Amidst speculation about Auston Matthews' potential departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs, journalist Elliotte Friedman has urged fans to remain calm. With the team out of the playoff hunt and trying to land a top-five draft pick this summer, the rumor mill has shifted its focus to who might be leaving Toronto. While there has been much talk about moving players like Morgan Rielly, the conversation has recently reached the captain, Auston Matthews, which has all but shipped him out of town before the season is even over.

However, Friedman has pushed back on the idea that Matthews is looking for a way out and told the fanbase to pump the brakes on the whole thing. In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Friedman urged fans and the media to settle down. He wrote that he would not rush to assume anything about Matthews’ intentions. He mentioned that there is still a lot to play out before we get a real understanding of how the captain feels.

Friedman wrote: “I wouldn’t rush to assume anything about Auston Matthews’ intentions. There is much to play out before we get a true understanding of how he feels.” This feels like a direct response to some of the louder rumors that have been floating around lately. Some reports have suggested that Matthews could be traded this summer to a team out west, with places like the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, or even the Minnesota Wild being mentioned as potential fits.

With the Maple Leafs having a disappointing season and Matthews currently sidelined with a season-ending injury, it’s not surprising that fans have started to wonder if both sides could be heading toward a split. But Friedman is essentially saying we are not there yet. In fact, he pointed out that while changes are coming, we don’t know if Matthews will be part of them.

The moves could just as easily be about building around him and changing the pieces that fit beside him. It all comes down to how quickly they can turn things around. If they can retool this roster over the summer, then Matthews likely stays. If it turns into something longer, then maybe the conversation changes.

Either way, both things can be true here. Matthews might not love where things are at right now, but that doesn’t automatically mean he wants out. He could just as easily want to stay, be part of the solution, while also proving the doubters wrong that he never needed Mitch Marner to be a top star in the league like some believe.