If Leafs actually entertain trading Matthews, which landing spots make sense?
Under the new leadership of GM John Chayka and executive senior advisor Mats Sundin, all eyes are on the Toronto Maples Leafs and their plans for this summer. The future of captain and superstar center Auston Matthews is at the forefront, with speculation swirling on the player waiting to see how the chips fall between now and July before ultimately making a decision on whether he wants to be part of the team’s future.
It is certainly premature, and Matthews remains under contract two more seasons, but we can always speculate as to which teams would be ideal landing spots for Matthews if he ultimately decides to exit stage left from Ontario’s capital. Taking assets, organizational standing and roster needs into consideration, here are five teams that could make the most sense for Matthews.
5. San Jose Sharks
From a pure assets perspective, the Sharks may have the ability to outbid any other team looking to trade for Matthews. The Leafs need young centers and high draft picks; it just so happens that the Sharks have plenty of both.
If Sharks GM Mike Grier phoned Chayka and started the conversation with 2025 first-round pick Michael Misa and the second overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, it would be hard to fathom another team matching those top-tier assets. From a roster standpoint, Matthews sliding in as the second-line center behind Macklin Celebrini – in a similar fashion that John Tavares did for Matthews eight years ago – would be a tantalizing scenario for the Sharks as they look to take the next step.
That said, the Sharks are not ranked higher because it is hard to envision them blowing so many young and high assets on a 28-year-old – albeit a two-time 60 goal scorer – who has been dealing with injuries the last couple seasons. It isn’t likely the Sharks go down this road, but if they were to, they may just be the frontrunner for the Arizona native.
4. Los Angeles Kings
This has long been the speculated eventual destination for Matthews if he were to eventually pull the chute in Toronto. With Anze Kopitar riding off into the sunset, the need for a top-line pivot is more crucial than ever in L.A.
The Kings could certainly get a conversation going if they started off with Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. The Leafs would get a young forward who *could* play center (though Byfield has spent a lot of time on the wing) and a young, right-shot defenseman with an offensive upside – arguably the two things the Leafs need the most.
Kings GM Ken Holland is in a weird spot, with his team in between a makeshift rebuild on the fly and trying to stay competitive with some veterans on the back-nine of their careers. The price would certainly be steep, but if L.A. wants to contend for a Cup, landing Matthews to pair with Artemi Panarin – a reasonable facsimile to Mitch Marner – may be the best way to do so.
3. Philadelphia Flyers
Arguably no team needs a player like Matthews more than the Flyers. After they made the second round, the vibes are very positive in Philadelphia, as the vast majority of the players GM Danny Briere was banking on during the rebuild have arrived. But while the future is bright, the glaring need for a top-line center was on full display during the playoffs – and the team knows it.
The Flyers don’t have a young center who can jump into the lineup to offer up, but a name like Matvei Michkov is one that would likely have Chayka listening. This is not to say the Flyers are shopping Michkov, but it sounds like a player of Matthews’ caliber could make the Flyers consider moving players they ideally wouldn’t want to. Oh, and the Flyers also hold the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2027 (or 2028, though the ruling remains in dispute), which could be part of this deal and move the needle for Toronto.
Imagine Matthews centering Trevor Zegras (another player with a similar offensive skillset to Marner’s) and Martone (who has seen time on the top-line at the World Championship)? It makes sense from a roster perspective for the Flyers; do the Leafs value Michkov and getting their first-rounder back that highly?
2. Utah Mammoth
It would be a somewhat poetic destination for Matthews, given that the Mammoth were once the Arizona Coyotes. They are also a sexy pick nowadays for pundits looking to peg a contender on the rise. What’s missing? A true superstar.
Utah GM Bill Armstrong has done a remarkable job stockpiling young talent over the last six years, specifically drafting centermen. They locked up 2022 first-round pick Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz to long-term deals over the last eight months, so those two aren’t going anywhere. But that still leaves Barrett Hayton and high-end forward prospects Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin.
If Armstrong really wants to get aggressive, putting a package together one or more of those prospects could pique the Leafs’ interest. For the Mammoth, turning quantity into quality in this instance could make the most sense to really push their team to the next level. Oh, and Clayton Keller has a lot of Marner-type qualities in his game and is a close friend of Matthews, having coming up with him in USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
1. Minnesota Wild
After GM Bill Guerin’s media availability this past week, how was this not the No. 1 answer? Arguably the most aggressive GM in the league, there is no doubt Guerin will be at the front of the line for his Team USA captain if trade winds actually begin to blow.
The Wild have done a fantastic job drafting under head of amateur scouting Judd Brackett, and it has given Guerin the ammunition to already land a superstar in defenseman Quinn Hughes. They don’t have what they once did, but the Wild could still offer up young pivots in Charlie Stramel and Danil Yurov as a way to get the conversation going; they also still have a first round pick in 2027 and 2028, which the Leafs currently don’t.
Above all else, from Matthews’ point of view, would there be any better landing spot for him in regards to chasing a Stanley Cup? Beyond that, is there any potential landing spot that would see him play with a better player than Kirill Kaprizov? It seems like everything comes up “Minnesota” in this particular conversation.
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