Auston Matthews sends clear message to Maple Leafs management ahead of NHL trade deadline

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews sent a clear message to team management ahead of the NHL's March 7 trade deadline, indicating he would like to see the team make moves to bolster the roster for a playoff run.

Speaking before Wednesday's matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, Matthews said:

"Management’s going to do the best they can. All we can do is trust in them. Of course, you’d love to see a boost. I think with the way that we’ve played this year and the position we’re in right now,we feel really confident and really good about our team and our group.”

“But this time of year, you see teams adding, and you want to add as well. So I’m sure the management and staff are doing a lot of thinking right now, doing a lot of homework and stuff like that. And I’ll just leave it in their hands."

The Maple Leafs lead the Atlantic Division with a 38-20-3 record, and trade rumors are heating up. According to insider David Pagnotta, Toronto has shown interest in Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn.

Analyst Elliotte Friedman also mentioned Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen as a potential target. Meanwhile, other teams are reportedly eyeing Leafs prospects Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan as possible trade pieces.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving on trade deadline strategy

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving acknowledged that players who could help the team are available but emphasized the importance of finding the right fit at a reasonable cost. He noted that the trade deadline is not the only opportunity for Toronto to improve, citing the unpredictability of the playoffs.

“And it’s not, to me, about taking big swings. Where do you think you can help your team the most? Sometimes you historically look back … at these attention-grabbing deadline deals, and how many have really paid dividends, right?” Treliving said (per Sportsnet).

Rather than mortgaging the future on a blockbuster deal, Treliving wants to focus on incremental improvements through smaller trades. He pointed out that many of the most hyped deadline acquisitions fail to deliver long-term results.

“I like our team. I’d like to see if we can make it better by Friday.” Treliving added.

The NHL trade deadline is Friday.