason.
The Kings’ need down the middle has only grown more obvious with Kopitar’s retirement. Los Angeles is now trying to find its next long-term answer at centre, and the kind of player it needs is exactly the sort of player that can reshape a franchise.
Right now, the Kings have about $18 million in cap space, along with four first-round picks, according to Puck Pedia. On paper, that gives them a real shot to go after a major centre such as Dylan Larkin, who carries an $8.7 million cap hit per season.
But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one. Los Angeles is not on Larkin’s trade list at the moment. The Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Las Vegas Golden Knights are the teams currently on that list instead.
Detroit’s asking price has also complicated matters. The Red Wings want more than a package built around first-round picks, and they’re believed to be seeking a first-line centre.
That’s a tough ask, and it has dragged talks to a standstill. Carlo Colaiacovo has even said he believes Larkin will start the season in Detroit.
For Toronto, the more important question isn’t just whether the Kings can land a centre now. It’s whether they solve that problem before Matthews gets to 2028.
If they don’t, Los Angeles could be sitting there with cap room, a clear need at centre, and a home-state connection that would make Matthews a very real target if he reaches the open market. In that scenario, the Kings would not need to give up picks or prospects to get him.
That’s why the Maple Leafs can’t afford to drift toward 2028 without clarity on their captain’s future.
None of this guarantees Matthews ends up in Los Angeles, and it doesn’t even mean the Kings will chase him. A lot can change over two seasons. But if the Kings still haven’t found Kopitar’s long-term replacement by then, Toronto could be looking at a wealthy, centre-hungry market waiting when Matthews’ free-agent window opens.
In Other News...
Auston Matthews Is Facing The Pressure Leafs Fans Know Too Well
Auston Matthews 2025-26 season ended with a career-low 27 goals and a knee injury, a frustrating year for a player Toronto leans on as both captain and highest-paid star. Even by the standards that come with wearing a Maple Leafs sweater, the pressure around Matthews only grows when the goals dont come in bunches, because his production is tied so closely to how the team is judged from one season to the next.
On TSNs OverDrive, Toronto Star reporter Dave Feschuk and host Bryan Hayes framed the conversation around what comes next, with the bar for Matthews clearly set high again heading into 2026-27. For the Leafs, a return to the 50-goal range is being treated as more than a number on a stat sheet, because it would go a long way toward re-establishing Matthews standing as the player expected to carry the team when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Suddenly Face A Tough Call On One New Forward
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Joshuas situation is the kind of decision that tends to linger right up until camp, because Toronto can use another forward like him but also has to make the math work. A player with his profile can be useful both as a depth piece and as a trade chip, which leaves the Leafs weighing whether he fits better in the lineup or as part of a deal that clears space for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Fast McKenna Decision With Real Stakes
Gavin McKenna is about to get a long look in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs are not treating camp like a formality. The first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft will take part in training camp and the preseason as the club gauges whether he can handle a top-six offensive role, a test that carries real weight for both the lineup and his development.
Jim Hiller and the Leafs have only a short runway to sort out where McKenna fits, with preseason games and the opening stretch of the regular season shaping the call. How he looks against NHL competition will help determine whether he stays with the team and how Toronto handles the start of his entry-level contract, a decision that could come into focus quickly once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]