Maple Leafs hiring John Chayka reportedly pushes Auston Matthews further away

Auston Matthews has yet to make up his mind about his future in the NHL. According to reports, requesting a trade out of the Toronto Maple Leafs is an option on the table, and the hiring of John Chayka as general manager in The Six may be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.

“Matthews still isn’t sure if he’ll be back in Toronto in the fall, according to league sources. That remains the case after Chayka and Mats Sundin were hired to run a revamped front office,” as reported by Chris Johnston on The Athletic.

Chayka is the third GM Matthews will have worked with on the Leafs. When Kyle Dubas and Brad Treliving were hired, Matthews signed extensions on relatively short notice with the Buds. The third time may not be the charm, though.

Matthews may ask out

As much as Matthews loves being the captain of the highest-valued organization in the league, he wants to win a Stanley Cup. He will turn 29 before the 2026–27 NHL campaign, and the championship window may be narrower than it’s ever been since he arrived in Toronto.

Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Since being drafted first overall in 2016, Matthews and the Maple Leafs have been through a lot. However, they’ve never made it past the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 2026, Matthews and the Buds failed to make the postseason—for the first time in the captain’s career.

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As much as the front office may try to convince fans and players otherwise, hoisting Lord Stanley in the near future looks virtually impossible for the Buds. Coming off a deflating campaign in which Toronto finished 28th in the NHL standings, Matthews has reason to believe his time in Hogtown has reached its end.

Matthws’ contract situation with Maple Leafs

Matthews agreed to a four-year, $53 million extension in Toronto back in 2023, only months after Treliving was hired as GM. Under his contract, Matthews is signed through the 2027–28 NHL season. That should keep Chayka and the Maple Leafs calm, but it’s not that simple.

Matthews is signed to a full no-movement clause, but if he asks out, the Maple Leafs will essentially have no choice but to listen to offers and send Matthews to a place of his preference. There were concerns about Matthews wanting to leave Toronto, and the hiring of Chayka as GM and Mats Sundin as senior executive advisor of hockey operations may send the wrong message.

Things have changed for Matthews and the Leafs

Matthews put pen to paper on his contract when things were looking very different in the Six. The captain may not be as excited about the hiring of Chayka, which raised eyebrows due to the executive’s controversial history in the league and scandals surrounding his time with the Arizona Coyotes, who are now the Utah Mammoth.

Chayka has much to do with that relocation and rebranding. If Matthews is indeed pushed away due to Chayka’s hiring, he holds his fate in his hands. The Maple Leafs may be falling behind the eight ball.

Far from clearing all doubts and concerns, the Maple Leafs may have put an iceberg right in front of them. Matthews could jump ship before it’s too late.