Auston Matthews' future with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been in the news. The Maple Leafs missed the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, and the direction of the franchise will ultimately decide whether Matthews requests a trade or stays. If this goes the wrong direction, the Toronto star has been linked to a surprise NHL organization.
The insider said on the barn burner, Sportsnet's Darren Dreger believes the Utah Mammoth will be a big player with Matthews moving forward. Dreger also said the San Jose Sharks would make some sense, but he wouldn't call the organization a front-runner to acquire Matthews in the future.
Since relocating from Arizona to Utah, the organization has progressed every year. In fact, the Mammoth made a big move at the deadline, acquiring defenseman McKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames. Now, Utah has a very strong chance of making the Stanley Cup playoffs as the first wild card team in the Western Conference.
The Mammoth were linked to several big-name players during the NHL trade deadline, such as St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas. Utah has the assets to make a big trade this offseason, making it one of several organizations that could be in the market for Matthews.
However, that would require Matthews to make a decision and request a trade from Toronto. For now, the Maple Leafs will likely attempt to get the organization back to the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. After all, it's hard to waste a talent like Matthews, William Nylander and Matthew Nease.
Utah is looking to make a major breakthrough in the Stanley Cup playoffs and don't expect them to fall apart anytime soon. In fact, if everything goes in the right direction for them the Mammoth could end up with Matthews.
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