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Following a Matthews Trade: 'How Deep Would the Roster Gutting Go?'

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 7:35 PM ET

Jonas Siegel of The Athletic asked an interesting question on Monday in his recent column: What would happen with the rest of the roster if Auston Matthews decided he no longer believed in the Toronto Maple Leafs? Specifically, Siegel hints that a mass exodus could follow a trade that would see the team’s captain and superstar gone.

He writes:

“What would that mean for William Nylander? Would the soon-to-be 30-year-old, still with six years left on his deal, want to stick around with Marner and Matthews both gone? Would the Leafs want him to stick around in that case? And what would a trade like that look like, given that Nylander too holds a full no-movement clause in his contract?”

Siegel doesn’t believe Nylander is the only player who was eager to stay in Toronto, but could suddenly pivot if Matthews departs.

Should Matthews leave, then Nylander (as a result), John Tavares might follow. Siegel ponders, “Would John Tavares want to finish his career with the Leafs if Matthews and/or Nylander went elsewhere? Would he want to continue his Stanley Cup pursuit on a new team? (Tavares has a full no-movement clause in place in his contract until the summer of 2027.)”

Maybe it doesn’t stop there. “What about Jake McCabe, who, after a whole lot of losing with the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks, chose to sign long-term in the winning environment he thought he had in Toronto?” If that environment goes out the window because the top players are leaving and the Maple Leafs are retooling, why would McCabe want to spend his prime years, or his last few in the NHL, on another stinker of a roster?

What About Coaching and Management

If Matthews goes, and others follow, expect the coach and the GM to be gone too. There’s no reason to keep the same staff behind the bench or calling the shots if everything this team was is no longer.

Craig Berube, my most accounts these days, is essentially a dead man walking. It’s more likely he’s released than he is retained. GM Brad Treliving shouldn’t be terribly confident in his job security either. Heads were likely to roll if no changes were made. If Matthews goes, then Nylander, Tavares and others aren’t far behind, Treliving won’t survive the changes.

There’s no guarantee that Matthews gets traded. That said, if he does decide he wants to go, or the Maple Leafs are alright moving on, the expectation should be that only he leaves. Players on the roster will second-guess the plans in Toronto and bail on the organization the minute Matthews indicates he’s lost faith. If that happens, the organization may cut ties with several people and start from scratch.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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