They may be out of the playoffs, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are still drawing more than enough attention as they lick their wounds following a season from hell. An alarming 30-point dropoff left them reeling in what is arguably their worst season in the last decade as they sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Franchise captain Auston Matthews didn’t do himself any favors either in his locker room cleanout interview when he stressed that he “doesn’t know what the future holds,” stopping short of committing his long-term future to the Leafs before seeing how new management goes about its business.
That quote from Matthews was more than enough to feed into the speculation around his future with the franchise. That speculation, it appears, has already reached the ears of ‘The Great One,’ Wayne Gretzky.
Wayne Gretzky Addresses Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs Future
It appears Pat McAfee is also stepping into the NHL business. After interviewing Matthew Tkachuk earlier this week and 18-year veteran Erik Johnson last night, McAfee went all out and got Wayne Gretzky himself to grace The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, May 21.
Gretzky talked all things hockey, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the conversation naturally veered towards the future of two of the league’s top dogs: Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
Gretzky was asked for his opinion on if either of those superstars should look for a move to a team in a bigger media market, solely to help grow the NHL business and get more eyes on the sport.
“I don’t think the players think about that,” the Edmonton Oilers legend said.
“I look at Connor [McDavid], talking with Connor, he truly loves playing in Edmonton. Auston Matthews, I’m told, likes playing in Toronto.
“The world’s such a small place today, you can see every game on TV. I don’t think where you play now is the difference in selling the game or making it bigger, because the world’s a smaller place.”
“I know Connor McDavid truly loves playing in Edmonton..
I like my statue in Edmonton” 😂😂 @WayneGretzky #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/0pluoH8TSs
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 21, 2026
Gretzky’s point stands, but the Toronto market is arguably the most booming in all of hockey. So much so that even Mitch Marner had to take the long, hard decision to part ways with the franchise and its market, choosing the glitz and glamor of Sin City instead after a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights.
DON’T MISS: ‘Not Unrealistic’: Wild Auston Matthews Trade Rumor Turns Heads
Marner’s move, however, left Auston Matthews hanging. With no one brought in to replace Marner’s production on offense, the Leafs’ season fell off a cliff as they missed the playoffs entirely. Matthews himself missed a large chunk of the second half of the season after a borderline-malicious hit from Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas.
While Matthews is expected to be fit in time for when the puck drops on the 2026/27 NHL season, it remains to be seen whether the John Chayka-led front office in Toronto can convince Matthews that the future of the franchise is in safe, Stanley Cup-contending hands.
