What Maple Leafs winning NHL Draft lottery means for Auston Matthews' future in Toronto

What Maple Leafs winning NHL Draft lottery means for Auston Matthews' future in Toronto originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Toronto Maple Leafs ' draft lottery win on Tuesday couldn't have come at a better time, with the franchise battling questions about star Auston Matthews' future and criticism over the hire of general manager John Chayka.

Like the Dallas Mavericks' selection of Cooper Flagg over in the NBA last year after trading Luka Doncic, the No. 1 pick gives Maple Leafs fans something to hold onto just when it looked like the team could be headed down a dark path. For Matthews, whose status in Toronto was up in the air entering the lottery, the opportunity to play alongside McKenna could be a game-changer.

Here's a look at what the Maple Leafs' lottery win means for Matthews. NHL PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NHL scores | NHL playoff schedule | NHL playoff bracket What Maple Leafs winning NHL Draft lottery means for Auston Matthews' future As of earlier in the week, Matthews' future with the Maple Leafs was considered to be up in the air. Matthews "still isn't sure if he'll be back in Toronto in the fall," The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported, adding that the former No.

1 pick "wants to see a roster that has been meaningfully upgraded" after missing the playoffs. Chayka, meanwhile, revealed plans to sit down with Matthews, but he made it clear he wants his star to stay. "Auston's the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, this is his team," Chayka told reporters at his introductory press conference.