Coming off two subpar, injury-plagued seasons, the pressure was already on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews to deliver. Then, the Leafs' new management team of general manager John Chayka and senior advisor Mats Sundin completely overhauled the team's roster and coaching staff in an effort to rebuild the team's fortunes around their captain.
Matthews watched the Maple Leafs' meek ending to the 2025-26 season from the sidelines after suffering a season-ending knee injury. It was the first time in ten years that Toronto did not make the playoffs. A significant number of on- and off-ice changes have occurred during the first few months of an organizational restructure. Now, the responsibility is on Matthews to make the Leafs relevant again.
Leafs' Rebuilt Roster and Coaching Staff Shifts Responsibility to Matthews
The disastrous 2025-26 season brought much speculation about Matthews' future in Toronto, since his contract expires in two years. He didn't help matters with his non-committal stance to the organization in his season-ending media availability. He has kept a low profile during the offseason, heightening anticipation when he is made available during the upcoming Leafs training camp.
One thing is certain, however. There are no excuses for Matthews and the Maple Leafs to stumble. All the pieces have been put in place for success, both individually and as a team. Chayka and Sundin have done everything within reason during their first offseason at the helm to help Matthews, and by extension, the Leafs.
The Maple Leafs have installed a new coaching staff. They hired head coach Jim Hiller, who has a previous history with Matthews from his time as an assistant in Toronto. Despite a reputation as a defensive coach with the Los Angeles Kings, Hiller specializes in offense. He should help with the team's power play and also has a background in analytics.
In bringing in Sundin and assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson, Matthews has two former NHL stars to use as sounding boards. Sundin, in particular, knows all about being a No. 1 overall pick and the pressure that comes with the hockey-mad market in Toronto. For the inevitable bumps that come up during the season, Matthews has Sundin to go to for advice.
On the ice, Chayka made numerous changes that should benefit Matthews. The fortune of winning the NHL Draft Lottery brought Gavin McKenna to the Maple Leafs. He will immediately give Matthews a playmaker on the power play. Eventually, McKenna will likely be put on Matthews' wing, giving him a set-up man at even strength.
Before drafting McKenna, Chayka made a shrewd move by acquiring Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade, then signed him to a long-term contract. The defenseman's booming shot is something Matthews has never had from the back end during his time in Toronto.
The final major on-ice addition by Chayka was signing goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. While getting up in years, Bobrovsky and his Hall of Fame credentials give the Leafs a steady, reliable presence in their net. For the first time since Frederik Andersen, Toronto has a workhorse capable of starting fifty-plus games.
Chayka also revamped the team's bottom-six forwards. That should help Hiller give clearly defined roles to different players and take some defensive responsibilities away from Matthews, freeing him up offensively.
Matthews should be plenty motivated since last season ended on a sour note and he has only two years left on his contract. Player salaries are exploding thanks to an increasing salary cap. Returning to his Rocket Richard form will mean a huge financial windfall for him, either with the Maple Leafs or elsewhere. Conversely, three successive substandard years would be a trend that starts whispers about his play and hurt his negotiating leverage for a new deal.
The Maple Leafs' captain should be invigorated by what has happened with the only NHL team he has known during this offseason. Chayka and Sundin have set him up for success. Matthews has no excuses but to deliver.
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