"During his update, Friedman noted there was no chance of Matthews being moved at the recent trade deadline, but he said that at the end of the season, the Leafs and Matthews are going to "sit down and have a conversation." He added that discussion between the team and player may not happen right at the end of the year, but each might "wait and see how everything unfolds.""
"Friedman related a story that two years before Matthews hit unrestricted free agency (August of 2023) and signed his current contract, he told the Maple Leafs he was staying unless "it went off the rails." The Sportsnet insider said that the one thing the Leafs feel comfortable with as an organization is that Matthews "would not put them in a bad spot.""
The Toronto Maple Leafs face significant challenges in 2025-26, sitting second-last in the Eastern Conference and likely to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Auston Matthews, the team's captain and best player, has experienced both individual and team struggles this season, prompting speculation about his long-term future in Toronto. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Matthews was not traded at the deadline, but the Leafs and player will have conversations at season's end about what comes next. Friedman noted that Matthews previously committed to staying with Toronto unless circumstances deteriorated significantly, and the organization trusts that Matthews would not create problems regarding his future.
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