LeBrun finally said it out loud on McDavid and Matthews and the move is closer than fans realize

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Jonathan Ouimet
May 31, 2026  (11:57 PM)

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Photo credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The two biggest stars in hockey haven't made up their minds yet, and the entire NHL off-season is waiting on them.

Pierre LeBrun told Melnick in the Afternoon this week that Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews both still have to decide if they're staying put with their current franchises.

"I think they both will stay put for at least another year," LeBrun said. "But neither one has made a final determination yet."

That's the kind of insider clarity that changes the volume on every other rumor in the league. The futures of two generational players are technically open. The market is paying attention.

McDavid is 29. He just delivered 138 points across 82 regular-season games on a $12.5 million cap hit. 48 goals. 90 assists. The kind of season most players would build their Hall of Fame case around in a single year.

The Oilers got swept out of the first round by Anaheim. The bench voice has changed. The crease is unsettled. The runway to a Stanley Cup keeps getting shorter and shorter for one of the best players the sport has ever produced.

Matthews is 28. The Maple Leafs captain finished a brutal year by his standards. 53 points across 60 games on a $13.25 million cap hit. Toronto landed at 28th overall. The roster is stuck. The first-overall pick is the only obvious positive.

LeBrun's "at least another year" qualifier is the part that matters most. If Matthews and McDavid stay, both franchises get one more swing. If either one moves, the league reshapes immediately.

The Matthews to Utah scenario has been openly speculated by hockey fans. He's from Scottsdale, Arizona. Utah is the former Coyotes franchise. The narrative is too clean to ignore.

McDavid's options would be different. Multiple Cup contenders would empty their farm systems for a chance at him. The Stars, Hurricanes, and Devils have all been mentioned in past speculation. None of that becomes real until he actually opens the door.

Stan Bowman has been preparing for both possibilities in Edmonton. The front office got restructured this off-season. Michael Parkatti moved up to VP of Analytics and Technology. Kirt Hill came in as Assistant GM of Player Procurement. The infrastructure is being upgraded around McDavid in case he needs more reasons to commit long-term.

John Chayka and Mats Sundin are doing the same thing in Toronto. Judd Brackett is reportedly heading there to run amateur scouting. The Leafs are quietly building the kind of operation that might convince Matthews the next chapter is worth waiting for.

Honestly, the most important date on the NHL calendar might not be the draft. It's whatever day each of these two players finally commits one way or the other.

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Both players have full no-move clauses. Neither team can force anything. The pen is in the hands of the captains in both rooms.

The head-coach searches in both cities feel connected to this too. Edmonton is chasing Bruce Cassidy or Peter Laviolette. Toronto might be chasing the same Laviolette. Bench hires send signals about urgency that captains read more carefully than fans do.

LeBrun's reporting is the latest snapshot. Things change. Conversations happen. The next 30 days could decide the next 10 years for both franchises.

Previously

Edmonton has a new top coaching target over Cassidy and Toronto is racing to beat them

The real reason Hughes left Vancouver is out and Minnesota is at risk.

Major asset is landing in Toronto today and the rebuild just accelerated

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1 HOUR AGO   |   89 ANSWERS LeBrun finally said it out loud on McDavid and Matthews and the move is closer than fans realize Will Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews both stay with their current teams next season ?

▢    Yes

▢    No

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