Auston Matthews wants to see Maple Leafs make upgrades but trusts management

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews shares the sentiment of the fanbase in hoping management adds at the trade deadline.

With less than 48 hours to go from the time of filing until the 3 p.m. deadline, calls for GM Brad Treliving to make his move grow louder with each passing day. Especially given the two teams chasing them in the Atlantic, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, are making moves to bolster their respective lineups.

Speaking with reporters after the morning skate on Wednesday, Matthews said he is putting his faith in management to help them keep up with their division rivals.

“You look at our division in particular, it’s obviously very tight,” he said. “Management’s going to do the best they can. All we can do is trust in them.”

With the Leafs facing an uncertain future and their best shot of winning a proper division title for the first time since 2000, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that now is the time for them to make their move. They may need to have to mortgage part of their future to better help their chances now, but everyone knows that failing to make a meaningful run is going to result in major changes to the core.

The names are starting to dwindle but there are still plenty of options that the team is considering, including Brayden Schenn and Scott Laughton who reportedly would love to play for the Leafs if traded. Alternatively, they could prioritize their efforts on shoring up the back end akin to the Jake McCabe trade from 2023.

“Of course you’d love to see a boost. I think with the way that we’ve played this year, the position we’re in right now, we feel really confident, really good about our team, our group,” Matthews said. “But this time of year, you see teams adding and you want to add as well. So l’m sure the management and staff are doing a lot of thinking right now, doing a lot of homework and stuff like that. And I’ll just leave it in their hands.”

Regardless of which direction Treliving and company go at the deadline, the captain feels that the Leafs have put themselves in a good position. In the same breath, Matthews also recognizes that he would like to see the team bring in some reinforcement to help improve their chances as they enter the stretch drive and into the playoffs. There is still time for the moves to be made but the clock is ticking and the buyers are starting to make their push.

In the meantime, Matthews and the Leafs will play their last game before the deadline on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights with puck drop scheduled for 10 p.m. EST.