Why Auston Matthews should lead new-look Maple Leafs by swirl of uncertainty

TORONTO — On the day the Toronto Maple Leafs collect to coach for his or her tenth (!) season with draft-lottery prize Auston Matthews, the captain is introduced with a premise.

The concept goes like this: all {the summertime} chatter over the departure of his most most popular, most frequent and most proficient setup man, Mitch Marner; these 9 straight disappointing post-seasons with no style of Round 3; and an injury-plagued winter, throughout which Matthews managed “only” 33 targets and tied for twenty sixth place within the Rocket race, have hockey’s sickest sniper since Alex Ovechkin getting into 2025-26 with a chip on his shoulder.

Matthews considers the idea. He acknowledges, yeah, there is likely to be one thing to it.

What he doesn’t do is elaborate. Bold predictions or lofty ensures? Revealing his particular person targets or publicly spilling his guts over the agony of repeated defeat? Matthews doesn’t go there.

As at all times, the lead-by-example sort prefers his actions to talk.

Poke across the circumference of undoubtedly an important Maple Leaf of 2026 — and, heck, seemingly the best Leaf of all-time — and also you’ll discover a refrain of voices piping up for his or her respect within the athlete’s silent grind by ache, their perception in an inevitable rebound marketing campaign.

You’ll hear that Matthews’ on-and-off again issues, which started throughout 2024’s coaching camp, pushed him to hunt a second opinion in Germany, then lingered to the ultimate buzzer of Game 7, usually left him skating at “34 per cent” well being. You’ll hear that he had hassle bending over to knot his laces earlier than some video games. You’ll hear that his most harmful weapon — that curl-and-whip, angle-altering, goalie-flummoxing wrister — was hindered, therefore the career-worst 12.6 taking pictures share. You’ll be reminded of some crummy puck luck; solely 4 NHLers pinged extra posts and crossbars than Matthews (21). And you’ll additionally hear, from many who share the dressing room, that Matthews swallowed his discomfort complete. 

Never complained as efficiency waned.

Matthews’ rationalization for being so guarded on well being issues: “Because I can. Because it’s my right to, I believe.”

New arrivals to Toronto’s room describe their chief as “a quiet guy” in addition to “a great guy.” Matthews isn’t a rah-rah captain. He instructions, often, by his presence, a thousand-word look, however largely by way of efficiency and outcomes. An inside drive that’s largely stored that approach.

“It was an off year. There’s things behind the scenes that we all sort of know about. He wasn’t a fully healthy player but fought through it. I thought he played extremely well for what he was going through,” head coach Craig Berube says.

“It’s not all about targets. But I do get it. He’s a goal-scorer. Everybody appears at him to attain targets, and we do want him to attain targets. But on the similar time, it’s a crew. And it’s about successful video games, and it’s about everyone contributing.”

Critics will argue that if a celebrity is wholesome sufficient to decorate, he needs to be match to dominate. They’ll level out that Matthews’ particular person efficiency in clinching video games mirrors that of the Leafs, routinely arising on the unhealthy finish of fine opponents. A splendid regular-season athlete nonetheless looking for his post-season assertion.

They might even complain that Matthews doesn’t look as ticked off when the Leafs flutter as, say, Nathan “I haven’t won s—” MacKinnon does when the A-Z Eventz soften.

They’ll surprise if the 28-year-old having his management, line-driving and long-term well being questioned will solely embolden to competitor inside. 

“There’s always stuff you can take through the good times and the bad times, the ups and downs, the adversity,” Matthews says. 

“Especially when you don’t feel like you’re at your best, it’s always putting the team first and doing whatever you can to help the team win. And I felt like I handled that to the best of my ability last year. And of course, you want to produce and do all that stuff. But we had the best regular season that we’ve had since I’ve been here. We won our division and did a lot of really good things that we just want to continue to build on.”

We’ve already seen glints of defiance in camp. 

Matthews sniped one in every of his two pre-season previews, and his ferocity in September’s battle drills was palpable. When 221-pound depth defenceman Philippe Myers leaned on his again close to the boards one mid-September afternoon, Matthews bodied again, snatched possession and smacked a shot with goal.

“I see him more engaged,” says Berube, sounding inspired. “He’s feeling good, so he’s more engaged and heavier and harder on pucks and things like that. You can see a little bit of a difference, for sure.”

Though he appeared to honour his longtime wingman and warmup associate at Scotiabank Arena by arranging seven pucks right into a smiley face on the faceoff dot (Marner was identified to Sharpie smiley faces on his blue-and-white gloves), Matthews was fast to slap a moratorium on questions on his outdated teammate. 

Maybe Berube was talking as a lot for his stars as himself when he broadcasted his pleasure over by no means having to listen to the phrase Core Four once more.

With Marner gone — taking his 102 factors and top-line all-situations minutes with him — the Maple Leafs will scramble to make up for the loss by committee, stuffing this mammoth lineup gap with grit and hope.

The hope that highest-paid defenceman and returning power-play quarterback Morgan Rielly lives as much as his best-summer-ever! hype and drives 50 or 60 factors from the again finish. And that shifting the offensively gifted Oliver Ekman-Larsson to his pure left aspect can increase one other veteran’s manufacturing.

The hope for a constant marketing campaign from Max Domi and that rugged acquisitions Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua can present somewhat bottom-six offence along with penalty killing and dependable D-zone begins.

The hope that worth purchase Matias Maccelli, who will get first crack on Matthews’ proper flank, will be even half the playmaker Marner is, and that goalie Joseph Woll (private causes) returns quickly and in the best state of mind.

And the hope that, with minimal commerce property to spend, a official affect winger will be acquired earlier than the March 6 commerce deadline (Filip Forsberg, welcome to the hearsay mill).

Modelled within the snotty imaginative and prescient of basic supervisor Brad Treliving and Berube, the identification of those Maple Leafs has spun 180 levels from the group Matthews joined.

They are massive and skilled, constructed to drudge down low for greasy targets and prevail in low-scoring, low-event slogs on the energy of some game-breaking moments. Formerly tagged with the dreaded “soft” descriptor by opponents, these Leafs intention to show Scotiabank Arena right into a groan on foes’ schedule.

The threat is Toronto may also be skewing somewhat too outdated, too sluggish. Eight males dressing for Wednesday’s opener are of their 30s.

“You have size throughout, it doesn’t matter what line,” Matthews says. “Roy and DJ (Joshua) are big bodies that can move, play heavy hockey. I’m really excited about the prospect of them filling in some big roles.”

The plan unravels, nevertheless, if Matthews himself doesn’t stay as wholesome as everybody says he’s. If he doesn’t extra carefully resemble the beast-mode, two-way centre who has captured a Hart Trophy, acquired nominated for a Selke and flirted with 70 targets.

Matthews’ offensive-zone begins fell to a career-low 53.9 per cent final season. Expect a leap in that division, because the coach leans extra on Roy for exhausting matchups. Also count on Matthews to hold extra pucks and drive extra nets. Without Marner’s wizardry, the technique of discovering quiet ice and ready for the right cross turns into much less efficient.

“He doesn’t just score goals; he does a lot of things for us. He’s penalty killing. He goes against top lines. He’s a great defensive player. His work ethic,” Berube says. “I mean, I don’t think we should be overly concerned. He’s healthy. He’s looking good. He’s shooting the puck really well.”

Ekman-Larsson has been going head-to-head with Matthews usually over these previous weeks. What would the defenceman say to followers who could also be involved in regards to the celebrity’s standing?

“Yeah, I don’t think they should be worried,” Ekman-Larsson grins. “When you’re within the room and on the ice with him each single day, you see it much more than simply watching TV and stuff like that.

“That (200-foot effort) is something I really appreciate about his game. You all obviously know that he can put the puck in the net and make unbelievable plays. But he’s chipping in so much more, even if he didn’t score 70 goals. But we’ll take it.”

Over this 82-game dance, the primary sans Matthews’ regular associate, we’ll uncover simply how desperately a deeper Maple Leafs group wants a pile of targets from its chief. Moreover, we’ll be taught if the phenom from Scottsdale is able to one other season-long heater.

Because Marner’s relocation didn’t solely take away a complete whack of assists; it additionally eradicated a sponge of fan criticism when the crew underachieves.

John Tavares took a hometown low cost. William Nylander stays letter-less, unflustered and underneath contract till 2030.

Never has Matthews borne extra scrutiny or accountability as a Maple Leaf.

While linemate and fellow Arizonan Matthew Knies now spends his summers coaching in additional temperate Minnesota, Matthews at all times elects to reset, rebuild and rehab within the desert, buying and selling harsh highlight for harsh daylight.

He’s accustomed to the glare.

“Arizona is just a little bit too hot for me,” Knies says, shaking his head. 

“I don’t know how he does it, really.”