Auston Matthews’ love for the Toronto Maple Leafs remains strong. Even after an extremely disappointing season in which the Maple Leafs failed to reach the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Matthews’ loyalty to the city of Toronto and the team remains unshaken.
“This is home, and I’ve formed so many great relationships here, not just throughout the organization but outside of that as well,” the former Hart Memorial Trophy winner said, via Sportsnet.
“The passion, the city, the connection that you get with the fans and just how passionate they are is definitely something I don’t take for granted,” Matthews added.
Keeping Matthews happy is part of Toronto’s mission, but the franchise’s ultimate goal is clearly to bring the Stanley Cup to the city after such a long drought.
The last time the Maple Leafs won the Cup was in 1967, and they have not appeared in the Stanley Cup Final since. Despite having one of the most prolific goal-scorers in NHL history in Matthews, Toronto hasn’t even advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2002.
Matthews signed a 4-year, $53 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs in 2023, which keeps him in the fold through the 2027-28 season. Toronto still has time to win with Matthews, but the conversation about a potential split could get more serious if the Maple Leafs come up with nothing to show for the next two seasons.
