Mitch Marner is likely out the door, and John Tavares may be gone too. The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to look a lot different next year. But even still, Toronto would be mistaken not to explore every possible avenue to improve.
That means discussing Auston Matthews. As ridiculous as it sounds, is there a chance that dealing the three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner would make the team better? His playoff stats are simply fine, not great by any means, and he’d certainly get the Leafs a haul.
The chances of this happening are basically zero, but weirder things have happened. Could the Leafs survey the league to find a can’t-miss package for Matthews?
Let’s discuss.
Matthews has the power
Before discussing any trade proposals, we must first acknowledge that Matthews holds all the power. He has a full no-move clause, which means if he doesn’t agree to a trade, he’s staying.
If the Leafs approached him with a trade, it could break the entire relationship if he’s not ready. He’s never even hinted at wanting to move on and was just named the franchise’s captain. This is what makes any trade discussion tricky, because he would need to ask out. Aside from never signing a maximum-term extension (a significant issue with this franchise), all signs point to him loving Toronto.
But could anyone really blame him? This isn’t to say this situation isn’t his fault; a lot of the blame lies with him. But this team’s relationship with its stars is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The distaste is real and could lead to just about anything.
At the end of the day, Matthews has the cards. If he’s okay with a trade, it’s something Toronto should explore.
Why not trade Matthews?
The cons of trading Matthews are obvious.
You’re never going to get a player as good as him back, and you certainly won’t get a guy who might score 70. Matthews is a bona fide superstar capable of carrying an offence who kills penalties. These guys are impossible to replace, and the Leafs could go decades without seeing another Matthews-level player.
The team would be completely different without him (and Marner), leaving William Nylander as the best forward.
In a rising-cap world, Matthews’ $13.25M cap hit for the next three years is good value. Marner will probably get more on the open market July 1, and who knows what McDavid will get on his next deal.
Replacing Matthews would be a tall, tall task. There aren’t many GMs I trust to make such a move, especially one who traded Matthew Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau.
But, and it’s a big but, if the package is huge, it could be worth it.
What the Leafs would need
Honestly, I think the formula of a Matthews trade is quite obvious. For one, Toronto would need a 1C to replace him. Preferably someone with a bit more youth, locked into a valuable deal for a long time, a la Quinton Byfield. The Kings have been the team most frequently mentioned, particularly due to Byfield.
Next, a top-four defenceman. Someone who can move the puck would be nice, as the Leafs don’t really have that kind of talent on the back end. Again, he’d need to be on a solid value contract and capable of playing legit top-four minutes. This would mean the Leafs have room to deal from their defence depth, adding more depth to their forward corps.
They’d also need at least one third-line forward, maybe two good depth options. These could be prospects, guys on good contracts, or anything in between. The Leafs need good players for their bottom six, and the more the merrier.
Add some picks and prospects on top, and we’re talking. Such a package might not even exist, but that’s what it would take.
For example, let’s again use the Kings. A package of Byfield + Warren Foegele + Alex Turcotte + Mikey Anderson + picks would get me thinking.
Not happening….but if it did?
As I mentioned earlier, the odds of this happening are slim to none. Players like Matthews don’t get traded, especially without a formal request.
But Leafs Nation is growing impatient, and the fans and players don’t exactly love each other at this point. There’s no harm in a little roster reconstruction after a decade of failure.
The real question for next season is how Matthews will play without Marner. But if the Leafs decide to get ridiculous, more than anyone sees coming, things could get fun.
