While Auston Matthews has kept a low profile throughout the Toronto Maple Leafs' offseason, the front office moves have suggested the team is moving forward with their captain as a big part of their plans.
The Maple Leafs' free-agency binge, completely revamping the team's bottom-six forwards and adding goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky from the division rival Florida Panthers, implies a retool with hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Toronto also added top prospect Gavin McKenna, with the first overall pick at the NHL Draft.
John Chayka and the Leafs' front office have made it apparent by their actions that a rebuild is not the intent. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed what he has heard about Toronto's views on its captain and the plan moving forward.
What Elliotte Friedman Revealed About Matthews' Role on 32 Thoughts
Friedman's first big update was that the Maple Leafs are still busy looking to improve their roster, furthering speculation of more moves to come. "I think Toronto is still hopeful to add another difference-maker," he said, adding that it may not be now, but that is what they are considering.
Next, Friedman commented on the Leafs' organization's thoughts on star center and captain, Matthews. Speaking about all of the Maple Leafs' front office, the insider remarked, "They really believe that Matthews is the elite of the elite. They really believe it, and they are hoping that he shows up healthy and ready to go, and he drives the bus. They still believe he is the bus driver of this team."
"They really believe that Matthews is the elite of the elite. They really believe it, and they are hoping that he shows up healthy and ready to go, and he drives the bus."Friedman on the Leafs' views of Matthews
Friedman noted how the Maple Leafs have added players around Matthews with the hope that those additions will make the team better, but "they (Leafs) still feel he (Matthews) is the critical key to the engine."
Chayka and senior advisor Mats Sundin's moves so far suggest they are doing everything possible to support their former Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard winner. Strengthening the bottom-six forwards should lessen Matthews' defensive responsibilities and allow him to focus on generating offense, with fewer defensive zone starts.
The Maple Leafs have also added the durable, available Bobrovksy in hopes of giving the team a more consistent, dependable presence in the net. McKenna, with his vision and playmaking, is likely to see a lot of time alongside Matthews, both at even strength and on the power play. Defenseman Darren Raddysh was acquired in a sign-and-trade giving Matthews a new weapon with the man advantage.
The blueprint for the organization's future is very clear. General manager Chayka and the Maple Leafs' management team have aggressively bolstered the roster around their franchise player. Their decisive summer overhaul is the ultimate show of faith in Matthews, providing him with the tools to navigate the team back into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Beyond immediate postseason aspirations, Chayka's long-term vision is convincing the superstar captain that Toronto is where he belongs when his contract expires in two years. If the Maple Leafs' new-look front office can successfully execute this winning trajectory, it will prove there is no better place for their "bus driver" to cement his legacy than the hockey mecca of Toronto.
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