Change of Plans: Auston Matthews Has Surgery, Out Long-Term

Previous Report:

When the initial injury report came out that Auston Matthews suffered a grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion, it felt, all things considered, as if it was the best-case scenario for everyone involved.

Radko Gudas’ dirty knee-on-knee hit had the potential to do much more damage, and Matthews luckily escaped that. Early reports even suggested he wouldn’t need surgery. However, exactly one week after the injury occurred, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman revealed those plans might have changed, and it now sounds like surgery will, in fact, be part of the superstar center’s recovery.

Friedman wrote:

“We’ll see when it happens, but it sounds like surgery will be part of Auston Matthews’ recovery. There is still plenty of confidence he will start next season on time,”

The 28-year-old Matthews will finish the 2025-26 season with a career-low 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in just 60 games played. He’ll be entering the third year of his four-year, $53 million extension with the Maple Leafs next season, eligible for a new extension in Toronto come July 1, 2027.

While it may sound alarming that Matthews might now be undergoing surgery, as Friedman notes, it doesn’t appear to be anything that will drastically change his return timeline—which, all in all, remains good news for both the player and the team.

Matthews will be entering a pivotal offseason in more ways than one. His health had already been a question mark even before this latest injury, so he’ll be looking to get back to 100% in hopes of returning to the Rocket Richard Trophy-winning form we haven’t seen over the last two years.

What’s The Future for Matthews?

The bigger question remains: will that be as a Maple Leaf? Speculation about Matthews leaving Toronto had always felt somewhat far-fetched, but after this messy season—and the fallout of nobody stepping up to defend their captain after the hit—serious concerns have been raised about how the team will move forward. The next few months could provide critical answers to all of it.

Next: Did William Nylander Hit a New Low with the Maple Leafs?