Source: Auston Matthews won't leave Toronto until he wins the cup

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Liam
April 21, 2022 (4:45 PM)

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Positive news for Leafs fans today: Auston Matthews apparently intends to win a Stanley Cup in Toronto before he even considers leaving the team in free agency.

On NHL.com's official podcast hosted by Dan Rosen and Shawn Rourke, James Berek explained the reasoning behind Matthews' determination to stay in Toronto.

I said on an episode of the "NHL @TheRink" podcast last week that Matthews, a 24-year-old center, will not leave the Maple Leafs until he wins the Stanley Cup. The cynics will say that means he will never leave Toronto, a joke on the Maple Leafs not winning the Cup since 1967. But Matthews' mission is to bring it to Toronto, and I don't think he goes anywhere until that mission is complete. Maybe he looks elsewhere at that point, perhaps the Arizona Coyotes. The star from Scottsdale, Arizona coming to play for his hometown team would be a fun story, but Matthews wants to win in Toronto.

After this year, the Maple Leafs only have Matthews under contract for two more years. Perhaps if they win a cup and Arizona begins to turn their franchise around, he would consider playing in his hometown.

Of course it's be disheartening to see him leave, but if he does so after delivering Leafs fans the longest awaited cup in history, he'll be a legend of hockey in Toronto forever. If the Coyotes franchise folds in that time, which is very possible, maybe he stays to enjoy the limelight in Toronto. Regardless, Matthews' commitment to winning in Toronto is amazing news for Leafs fans.