The Toronto Maple Leafs have been busy making changes both on and off the ice to get ready for the 2026-27 season, but without a bounce-back season from their captain, it won't make much difference. Auston Matthews needs to have a strong season to lead his team out of the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
First and foremost, drafting first overall has given the Leafs the best piece to work with. Not only is Gavin McKenna a star player in his own right, but he could be the key to unlocking Matthews' potential this season. He plays a Mitch Marner-style game, something that has been missing from Matthews' wing since he went to Las Vegas last season. McKenna could also take some of the pressure from Matthews, drawing attention away to make more space for Matthews.
Gavin McKenna on Auston Matthews: “My captain… He’s on the first line. I’ll have to prove myself to play with a player like that, but that’s my goal…. My game is a playmaker. He’s a shooter. I think we could complement each other pretty well.”
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) June 27, 2026
The Maple Leafs also strengthened their back end by adding Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. After bouncing between a number of mid-level goaltenders, adding a sure-fire starter will create some key stability on the back end.
A number of other smaller additions have helped to set the culture of the organization. The Leafs signed Darren Raddysh, Colton Sissons, Zack MacEwan, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime, and picked up Nick Paul in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. These pickups make the Leafs bigger and stronger, but it doesn't absolve the need for Auston Matthews to show up at his best this coming season.
Auston Matthews needs to stay healthy and bounce back
Since drafting Auston Matthews first overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs star forward has put up 780 points. But his last two seasons, both marred by injury, haven't lived up to his potential.
In the 2023-2024 season, the last time Matthews played nearly the full season, he won the Maurice Richard Trophy for the leading goal scorer in the NHL with 69 goals. He also had his career-best season, reaching over 100 points for the second time in three years.
Since then, though, his numbers have dropped. In the 2024-25 season, he missed a number of games due to an upper-body injury. This past season, while dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of 22 games, he put up career-low totals in goals, points, and assists. The Maple Leafs also had their worst season in the last five years, with the fewest games won in a season since drafting Matthews.
The Maple Leafs' new general manager, John Chayka, says he still believes in Matthews as the crux of their team. And while these new additions will make life easier for the Leafs, they'll still need him to show up ready to play and healthy when the season starts.
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