General manager John Chayka and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin spoke with Matthews over Zoom to discuss their vision for the team, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday’s edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
The meeting was “positive,” per Friedman.
“I checked with as many people as I could, and I was told that, right now, things are in a good place. There’s still more decisions that have to be made here, but for the first lengthy meeting they had, I was told there was nothing that raised any alarms or raised any concerns, and right now things are in a good place between Matthews and the organization,” Friedman said.
Matthews has just two seasons remaining on his contract and is coming off his first missed playoffs as an NHLer, leading to uncertainty over his future with the Maple Leafs.
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However, he remains focused on bringing the Stanley Cup back to Toronto for the first time since 1967, per Friedman.
“He has indicated that he wants to win in Toronto and I believe that is the message that he has reiterated and that is what the organization is going with,” Friedman said.
Matthews, 28, is coming off an injury-marred season in which he scored just 27 goals and added 26 assists in 60 games. He’s tallied 60 combined goals over two seasons since his 69-goal outburst in 2023-24.
Chayka and Sundin were hired earlier in May to replace GM Brad Treliving, who was fired in March after three seasons at the helm.
The Maple Leafs are also looking for a new coach after Chayka and Sundin dismissed Craig Berube after just two seasons, which could mark the new braintrust’s first major decision ahead of an off-season that could also see significant change to a roster that finished fifth-last in the league.
“It’s not like they’re asking for Matthews’ approval or anything like that, or he’s making the decisions or anything like that, but I think it was the first time they could really have a conversation about what they’re thinking and what their plan is and what their vision is and how they’re going to do it,” Friedman said.
Toronto also owns the first-overall pick in June’s NHL Draft — its first time with the top choice since selecting Matthews in 2016 — where it is expected to choose between wingers Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg.
