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Elliotte Friedman reveals whether or not the Maple Leafs will trade Auston Matthews


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Alexander Cole
December 19, 2025  (2:31 PM)
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Dec 18, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) lines up for a face-off against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena.
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Elliotte Friedman has been making some very interesting comments about Craig Berube as of late, and now, he is being asked about Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a pretty terrible defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, and now, panic is setting in.
Some feel as though this Maple Leafs team is completely cooked. Others feel as though an organizational change could turn this season around in an instant.
This morning, Elliotte Friedman reported that "consequences" could be on the horizon, and that head coach Craig Berube could become the victim of that.
Some believe the Leafs need to do much more than just change their head coach. For instance, there is a real segment of fans and media members who think the Leafs should just cut their losses, trade the Core Four, and rebuild.

Elliotte Friedman gets asked about Auston Matthews' future

There has been this sense that the Leafs and Auston Matthews are no longer on the same page. While appearing on "The Fan Hockey Show," Friedman was asked about the viability of a Matthews trade.
The insider revealed that this is not something the Leafs would think about or entertain in the middle of a season. However, an existential crisis could still be coming.
The questions, if they go existential, are going to be much bigger than Craig Berube.
An Auston Matthews trade this season is truly unfathomable, and the fact that it would even be mentioned speaks to the audacity of the Toronto media and fanbase.
What is clear, however, is the fact that the Maple Leafs have some real problems, and these problems need to be addressed before things get a whole lot worse.
When you are second-to-last in your own division, it's time to start making some real moves.
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DECEMBRE 19   |   1253 ANSWERS
Elliotte Friedman reveals whether or not the Maple Leafs will trade Auston Matthews

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YES69855.7 %
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