Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Bill Guerin wants Auston Matthews. Michael Russo thinks it could happen. The package being discussed includes Matt Boldy and Jesper Wallstedt. But before you dismiss it – let’s take a deeper dive.
Trading Auston Matthews sounds like an absurd concept that would only exist in video games, but right now the reality facing the Toronto Maple Leafs is that the captain is frustrated, dealing with a torn MCL, and unsure what the team’s plan even is for next year let alone the next decade.
Matthews trade to Minnesota is a necessity if the Maple Leafs truly want to rebuild
There’s already speculation that something has to give in Toronto. Could that something be trading the now-injured Matthews? (The Athletic, March 16, 2026)
If anything has to give it’s the Wild giving Toronto a bountiful haul for their captain, though with what has been proposed – it may be enough.
(F) Matt Boldy
(D) Jonas Brodin
(F) Danila Yurov
(G) Jesper Wallstedt
2027 First-Round Pick
2028 First-Round Pick
Minnesota has a wealth of money coming in due to veteran free agents becoming UFA’s and they can afford Matthews’ contract especially with the pieces going out.
Boldy, 24, is the elite forward who instantly takes over Matthews’ spot. Though he’s not a centre by trade he is fairly good in the dot, and with more reps could become elite. Not to mention he has 319 points in 352 games with 38 goals and 75 points in 2025-26.
Brodin, 32, is older yes but is someone who can take a lot more defensive responsibility and provides a great insurance policy in case Chris Tanev is done for good.
He’s a shot blocking machine, eats minutes, plays both the PP and PK, and has a career plus-119; Brodin has quietly been one of the better shutdown defenders in the league.
Yurov is a 22-year-old forward who has a relentless engine, absurd forechecking awareness, a knack for turning turnovers into points; and he’s physical despite being a little undersized.
Here’s a potential lineup with the new additions:
Knies – Boldy – Nylander
Cowan – Tavares – Robertson
Yurov – Groulx – Joshua
Lorentz – Quillan – Domi
Brodin – Carlo
Ekman-Larsson – McCabe
Rifai* – Villeneuve*
For Toronto, it’s a necessary evil if they want to make a more balanced and better team overall. Those four players are roughly $16-million but you’re spreading that out with an elite first line player, a middle/bottom-six Swiss Army Knife, a future star goaltender, a solid and underrated defenceman, and two picks.
All of that for a player who has missed a total of 37 games over the past two seasons and is going to come into 2026-27 with a lot of questions. A torn MCL is no joke and who knows how this affects him going forward.
Getting a massive package for a guy who could be on borrowed time is not only the smart decision – it’s the only one.
Jesper Wallstedt is the elite goaltender Toronto’s been searching for
For all the talk about how good the goaltending pipeline is, imagine how good it would be with Wallstedt in the mix. Alongside Joseph Woll you have a solid-elite tandem that could play out for the next decade.
At only 23 and showing unreal potential already, Wallstedt is someone who gives Toronto a serious makeover and allows them to move Anthony Stolarz elsewhere and get his injured body off the books.
It’s a genuine shock that the Oilers traded him knowing what he’s turned into, and if Toronto were to pick him up that would be a stunning reversal of fortune from a team who suddenly has a lot of questions in the crease.
Plus, there’s the chance of Wallstedt and Dennis Hildeby creating a Swedish super-duo where you have two Vikings in net making life miserable for opponents.
It’s the icing on top of a complete makeover of the Maple Leafs. Adding Brodin allows the team to manage Chris Tanev better, and move on from Morgan Rielly.
Boldy is an absolute monster still years from his prime, Yurov is an exciting and intriguing two-way piece who has proven he can hang at the NHL level, and then you add on two picks and suddenly there’s a lot to like.
For the Maple Leafs, losing Auston Matthews would be a massive loss not only to the profit margins, but you genuinely do end up getting rid of a generational franchise player.
But for a team who hasn’t won in nearly 60 years and with little plan for the future, maybe it’s time to truly shake things up by getting rid of Matthews – potentially before it’s too late.
Previously on Hockey Patrol
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The Auston Matthews blockbuster to the Minnesota Wild for Boldy and Wallstedt is the Leafs’ rebuild answer
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