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Analyst picks surprise player over Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews.

One of the major storylines for the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason is the future of captain Auston Matthews. The sour 2025-26 season cast doubt regarding his permanence with the team.

The situation kicked into high gear with the hiring of John Chayka as GM. In particular, questions justifiably emerged about what Chayka, and special adviser Mats Sundin, could do to assuage Matthews’ concerns about the team’s plans moving forward.

While fans would love to get reassurance ASAP, insider Elliotte Friedman believes Matthews could take his time in making up his mind. In Friday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman discussed how Matthews could wait until July to decide about his future with the team.

The rationale behind that assessment lies in Matthews’ camp, waiting to see what the team does in terms of the 2026 NHL Draft and free agency. The goal is for the organization to reload for next season, and beyond, especially with the salary cap ceiling rising.

Friedman also underscored how the Maple Leafs won’t let the matter drag on into July. Reports have already surfaced that Chayka is looking to officially meet with Matthews this coming week. The chatter suggests that Chayka will be traveling to Matthews’ home in Arizona to sit down with the superstar forward.

The meeting will likely be a cursory chat. It’s unlikely Matthews and his representation will broach the subject in question at this time. Perhaps this upcoming face-to-face encounter will provide Matthews with an opportunity to notify the Maple Leafs that he’ll be waiting to see what unfolds before ultimately deciding how to proceed.

Matthews Waiting to See Maple Leafs’ Plan

One of the talking points in this entire Matthews discussion is the desire to see a plan. Friedman has been one of the pundits drilling down on this point. In particular, the new Maple Leafs management regime will need to unveil a plan on how the organization believes it can turn things around as soon as next season.

The focus will be on laying out a vision based on concrete steps the team can take this offseason. If Chayka can’t present a tangible path forward, the situation could get to a point where Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs could truly become murky.

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Toronto Is Running Out of Time

The bottom line is that the Maple Leafs are running out of time. Matthews has won just about everything he can win individually. He has the hardware, the records, and the resume to enter the Hall of Fame.

The only thing holding him back from becoming a true legend is a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold notwithstanding.

While Matthews would most assuredly love to win that coveted Cup in Toronto, it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility that Matthews could seek that outcome elsewhere.

This situation isn’t about Matthews somehow betraying the Maple Leafs’ organization or its fanbase. It’s a practical matter in which his personal ambitions conflict with the team’s path forward.

If Chayka can’t merge both paths, it could be the beginning of a painful descent into a full-on rebuild in Toronto.