Brandon Carlo got a close look at Auston Matthews’ captaincy last season, and the former Maple Leafs defenseman says the Toronto star leads in a way that doesn’t always show up in constant chatter or public dressing-room speeches.
Matthews, Carlo explained, isn’t the kind of captain who spends all day barking at teammates. His influence comes more from the way he plays and the way he carries himself. The voices inside the room, Carlo said, were spread around the group, with Jake McCabe and Morgan Rielly among the players who spoke up more often.
“I think it was more delegated throughout the group, but there were definitely some voices. I felt like Jake McCabe was very well respected within that room and would speak up quite a bit.
Morgan Rielly as well. I think he’s one of those guys," said Carlo.
When Matthews did step in, Carlo said the message landed.
"And Auston, it’s more so just when he does say something, everybody listens. It’s not like he’s gonna be harping on you every single time, but when he does speak up, you know, the whole room’s gonna listen. He’s your captain, amazing player, amazing person, and he’s definitely one of those guys.”
Carlo and Matthews were teammates in Toronto for more than one season before Carlo was traded to the St. Louis Blues in June.
Beyond the locker-room picture, there’s also the business side of Matthews’ future hanging over the Leafs. NHL reporter Michael Augello said Toronto is not going to let its captain get to unrestricted free agency. Augello added that if Matthews puts together a 40-goal season and the Leafs make the playoffs, a new deal could get very expensive.
“This season is the key. They’re never going to allow him to get to UFA.
But if he scores 40 goals this year and they make the playoffs and he says he wants to stay in Toronto, the organization clearly wants to keep him here. Then he’s probably going to be asking […] a contract with significant terms, probably seven years max, and it’s probably going to be $19-20 million.
That’s the reality now.”
Matthews is currently working his way back from knee surgery after a knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas. He is expected to be fully fit for the new season.
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For Toronto, the setting is especially interesting because it gives McKenna and Danford a chance to start building chemistry with current Leafs while absorbing details from veterans who know what it takes to hold down a role in this market. Summer ice time does not decide anything on its own, but it can help a prospect stand out before the real competition begins. If either player is going to push into a bigger future role, moments like these are where the first impression starts to form. [Read more 🡒]
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Because of NHL 35-plus contract rules and Bobrovskys full no-movement clause, the Leafs wont have much wiggle room if the fit goes sideways. The timing makes it more delicate, too, since the deal runs into Auston Matthews final contracted season and could tighten the clubs cap flexibility right when the front office needs it most. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Still Have One Quiet Roster Decision Before Camp
The Maple Leafs have already done plenty of their offseason reshaping, but there is still a subtle layer to sort out before camp opens. With the roster taking shape, the next moves look less about headline additions and more about padding the depth chart, especially if the club wants a little more insurance on the blue line and among its bottom-six forwards.
One path would be inviting a few familiar or useful veterans into camp on PTOs, giving Toronto a closer look without committing to a full-season answer too soon. A depth defenseman like Carson Soucy fits that idea, and so do possible forward reunions with James van Riemsdyk or Michael Bunting, but the bigger question is whether any of those names can make the Leafs more comfortable with the margins of the roster before opening night arrives. [Read more 🡒]