Well, the organization he represents has undergone wholesale changes between the captain\u2019s trips to the podium.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enter an aggressive new GM; a familiar and offensively minded new head coach and legendary power-play coach; one of the scariest point bombs in the league; a longtime pal and complementary forward who can skate top-six; a starting goaltender bound for the Hall of Fame; and, of course, the club\u2019s first No. 1 draftee since Matthews and most talented setup man since the last one skipped town.<\/p>\n
No, Matthews \u2014 nor John Chayka, nor your favourite rumour monger \u2014 still cannot predict the future. But as he breaks into his 11th training camp with Toronto, Matthews asserts his devotion to the present.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy intent was always to be here,\u201d Matthews said Wednesday, one day before his 29th birthday. \u201cWith the way things finished last year \u2014 the general manager gets fired before the season’s over; there\u2019s obviously a lot of incoming change \u2014 you never really know who\u2019s coming in, what their plan is, what they think.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, while a trio of his fellow American gold medallists (Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin, Brady Tkachuk) demanded trades from their own disappointing NHL clubs, Matthews chose to step back, lay low, fire up\u00a0the red light<\/a>, pour his energy into rehab, and watch Chayka cook.<\/p>\n Chayka and his chief advisor, Matthews\u2019 record-book victim Mats Sundin, held several conversations over a hectic off-season, both as a group and individually. Personnel, tactics, and culture were discussed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Matthews arrived at those meetings in a unique spot. For the first time, the onetime Hart winner knew how it felt to be a team champion (Milan 2026) and how it felt to miss the playoffs completely. As the franchise\u2019s drivers drilled into the details, sources say, Matthews was focused only on how the Leafs can win.<\/p>\n The smoothness of the centre\u2019s recovery, the fortuitous lottery bounce, the improvements on the back end, and Jim Hiller\u2019s open communication and vow to implement an up-tempo game plan \u201cthat the players will be excited to play<\/a>\u201d all gave Matthews hope that Toronto could get back on the rails for the Chayka era.<\/p>\n Any worry that the new boss might envision a rebuild vanished.<\/p>\n \u201cWith John here now, I really like what he\u2019s done this summer. I think he’s made some great changes, brought in some great people, some great players, great outside hires as well, and it’s been great so far meeting everybody,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cIt\u2019s been super positive. Great energy at the rink.\u201d<\/p>\n Hiller worked with a young Matthews for years as the Leafs\u2019 power-play coach, and the two have maintained a friendship since. They\u2019ll work together to jolt the three-time Rocket champ back into the goal-scoring elite.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is, for me, as excited as he\u2019s been in my time talking to him,\u201d Hiller said. \u201cI\u2019ve just really appreciated where our relationship is today, how it\u2019s grown over the years, and he gives me confidence right now when I speak with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I don\u2019t know what exactly that looks like or what number (of goals) that translates into. But when you talk to your captain, and your captain instills confidence in you, then I would say you\u2019re in a pretty good place.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthews and those around him insist he is in a good place, healthwise, after battling back and wrist injuries in addition to the Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion that have left surgical scars on his left knee.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chayka assures his MVP is \u201cfull go, 100 per cent\u201d after six months working with world-class rehabilitation specialists and trainers, seeking every extra edge for improvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMore importantly,\u201d Chayka said, \u201che\u2019s smiling and he\u2019s having fun and he\u2019s engaging with his teammates and he\u2019s being the great leader that he is.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s been leading captain\u2019s skates at Ford Performance Centre for two weeks now, and shutdown defenceman Jake McCabe assures 34 looks \u201cfantastic \u2014 just like always.\u201d<\/p>\n Sergei Bobrovsky<\/a> is relieved he only needs to face that curl-and-snap laser in practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so happy that I\u2019m not gonna play against him,\u201d Bobrovsky said. \u201cHe\u2019s got everything on him \u2014 shot, size, vision, everything. So, to see him in the practices and to be around him, it\u2019s an honour.\u201d<\/p>\n McCabe adds: \u201cI mean, he\u2019s as professional as it gets. And you know he\u2019s taking care of himself. I kinda forgot about the knee, to be honest with you. Honestly, it doesn\u2019t look like anything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Something did change last season, though.<\/p>\n Injury, inconsistency and, for stretches, an incompetent power-play, conspired to push Matthews down to career lows in goals (27) and points (53). For the first time in seven seasons, the 2024 Selke finalist finished as a minus skater (dash-4).\u00a0<\/p>\n The fire dimmed. The joy Matthews exhibited freely in Italy and during the Team USA mini parade through Miami and D.C. was scarce upon return.<\/p>\n \u201cThe expectations for myself are always high,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cSo that was a frustrating year last year, of course. But it\u2019s a new season. We\u2019ve had a lot of time to think about it. And going into this year, I\u2019m feeling as good as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n The Atlantic Division is only getting tougher. Toronto might survive without a 69-goal Matthews; it cannot thrive without, say, a 45-goal Matthews.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to score. I want to produce. I want to win, most importantly,\u201d Matthews said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you look at the best players, they\u2019re constantly consistent, and I want to be in that category. The last couple years haven’t gone how I wanted them to personally, and it\u2019s just trying to get back to that level and produce. I\u2019m excited to be able to show that this year.\u201d<\/p>\n Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.<\/p>\n![\"32](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789665735_389_32-Thoughts-podcast-Elliotte-Friedman-Kyle-Bukauskas-640x360.jpg\")
32 Thoughts: The Podcast<\/p>\n