A big disaster on the horizon for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Currently, one of the biggest stories in the NHL is the upcoming trade of forward Matthew Tkachuk, who will not sign a new long-term contract with the Calgary Flames.
It hurts for them, especially a few days after losing another star player (Johnny Gaudreau)
Some rival teams, or at least some fans of the Flames' rival teams, are taking great pleasure in their misfortunes, but not so fast.
As former Montreal Canadiens tough guy John Scott reports, it's a situation that could well happen to other clubs, including the Toronto Maple Leafs.
They think it's funny to see what's happening in Calgary, but they might not find it so good in a year or two:
Ouch.
Let's remember, of course, that their concession player Auston Matthews' contract will expire in 2024 (two years from now) and he'll be free as a bird, at that point, if he chooses.
Nothing is certain about his future in Toronto. A native of California, Matthews has amassed 60 goals this season and it's clear that the monster offers will be plentiful.
As if that wasn't enough, there's also the contract of their other franchise player, Mitch Marner, who will be free as a bird in 2025. He too would have many reasons to want to leave.
Imagine if the Leafs lost Auston Matthews AND Mitch Marner, all within a few months... It would be a real disaster for them.
As John Scott says, we could be looking at the same scenario as the Flames, but on the Toronto side, in a few years. They could lose their two best players.
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Leafs will lose Matthews and Marner? | ||
| Yes | 219 | 30.5 % |
| No | 163 | 22.7 % |
| Just Matthews | 241 | 33.5 % |
| Just Marner | 96 | 13.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
