Auston Matthews is back under the microscope as Jim Hiller begins his first season behind the Toronto Maple Leafs bench.
Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin dropped a massive prediction involving Toronto's captain: the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs, Matthews requests a trade, and the situation explodes during 2027 NHL Draft week.
Larkin went even further, predicting Philadelphia as the destination and Matvei Michkov as part of the return. That's a blockbuster scenario involving two franchise-level names.
There's an important distinction here. This is a prediction, not a report that Matthews has requested a trade or that Toronto and Philadelphia are discussing one.
Matthews recently said he's fully healthy and committed to Toronto following the organization's offseason changes. He remains under contract through 2027-28 at a $13,250,000 cap hit.
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Still, the prediction lands at an interesting moment. Matthews has opened the season held scoreless through 2 games, carrying a -2 rating.
Auston Matthews prediction raises the stakes
Matthews' production history explains why any trade conversation becomes enormous immediately. The center has 428 goals and 780 points across 691 regular-season games over his NHL career.
Philadelphia would also face a staggering decision if Michkov became the centerpiece of such a deal. Moving a young offensive cornerstone for Matthews would dramatically reshape Rick Tocchet's lineup.
The original post laying out Larkin's prediction can be found here:
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For Toronto, the more immediate story is what happens under Hiller. Matthews has publicly backed the organization's new direction, giving the Maple Leafs an opportunity to quiet the long-term speculation through results.
But Larkin's prediction puts a clear pressure point on the season. If Toronto falls short of the playoffs, every Matthews answer about his future would carry considerably more weight.
That makes this less about a trade happening today and more about how quickly the conversation could change. Matthews remains Toronto's captain, but another disappointing season would keep his future near the center of the NHL rumor cycle.
Will Auston Matthews finish his current contract with Toronto?
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