Auston Matthews used to live comfortably in the NHL’s top tier. For a long stretch, the Maple Leafs star was the kind of player you slotted near the very top of any league-wide conversation without much debate: a goal-scoring force, a Rocket Richard winner, a Hart Trophy winner, and one of the game’s true heavyweights.
That picture looks a lot different now.
Recent NHL player rankings have put a spotlight on just how much his standing has changed. Matthews landed No. 8 on NHL Network’s top centers list, while EA Sports NHL 27 placed him 11th. However you slice it, that’s a far cry from the days when he was routinely viewed as one of the NHL’s very best, often sitting just behind Connor McDavid in the hierarchy.
The drop is tied to what’s happened on the ice over the last two seasons. Matthews is coming off back-to-back years that were slowed by injuries and lower production, capped by a career-low 27 goals. That kind of stretch changes the conversation fast, especially for a player who once seemed untouchable in this kind of ranking.
Some around the Toronto scene aren’t even convinced No. 8 is generous. Toronto sports personality Sid Seixeiro looked at the EA Sports center rankings and argued Matthews should be outside the top 10.
Of the ten centers ranked ahead of him, Seixeiro said, "He is not better, in my opinion, than any of these centers. Not in terms of goal scoring, not in terms of point production,".
He pointed to the last two seasons as the proof.
TSN OverDrive host Bryan Hayes struck a slightly different note when he discussed Matthews’ spot. Hayes called the ranking "just right," but only with a major warning attached.
He said the 2026-27 season is a "make or break" year if Matthews wants to stay "anywhere close to a list like this." Hayes also said Matthews has not been the eighth-best center based on his play over the last two seasons.
The bigger issue for Matthews is that the margin for error has disappeared. He’s now dealing with the weight of two straight seasons that raised injury questions and dragged down his numbers.
At the same time, the Maple Leafs have changed around him. New general manager John Chayka has overhauled the bottom-six forwards, which reduces the defensive burden on Matthews.
Jim Hiller has taken over behind the bench from Craig Berube. And top pick Gavin McKenna’s playmaking is expected to help bring Matthews back toward the level that made him such a force in the first place.
There’s no hiding place now. If Matthews has another down season in 2026-27, it would make three straight years of lesser production and start to look like a trend. He has one year left before turning 30 and only two years remaining on his current deal with Toronto, so this season carries real weight beyond any ranking list.
What happens next will shape everything: his next contract, his future in Toronto, and whether the Leafs believe he can still lead them back to contender status. Matthews could answer with a rebound and remind everyone why he was once among the league’s most feared players. Or the decline could continue, pushing both sides toward a future apart.
Either way, his 11th NHL season is no ordinary one.
In Other News...
These Marlies Could Force Their Way Into The Maple Leafs Picture
The Marlies are heading into their Calder Cup defense with a familiar look, and that matters for the Maple Leafs as much as it does for the AHL club itself. Toronto has kept most of the roster intact, which gives the organization a steady base and a clear runway for players trying to prove they can become part of the NHL conversation. For a team that leans heavily on its pipeline, this season is as much about continuity as it is about development.
William Villeneuve, Ben Danford, Miroslav Holinka and Ryan Tverberg are among the names worth tracking closely, each arriving with a different kind of case to make. Some are settling into their first full AHL season, while others are looking to build on what they already showed last year, and the Marlies will need that mix to stay competitive. The intrigue for the Leafs is obvious: a strong season in Toronto could turn a few of these players from depth options into legitimate candidates for a bigger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Could Create A Real Camp Battle With One Tryout Invite
Several NHL teams are already using professional tryout deals to sort through training camp depth, with Cal Petersen landing one in Washington and a former Toronto Marlies forward getting one in Calgary. The Maple Leafs, by contrast, have not brought anyone into camp on a PTO yet, but that could change if they decide they want a little more competition before the roster starts to take shape.
One possible name to watch is Adam Boqvist, a right-shot defenseman with NHL experience who would fit the side of the blue line Toronto could still look to sharpen up. The Leafs do have defense depth in the organization and prospects capable of filling similar roles, so any invite would be about creating a real battle rather than simply plugging a hole. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Fans May Not Like Where Shanahans Name Is Surfacing
Gary Bettmans eventual exit has already become a league-wide conversation, and with the NHL still in the midst of expansion talk, the succession chatter has started to widen. One name now surfacing is Brendan Shanahan, whose resume spans both sides of the game as a former player and longtime executive, including his run as Maple Leafs president. That combination gives him a profile few others around the league can match, especially for owners looking for someone who understands the sport from every angle.
For Leafs fans, though, seeing Shanahan linked to a potential move up the NHL ladder is the sort of development that can stir old memories and fresh uncertainty at the same time. He remains one of the more recognizable executive figures tied to Torontos recent era, and the idea of him becoming a candidate for the leagues top job adds an unexpected wrinkle to a franchise that has already lived through plenty of organizational change. For now, it is only speculation, but it is the kind of speculation that tends to linger once it starts. [Read more 🡒]