標籤: gaining

Auston Matthews and his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs are uncertain. After a difficult year in Toronto, the organization hired a new general manager and fired head coach Craig Berube. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the hope for the Maple Leafs, and Matthews will have to step up to impress to stay afloat.

However, what about the possibility of Matthews being traded to the Minnesota Wild? The blockbuster business idea has gained some popularity on social media in recent weeks.

Why the Auston Matthews-to-Minnesota trade discussion is suddenly surfacing

Matthews wants to see what Toronto does during the 2026 NHL offseason before committing to another year. If the 28-year-old superstar isn’t happy with the Maple Leafs, he could request a trade to another organization. Wild figures to be one of the most attractive options for Matthews.

Minnesota is looking to acquire an elite center, and Matthews would be a perfect fit. Matthews played with Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber at the Winter Olympics, so he will be reunited with his teammates with the Wild. Minnesota is one of several teams that may be interested in Matthews, but why would he consider a blockbuster trade?

Why the Minnesota Wild would even consider a blockbuster move

The Wild just need to improve their roster. After acquiring Hughes, the organization made the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs before being eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche. Minnesota clearly needs an elite center, and Matthews would be a great pick-up.

Matthews already has chemistry with Hughes, Boldy and Faber, so it won’t be a long adjustment period. The Wild know that another trade for an elite player would put them on Colorado’s level. Whether it’s Matthews or a different NHL star, a trade appears to be on the horizon.

How Auston Matthews will change the Minnesota Wild’s offense

Matthews would solve Minnesota’s issues at the center position. The Maple Leafs star’s elite goalscoring will give the Wild one of the league’s best 1-2 punches, with Kirill Kaprizov under long-term contract. These two stars, combined with Hughes and Faber, will fix Minnesota’s power play and make it arguably the best unit in the NHL.

The Wild will be able to control the offensive pace with Matthews and Hughes. It also allows other centers to thrive in smaller roles, giving Minnesota more depth. A trade for Matthews would give the Wild an effective five-on-five attack that will be a threat every night.

What needs to happen to land Auston Matthews in the jungle?S

The Wild would absolutely need to trade for Matthews. If the 28-year-old superstar requests a trade, there will be multiple teams bidding for his services. The only way for the Wild to acquire Matthews on a waiver is for him to tell Toronto he wants “Minnesota, and only Minnesota”.

It could happen, but Minnesota can’t count on it. The organization would have to send elite prospects and multiple first-round draft picks to start the conversation. Jonas Brodin and Jesper Wallstad would be a good starting point, but depending on the market, the Maple Leafs could demand more.

Major obstacles coming in the way of Matthews business

The biggest hurdle is Matthews’ absolute no-movement clause. If the Toronto star requests a trade he will essentially be able to choose his next destination. Therefore, if there is another team that Matthews has as his preferred destination, Minnesota may be out of luck.

Matthews has a cap hit of $13.25 million, so the Wild will have to figure out how to work it within their payroll. This could limit the team around Matthews, Hughes and other stars. However, it all comes back to Matthews and his desires. If Minnesota isn’t his top landing spot, it could be difficult to make a deal.

What could happen next in the Auston Matthews trade rumors?

For now, Matthews is looking forward to seeing what Toronto can do to build a Stanley Cup playoff contender this offseason. If the Maple Leafs convince him of their long-term plan, it could put the trade rumors to rest, at least for a while. Another bad season could push Matthews to the breaking point where he wants to win a Stanley Cup outside of Toronto.

The next step will be to keep an eye on Toronto’s moves. Will this be enough to convince Matthews to return for a second season? If so, the idea could be pursued next offseason or revisited during the 2026–27 NHL season. Minnesota wants to establish an elite center, and if Matthews is available, it should make every effort to make it happen.

READ MORE: Auston Matthews traded to Los Angeles Kings? 5 possible business sites

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes has been hard at work in the college basketball transfer portal this month, securing three commitments just days after leading the program to the Elite Eight. Now it appears volunteers are on the verge of a fourth large influx this month.

On3.com’s Joe Tipton reported ahead of wing Jalen Harrelson’s visit to Knoxville on Tuesday that Tennessee is “accelerating this recruiting” and momentum is building toward a potential commitment.

RELATED: Tennessee volunteers gaining momentum for SG in portal

Haralson, a 6-foot-6 forward, is rated as a four-star player this cycle by the college basketball transfer portal Rivals and On3.com. He is viewed as the second-best small forward on the market and the 39th-best player available this offseason.

Before this season, Rivals ranked him the 31st-best high school player in the 2025 recruiting class. It was the same class as five-star recruit Nate Ament, a late commit to Tennessee last year who is now expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

RELATED: Tennessee in mix for top player in CBB transfer portal

As a freshman, he started 23 of 27 games for the Fighting Irish. Harrelson averaged 16.2 points, 4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He doesn’t offer much in the way of a perimeter scoring threat, making just 5 of 25 from beyond the arc in his freshman season, but he got to the free-throw line 181 times (6.7 per game) and shot 67.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.

As he gained more experience as a freshman, Haralson’s play continued to improve. While Notre Dame went 6–13 to end his season, Haralson averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during that span, posted a 52.7 effective field goal percentage, and he averaged 7.4 free-throw attempts per contest.

RELATED: Insider sheds light on Tennessee’s approach to transfer portal

For Tennessee, he could potentially fill the void left by Ament’s expected departure. His commitment will be the fourth commitment for volunteers this month, coming on the heels of or during the trips to Knoxville.

Entering Wednesday, Tennessee’s transfer portal commitment class included Belmont shooting guard Tyler Lundblad, California guard Dai Dai Ames and Loyola big man Miles Rubin. The Volunteers are still actively searching for several guards, including a point guard to replace Ja’Coby Gillespie.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers to spend big bucks on basketball

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the most active programs so far in the college basketball transfer portal, signing three key players. With Rick Barnes and the coaching staff getting the nod of an even bigger NIL wallet this offseason, another change could be on the horizon.

On3.com’s Joe Tipton reports that former VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. is set to visit Knoxville on Wednesday. Both the Volunteers and Kansas Jayhawks are reportedly “building positive momentum” with the 6-foot-3 sophomore guard.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers spring game insiders name 2 standouts

Hill is rated as a four-star transfer recruit this cycle by On3.com and Rivals. He is ranked sixth among shooting guards and 25th nationally among current players in the college basketball transfer portal.

Last season, the 20-year-old guard earned numerous honors in the Atlantic 10 Conference as a breakout player. He made the first-team All-Atlantic 10, was named the conference’s Most Improved Player and earned Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year.

RELATED: Tennessee in mix for top player in CBB transfer portal

In three games in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, he averaged 17.3 points and 3 assists per game, while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Although he was not an effective perimeter shooter at 28.6 percent, he averaged 1.3 three-pointers per game during the tournament.

They then had an outstanding performance in VCU’s first-round upset of the North Carolina Tar Heels. In the 82–78 overtime win, Hill scored 34 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting 7 of 10 from beyond the arc with a 71.7 percent effective field goal percentage.

RELATED: Insider sheds light on Tennessee’s approach to transfer portal

As Tipton said, this is important any time a player visits campus. This is one reason why Tennessee is viewed as an emerging threat to get a commitment from Hill by the end of the weekend.

If Hill commits, he will join an incoming class that includes four-star big man Miles Rubin (Loyola), four-star point guard Dai Dai Ames (California) and four-star shooting guard Tyler Lundblad (Belmont). Hill will likely push Lundblad into a role off the bench.

RELATED: Tennessee Volunteers to spend big bucks on basketball

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The San Antonio Spurs barely broke a sweat in their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at the FedExForum as they ran away with a lopsided 123-98 victory.

The Spurs demonstrated their strength from the beginning, defeating the Grizzlies 38-19. From there it was just a formality. San Antonio won its seventh consecutive game and improved to 55–18.

The Spurs also secured homecourt advantage in the first round, returning to the playoffs after a six-year absence.

San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson acknowledged this significant gainBut as Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reported, he also remained quiet about it.

Johnson said, “I would expect it to be loud with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. But it’s still a little bit away, so hopefully we can keep getting better and make some improvements in a lot of areas.”

mitch johnson on #spurs Gaining home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs:

“I would expect it to be louder, with a lot more excitement, enthusiasm. But it’s still a little bit away, so hopefully we can keep getting better and make some improvements in a lot of areas.”

– Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) 26 March 2026

The 39-year-old Johnson is in his first full season with the Spurs after taking over from Gregg Popovich. He has big shoes to fill, but clearly, he’s up for the challenge.

He has molded the team into a two-way force. They have guys like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Cassel, De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell playing comfortably, while finding the right role for Keldon Johnson and utilizing Dylan Harper off the bench.

The last time the Spurs were in the playoffs in 2020, Johnson was still an unknown deputy to Popovich. But the seeds were being sown, and because of his deep knowledge of the game and inherent leadership, it was only a matter of time until he was tapped to have a shot.

Now, Johnson and the Spurs are on their way to success.