General manager John Chayka's mission to resurrect the Toronto Maple Leafs boils down to one key factor: finding a way to rejuvenate captain Auston Matthews.
The NHL's busiest front-office executive during this offseason has reshuffled the Maple Leafs organization in multiple ways. Off the ice, he has reorganized the Leafs' management roles. On the ice, he has significantly altered the team's look in his first couple of months on the job.
Taking a closer look at the Leafs' moves, it's easy to see how Matthews can benefit. Chayka understands Toronto's best chance to return to the playoffs is getting the former Hart and Rocket Richard Trophy winner back to that form.
Return to health
The most important item for Matthews returning to dominant form has nothing to do with Chayka. First and foremost, the Maple Leafs' captain must maintain his health.
Matthews was sidelined with a season-ending knee injury last March courtesy of a knee-on-knee cheap shot from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. While the Leafs' star center has kept quiet this offseason, he did offer a peek that his recovery is going well. Over the last two seasons, Matthews has been slowed by injuries. It's paramount that he avoids the injury bug.
The Gavin McKenna Effect
It might be difficult for Toronto and its fans to temper their expectations for Gavin McKenna during his rookie season. While there will no doubt be growing pains for the first overall pick, the unexpected lottery draft win gifted the Maple Leafs a top-six winger, whose best attributes are his vision, playmaking, and hockey IQ.
It's not unrealistic to envision a world in which Matthews receives sublime passes from the skillful McKenna. The NHL's most prolific goal scorer should have an easier time filling the net once again, playing alongside McKenna. That should be especially true as they become more accustomed to each other, and as McKenna develops.
Fewer defensive responsibilities
Matthews' defensive zone start percentage was well above his career average in 2025-26. Conversely, his offensive zone start percentage was well below his career average. During his best offensive seasons in the NHL, Matthews had about twice as many O-zone starts as D-zone starts. Last year, he had well below 60% O-zone starts.
The revamped bottom-six forwards via free agency additions seem to be part of Chayka's plan to switch those numbers. New players like Colton Sissons, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime will be counted on for specific defensive roles.
No more penalty killing
Fewer defensive responsibilities should mean less time, or no more time, spent killing penalties for Matthews. That will be up to new head coach Jim Hiller, but it makes too much sense to remove Matthews from this role.
The aforementioned bottom-six additions can look after playing shorthanded. This benefits Matthews by keeping him fresher and helping him avoid extra punishment from blocking shots. Sure, use him in tight, late-game situations, but cutting back on the grunt work will only help the goal scorer return to what he does best.
Big name additions
Chayka went big-game hunting during his first offseason with Toronto. The additions of defenseman Darren Raddysh and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will help Matthews.
Matthews and other stars such as William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies have never played with a defenseman who possesses a shot like Raddysh. He and McKenna should both help ignite the Maple Leafs' power play to previous levels.
Bobrovsky's resume speaks for itself. He adds pedigree with his championship hardware. More importantly, he has proven to be durable. It was reported that Matthews and other Leafs players relayed to Chayka the importance of having a goaltender they can rely on and who is consistently available.
The Maple Leafs' offseason was a calculated blueprint designed to maximize their most lethal offensive weapon. By executing a series of aggressive roster shuffles, Chayka has eliminated roadblocks that stifled Matthews' production last season. With structural tweaks and some dynamic roster additions, the framework is in place for Matthews to return to form. The stage is set for number 34 to deliver the dominant, MVP-caliber revival that Toronto has been hoping for.
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