There’s little doubt the Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a big year next season.
Despite the fact that the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade during the 2025-26 season, there are high expectations entering the 2026-27 season. That’s because the new regime — led by first-year general manager John Chayka — has made a series of big moves to elevate the Maple Leafs back into contention.
The Leafs made high-profile moves in adding two-time Stanley Cup champ Sergei Bobrovsky and acquiring former Tampa Bay Lightning star defenseman Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade deal. They also happened to select the next great offensive phenom in No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna during the 2026 NHL Draft, adding to already increased expectations.
When factoring in that the Maple Leafs are only a year removed from pushing the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers to seven games, it’s no wonder there’s optimism for the upcoming season.
Former Maple Leafs veteran and current TSN radio host Carlo Colaiacovo took to the air waves to issue a “make-or-break” statement to captain and star Auston Matthews. Matthews is coming off of a major decline in production after leading the NHL in goals (69) during the 2023-24 season. Matthews recorded a career-low 53 points during the 2025-26 season.
“Mitch Marner made him a better player, made him score the most goals he’s scored in his career,” said Colaiacovo. “Auston Matthews has to elevate his game and has to be more of a difference-maker. This is a make-or-break year for him, I think.”
Auston Matthews Dipped in Production Last Season
Mitch Marner is obviously no longer a member of the Maple Leafs, helping lead the Las Vegas Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup playoff appearance in his first season with the team. The regression in production from Matthews was notable because he went from 78 points during the 2024-25 season to just 53 points last year. He only played in seven less games than the prior year.
Getting Matthews back into elite form will be absolutely key if the Maple Leafs are to return to being an Eastern Conference powerhouse.
Colaiacovo stressed that the Maple Leafs need playmakers surrounding Matthews to get him the puck to put him in better situations to score. He mentioned McKenna as a worthy option alongside Matthews.
“Well, 34 needs the puck on his stick, right? So you need guys to get him the puck,” said Colaiacovo. “I think right now you’ve got to look at Gavin McKenna, who self-proclaims himself to be a better playmaker than a scorer. So he’s got game-breaking abilities; he’s got playmaking abilities. I think he’s a guy that would get a nice long look alongside him.”
By the same token, he mentioned that Matthews also needs to do a better job of making his teammates better. Matthews registered just 26 assists last season, a major dip from the 45 assists he produced the previous season.
“Matthews has to elevate his game and make other players around him better,” said Colaiacovo. “John Tavares has done [this] his whole career up until this point. He always made the wingers he played with cash in because he made players better around them.”
We’ll see what Matthews brings to the table as he enters his 11th season in the NHL, but its clear the team needs more production from their franchise player if they’re to return to contention next season.
Ex-Maple Leafs Veteran Issues ‘Make-or-Break’ Warning for Auston Matthews