Brad Marchand reignites Auston Matthews trade chatter with one loaded line

Brad Marchand knows exactly how to stir a room, and on Tuesday, he barely needed to say anything to get under the skins of fans in Toronto.

Before the Maple Leafs’ matchup with the Florida Panthers, the veteran winger offered what sounded like a compliment toward Auston Matthews, suggesting the Leafs captain could set even more scoring records “if he’s still here.” Marchand immediately laughed, acknowledged he might have gone a bit too far, and made a very intentional stirring-the-pot motion.

This came in the same presser in which he talked about how he could have signed with the Maple Leafs and how fans ran Mitch Marner out of Toronto.

The timing couldn’t have been more pointed. Just a few weeks ago, before the Maple Leafs showed signs of life and steadied themselves heading into the second half of the 2025–26 campaign, Matthews found himself at the center of swirling trade speculation. While many dismissed the idea as unrealistic as Matthews still has two years left on his contract and a full no-movement clause, the chatter never fully disappeared.

Some around the league were quick to label the notion of Matthews moving as “crazy,” especially as his play has improved significantly in recent weeks. Matthews has now recorded seven goals and 11 points in his last five outings. Toronto’s resurgence has coincided with its captain rediscovering his form, easing some of the pressure after a rocky stretch.

Still, not everyone believes the conversation should be off-limits.

Analyst Jason Gregor previously suggested that when a superstar struggles for an extended period, uncomfortable questions are fair game, including whether that player is truly happy where he is. Gregor even hinted that Matthews might not be “loving life in Toronto,” implying that frustration could eventually push things toward an ending no one wants to imagine.

“I’ve heard rumblings that he’s not loving life in Toronto,” Gregor said.

Since those comments, Matthews has responded the only way elite players can, by torching the record book. He recently passed Mats Sundin to become the Maple Leafs’ all-time leading goal scorer, hitting 421 and reinforcing his place as the franchise cornerstone.

Which makes Marchand’s comment land even harder.

A joke and his annoying grin were all it took to remind everyone that in Toronto, the noise is never far away.

However, Karma got Marchand back. Not only did the Panthers fall 4-2 at the hands of the Leafs, but the Cats’ forward did not play in the third period after an awkward hit in the second. After the loss, it was revealed that Marchand has been dealing with something his third frame absence was precautionary.

But still, he did not put his money where his mouth is in Toronto…