NHL Network’s latest top 20 centers list has already done what these rankings always seem built to do: start a fight. The flash point this time is the gap between Auston Matthews and Nick Suzuki, with Matthews coming in at No. 8 and Suzuki right behind him at No. 9.
That setup did not sit well with podcast host Sid Seixeiro, who made it clear he thinks the order is backwards based on what happened last season. He called it “asinine” that Matthews would be placed ahead of Suzuki and argued Canadiens fans have every reason to be annoyed.
“The Nick Suzuki move has gotten people in Montreal a little upset,” said Seixeiro. He added, “Nick Suzuki is a healthier player than Auston Matthews.
Yes. Nick Suzuki, having won the Selke Trophy, is a better defensive center than Auston Matthews.
Yeah. Nick Suzuki had 100 points last season.
Did Matthews? Nope.
In what world is Auston Matthews, right now, a better center than Nick Suzuki? Someone explain that to me.”
There is at least a clean statistical case for the frustration. Suzuki put together a career year in 2025-26, finishing with 101 points, 29 goals and 72 assists.
He also piled up 43 power-play points and won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward. On top of that, he helped Montreal get to the Eastern Conference Final.
Matthews’ season told a much different story. He was limited to 60 games because of injury and ended up with career-low numbers: 27 goals and 53 points. Toronto missed the playoffs and then went through a roster and front-office overhaul this summer.
The reaction to Seixeiro’s comments split sharply. Maple Leafs fans pushed back hard, brushing off his criticism and pointing to a long history of what they see as bad takes.
One fan went as far as calling him “a moron” and said his past opinions should be enough to disregard this one too. Supporters of Matthews argued that his peak still puts him above Suzuki, even after a down year.
Still, plenty of fans agreed with Seixeiro and said Matthews “hasn’t earned that spot” in two to three years, with some arguing that a healthy version of him is becoming more the exception than the rule. The question hanging over all of it is simple enough: has Matthews’ standing started to slide in the eyes of people who once put him among the NHL’s very best?
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 🡒]