Unlock Matthews, and Everything Changes for the Maple Leafs
Every once in a while, the answer isn’t complicated. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, the biggest change heading into next season isn’t about adding a new piece or tearing something down. It’s about getting Auston Matthews back to being exactly what he is: one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the game.
When did the Maple Leafs start treating Matthews like a defender?
Somewhere along the way, Matthews started playing a little too much of a 200-foot game. Now, to be clear, that’s not a criticism of his ability. He’s become an excellent defensive player. He reads the ice well, supports low, and takes pride in doing the right things without the puck. Coaches love that. In fact, that might be part of the problem. But there’s a trade-off there, and you can see it if you watch closely enough.
He’s spending too much time worrying about the other end of the ice. And for a player with his shot, his instincts, and his ability to take over a game offensively, that’s not where the focus should be.
If deploying Matthews like this is a coaching decision, it should probably be reconsidered.
This is where coaching—and philosophy—comes into play. If the Maple Leafs are serious about a reset, not a rebuild, then this is the lever they need to pull. It’s not about changing the roster as much as it is about changing how they use their best player. Matthews should be starting more shifts in the offensive zone, not the defensive one. Let other players handle the heavy lifting down low. Let someone else take that defensive-zone draw when the game tightens up.
That’s not a weakness. That’s deployment. You don’t ask your best scorer to spend half his night digging pucks out of his own end. You put him in positions where he can do what he does best—attack, create, and finish.
When Matthews is on his game, the Maple Leafs are dangerous.
Because when Matthews is right, everything looks different. The pace changes. The pressure flips. Opponents adjust their entire game plan around him. And suddenly, the Leafs aren’t searching for offence—they’re dictating it.
That’s the version of the team Toronto needs again. Not a careful, well-rounded, don’t make mistakes version. Not a player trying to check every box on the ice. The dangerous version. The one who pushes toward 60 goals and forces the game to bend around him.
If that player comes back, the conversation around this team changes quickly. Not because of a rebuild. But because they remembered what they already had—and finally used it the right way.