The Toronto Maple Leafs return to action on Friday in the first of back-to-back weekend games at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The club fell to 26th place in the NHL standings, as Florida and Seattle passed them in the standings, while Chicago moved within six points with a win over Minnesota, and although it is impossible to expect players and the coaching staff to direct the Toronto Titanic into the iceberg, regulation losses are what any sensible fan should be hoping for over the next four weeks.
On Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had the inside track on the news on Auston Matthews, that the Leafs team captain may be headed to have his MCL tear surgically repaired, but that there is a high level of confidence that he will be available for the start of next season. Late Thursday afternoon, the club reported via social media that Matthews did have surgery in New York City on his left knee, and that the approximate recovery time for the injury was 12 weeks.
That would put him at being able to resume offseason workout activities in mid-June, which should be plenty of time to be physically ready for training camp in mid-September, but had the Leafs been in the playoff race at the time that Radko Gudas took out Matthews’ knee, the cheap shot would have ended any chances of a postseason run.
Aside from the injury news, speculation has begun to percolate early about Matthews future, because of the expected upheaval in the Leafs organization after the season. Insiders like Friedman and Pierre LeBrun have indicated that the 28-year-old and his representation are likely to meet with the club’s management during the summer; whether that be MLSE Chairman Keith Pelley, GM Brad Treliving or his successor, to find out what the plan for the immediate future is.
Things like who the next coach will be, whether the Leafs are planning a quick retool (with a reshuffle of the roster, including players like Morgan Rielly, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies) or a tear-down/rebuild will be at the top of the agenda, undoubtedly. Matthews reportedly indicated that he wanted to stay in Toronto prior to signing his four-year contract extension in August 2023, as long as the plan was to be a contender.
This, and the fact that the Leafs do not have their first round pick for two of the next three years, are the reasons why there will not be a “tear down to the studs”, because possessing your own first round picks is an essential part of the rebuild scenario.
Ask Brian Burke about that.
Rogers and MLSE likely do not have the stomach for a five-or-six year rebuild, and with Matthews still in his prime at 28, they are likely to do anything to keep him in the fold. That could mean a significant shakeup of the roster, and Matthews having input on the next coach.
In spite of all the Sturm und Drang being kicked up right now, the only scenario that would instigate Matthews to ask out of Toronto is if Treliving or his successor said the plan was to go scorched earth. Needless to say, this will not be the last column on the future of Matthews, but looking at the situation as it stands right now, the expectation is that he will be wearing #34 at camp in September.
