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Jackie Redmond believes Maple Leafs’ offseason still revolves around captain Auston Matthews
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Jun 5, 2026, 06:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 4, 2026, 22:23 EDT
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The Toronto Maple Leafs’ off-season has been a rollercoaster of emotions for fans of the club. 
The organization hired a new general manager, earned the right to the first overall selection despite the odds not being in their favour, and appear to be closing in on naming the next head coach in franchise history. 
On Thursday, Jackie Redmond from the NHL Network joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill to discuss what Patrick Roy could bring to the Maple Leafs’ organization, what she feels should be a top priority for the club this summer, and what the future holds for longest-tenured Maple Leaf Morgan Rielly. 
“I think Patrick Roy’s fascinating, like the idea of a former Habs legend behind the bench of the Maple Leafs is just so entertaining to me. The optics, the storytelling, and entertainment value would be awesome,” Redmond said. “I do think he’s one of those rare breeds that could go to a place like Toronto and be completely unaffected by the noise and craziness.” 
If the Maple Leafs want to return to the playoffs, a season after finishing last in the Atlantic Division with a 32-36-14 record, general manager John Chayka is going to have to improve the back end substantially. While this may be the biggest problem, Redmond believes that the entire offseason plan still revolves around the future of captain Auston Matthews. 
Matthews’ name swirled in trade rumours following the Maple Leafs’ disappointing 2025-26 season. With still two years remaining, a cap hit of $13.25 AAV per season, and a full no-movement clause, Matthews’ odds of being moved still feel low. Even with all of that, a sense of ease around the team may come if they can get a better understanding of where Matthews’ head is at heading into next year. 
“The number one priority, outside of taking the right player at number one, is figuring out what Auston Matthews wants. I just think you have to get to the bottom of what he wants, whether he wants to stay, and you have to get an honest assessment of where he stands because that affects every decision moving forward,” Redmond said. “He is the first, and most important domino because if he goes, there is a ripple effect that happens. I think it all centres around Auston Matthews.”
Rielly has been with the Maple Leafs’ organization since they selected him fifth overall during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Over Rielly’s 13 seasons, all with the Maple Leafs, he has appeared in 951 games and recorded 98 goals, 451 assists, and 549 points, the 14th most in franchise history. 
Over the past couple of seasons, Rielly’s play has fallen off, and the 32-year-old has often struggled in his own zone, highlighted by the past four seasons ending with a minus rating. Rielly remains under contract with the Maple Leafs until the completion of the 2029-30 season, and the defenceman holds a full no-movement clause for the next two years with an AAV of $7.5 million. 
“I understand why he may have played his last game as a Maple Leaf, but he is somebody that carried himself with a lot of poise, class, and professionalism even when he became the whipping boy in Toronto. It hasn’t been an easy couple of seasons for Morgan Rielly; part of that is he’s an aging player coming to the end of his career who hasn’t been properly slotted maybe ever with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Redmond said. “He always carried himself with class and respect, while becoming a true leader in that room for a lot of these guys. I wish the last few seasons went better, and if he is done, I hope he remembers his time here fondly because he had some really great years.”
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