Insider Provides Clarity on the Future of Auston Matthews With the Toronto Maple Leafs

As Mitch Marner drives a wedge between himself and the Maple Leafs as well as his fans, Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews will be entering the second year of a four-year deal, which he signed in August of 2023.

Coming off of a down season that was plagued by a mysterious injury, the three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner will look to recapture his form over the off-season, knowing he will have to produce without his long-time set-up man.

As Marner's time with the Leafs comes to an end, Leafs Nation knows that the next three years are crucial and could ultimately decide if they end up retaining their captain beyond the end of his current deal.

Due to the expectation that Marner is headed for a quieter place to play on or after July 1st, some began to question the future of Matthews when his contract expires, which was something TSN's Chris Johnston addressed during the 'Ask CJ' portion of his latest edition of 'The Chris Johnston Show'.

The former first-overall pick from 2016 carries a $13.25M cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season, and while he surely would have liked to have had Marner stick around as well, he knows that hockey is also a business and that sometimes players have to move on.