Matthews said he 'can't predict' his future with Maple Leafs

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews said he'll be physically ready to start next season for the Toronto Maple Leafs but is uncertain about his long-term future with the team.

Speaking publicly for the first time since a knee injury on March 12 ended his season, the Maple Leafs captain was asked what will happen when his current contract expires after 2027-28. 

"I mean, I can't predict the future," he said Thursday during the team's breakup day at Ford Performance Centre. "Obviously, there's steps that kind of have to take place. They're going to hire new leadership in management and stuff like that. So, you know, I don't really know.

"I think that's kind of like I said, I can't really predict the future."

The Maple Leafs are looking for a new general manager, with Brad Treliving being fired March 30. Until a new management team is in place and the future of coach Craig Berube is cleared up, Matthews has no idea what the Maple Leafs' vision is moving forward.

It was Treliving who spearheaded the efforts that resulted in Matthews signing a four-year, $53 million contract ($13.25 million average annual value million) on Aug. 23, 2023 that runs through the 2027-28 season.

With Treliving gone, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment announced April 9 that Neil Glasberg, President of The Coaches Agency, has been retained to assist in the search for the Maple Leafs Head of Hockey Operations. 

"There's always noise and there's always chatter," he said. "I think personally, you know, I really don't pay attention to all that. I just focus on myself, focus on this team and trying to be part of the solution."

As such, what would it take for an incoming general manager or director of hockey operations to convince him to stay?

"I don't know if there's anything specific," Matthews said. "I mean, I think those conversations are going to be, you know, personal and private. 

"We're not even at that point yet. Obviously, we're still in the searching phase, I guess you can say, for them. So, I think when those conversations come and when the time comes, those conversations will just happen organically."

Matthews said his rehab is going well. He was wearing a brace on his left knee and leaned on a counter for support as he addressed the two dozen reporters in attendance.

Before taking questions, he made an opening statement that included taking his share of responsibility for the lost season. The Maple Leafs finished 32-36-14, second worst in the Eastern Conference, and missed the postseason for the first time in Matthews' career in Toronto, which began in the 2016-17 season. 

Selected No. 1 by the Maple Leafs in the 2016, Matthews has 428 goals since his NHL debut, the most in the NHL in that span. 

"This year we didn't meet the goals or the expectations that we set out at the start," he said. "And ultimately, that's on me, that's on us as players. We're the ones that have to go out there and compete and play the game, and we didn't do that well enough this year, consistently enough this year to put ourselves in a better spot. 

"We love our fans, and we appreciate our fans, and I think we understand their frustration. I think we wear that alongside them. I think everybody here wants to win, wants to do their part to help the team win.

"I love being the captain of this team. I think it's an incredible honor to wake up every day and wear this jersey. And that's not lost on me."

When asked how the Maple Leafs went from 108 points and an Atlantic Division title in 2024-25 to a 30-point regression and a basement finish this past one, Matthews said, "I think that's more complicated than I can really answer. I mean, I think just the level of consistency that we didn't play with, you know, hurt, because I thought we had really good stretches of hockey throughout the year and put together some good games. But just the consistency night after night wasn't there."

Matthews said he's optimistic the Maple Leafs have the core in place to improve next season. The 28-year-old includes himself in that conversation after registering career-lows in goals (27) and points (53) in 60 games.

"I mean, I believe in the guys in this room and the people that we have here," he said. "Like I said, we're going to hire new leadership and management, and there's going to be changes, and that's just the way things go. 

"But I think we're all hopeful that this is kind of like a one off. I've seen it kind of happen to a couple teams. I mean, I think Boston's obviously the latest example, but you kind of hope that you can bounce back and be in a better situation than we were this year. "

While he chose his words carefully, you could see the discontentment in his face when the subject of Radko Gudas came up. It was the Anaheim captain who kneed Matthews and was subsequently given a five-game suspension last month.

"I mean, I think you probably know how I feel about it," he said. "Up until a couple days ago, I just got off crutches, so I didn't think I was going to be standing here today. So, it's going well so far."

Gudas has said he'd attempted to communicate with Matthews since the incident.

"I think you know, him reaching out, that's kind of a personal conversation and whatnot," Matthews said. "But, like I said, I think you know how I felt."

While Matthews lay on the Scotiabank Arena ice writhing in obvious pain during the second period, much was made that his teammates did not immediately respond to Gudas's actions. They did come back to win the game 6-4 in a fight-filled third period.

"I mean, it was an unfortunate play," he said. "I thought they responded in the third period, but it's an unfortunate play."

Just one of many in an unfortunate season for Matthews and the Maple Leafs.