Auston Matthews Is Carrying the Leafs-But How Long Can He Keep It Up?
Friday night in Toronto is shaping up to be anything but a warm homecoming. Mitch Marner, once a cornerstone of the Maple Leafs' core, returns to Scotiabank Arena for his lone visit this season-but don’t expect a hero’s welcome. The departure of the former fan favorite has left more questions than nostalgia, and the city’s focus has now shifted to the face of the franchise who stayed: Auston Matthews.
While Marner’s exit sparked plenty of debate, most Leafs fans have turned the page. They’ve thrown their faith behind the stars who recommitted to the city-Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares.
These are the players expected to finally bring the Stanley Cup back to Toronto. But now, with the team stumbling and the pressure mounting, even Matthews’ future is starting to draw scrutiny.
In a recent interview, veteran hockey analyst Nick Kypreos raised a few eyebrows when he hinted that Matthews might not be immune to the same kind of exit we’ve seen from other NHL stars. He pointed to the wave of change Matthews has witnessed in a short span-ownership shifts, front office turnover, new faces behind the bench, and a roster that’s been picked clean of draft capital and prospect depth.
Kypreos made a direct comparison to Matthew Tkachuk’s departure from Calgary and Quinn Hughes’ reported frustrations in Vancouver. Could Matthews eventually follow suit?
Let’s be clear: Matthews still has two years left on his current deal after this season. So no one’s sounding the alarm just yet. But if the Leafs miss the playoffs, those conversations could start a lot sooner than anyone in Toronto would like.
Matthews Is Doing His Part-And Then Some
On the ice, Matthews is doing everything in his power to keep the Leafs afloat. He’s been electric in January, racking up 10 goals in 11 games.
That kind of production would normally be the centerpiece of a winning streak-but Toronto has only managed to win six of those contests. The problem?
A thin bottom six and a blue line that’s been decimated by injuries.
The Leafs’ defensive struggles have been glaring, and the lack of reliable depth has been just as costly. Matthews may be lighting the lamp like few others in the league, but he can’t do it alone. Toronto’s inability to string together consistent wins has left them outside the playoff picture for now, and the clock is ticking.
With Marner gone, the spotlight now burns even hotter on Matthews. He’s the captain, the franchise player, and the one everyone’s looking to for answers. But if the Leafs continue to slide, the noise around his future is only going to grow louder.
For now, Matthews is doing everything he can to lead this team out of its midseason funk. But if the results don’t follow, Toronto could be facing more than just another early summer-it could be staring down some hard truths about the direction of the franchise and the future of its biggest star.