June 03, 2026

Loose Leafs Tea: Matthews Staying or Going? Coaching Search, Draft Talk and More with Dave McCarthy

59 minutes

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the middle of one of the most uncertain and fascinating off-seasons in recent memory — and we're breaking it all down.

In this episode, we're diving head long into the questions every Leafs fan is losing sleep over: Is Auston Matthews actually staying in Toronto? Who's going to be behind the bench next season? And what does this franchise even look like heading into the 2026 NHL Draft?

We kick things off with our Leaf it to the Ladies segment, where we take the pulse of Leafs Nation on the Matthews situation. The chatter is loud, the opinions are hot, and the uncertainty is real. We also react to the narratives swirling around the socials regarding Mitch Marner's current playoff success — because the fan base has feelings, and we're not holding back.

Then in our Third Period segment, we bring in NHL Network Radio host and special guest Dave McCarthy for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything you need to know right now:

The head coaching search — what direction is this team actually heading?

NHL Draft strategy — who should the Leafs be targeting and why?

The trade market — what moves make sense this summer and does Auston Matthews figure in?

Goaltending depth — is there a real plan here?

Morgan Rielly's future — is he a Leaf long-term?

Dave brings sharp, grounded insight into the front office decisions ahead and what it's going to take for this team to finally turn the corner.

Whether you're cautiously optimistic or completely exasperated with this franchise, this is the episode you need to hear before the off-season really heats up.

️New episodes every other week. Subscribe, leave a review, and let us know — are you still a Matthews believer?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Stanley Pup Final

03:27 Leafs Nation and Auston Matthews' Future

10:54 Mitch Marner's Playoff performer?? — Fan Reaction

16:31 Coaching Changes and Team Direction with Dave McCarthy

22:08 NHL Draft Considerations and Player Picks

31:30 Future Prospects and Team Strategy

32:28 Assessing the Team's Current State

34:37 Trade Market Dynamics

37:32 Goaltending Depth and Strategy

42:45 Morgan Rielly's Future with the Leafs

51:59 Navigating Complex Decisions Ahead

LEAF IT TO THE LADIES: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/428755/1/70vrrftg0jeql7ag

Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/ltl1917

https://bleav.com/shows/ladies-talkin-leafs/

https://www.ladiestalkinleafs.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOtMA8vhKUo

https://www.nhl.com/fans/2025-26/stanley-pup

https://theleafsnation.com/news/why-auston-matthews-has-all-reason-remain-toronto-despite-reported-uncertainty

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/48882611/buzz-auston-matthews-connor-mcdavid-quinn-hughes-other-big-name-players

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/48871965/2026-nhl-playoffs-stanley-cup-mitch-marner-golden-knights-maple-leafs-trade

https://www.nhl.com/news/mats-sundin-says-risk-with-toronto-worth-reward

https://hockeyhotstove.com/everyone-cannot-stop-talking-about-toronto/

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25432699-how-latest-nhl-mock-drafts-contrast-leafs-sharks-rangers-and-lottery-teams

https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-trade-rumours-5-potential-goaltender-partners

https://editorinleaf.com/one-disappointing-season-may-have-changed-everything-for-morgan-rielly

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/possible-trade-destinations-for-maple-leafs-defenceman-morgan-rielly/

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-max-domi-had-back-surgery-as-more-details-surrounding-procedure-revealed

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/05/26/five-thoughts-on-the-toronto-marlies-playoff-run/

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By Christine Dimoff and Sylvia Hargittay

11 ratings