Insider: Some of Maple Leafs changes this offseason won't be in management's hands

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews

So we know that changes are coming for the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason. Of that, there is no doubt. Perhaps in the front office, perhaps behind the bench, but certainly on the ice.

But according to insider Elliotte Friedman, speaking on The Fan Hockey Show on Thursday, some of those changes on the ice might not even be in management's hands.

A lot of the decisions are probably going to be made for them... How (Auston) Matthews looks, what he decides to do... How do guys feel after this year, how do the exit meetings go, what do some guys want to do?... How does everybody feel? Is everybody happy? Does anybody want to go anywhere?...
But the bottom line is, the mix is going to be different... This is going to be an offseason of change in Toronto and they're definitely not going to be coming back the same.

Matthews, of course, is out for the season after taking the brutal knee-on-knee hit from The Butcher, Radko Gudas. But what we don't know is how he feels about his teammates' response on the ice to that dirty hit—which was absolutely no response. How will that influence the captain's feelings about how much he wants to continue to be a part of this team?

Matthews has two more years to run on his deal. Other key veterans are on much longer-term deals, including William Nylander (6 more seasons), Matthew Knies (5 more years), Jake McCabe (4 more), Chris Tanev (4 more years after missing nearly the entire season), and John Tavares (3 more).

Both Knies, and even Nylander a bit, heard some trade rumors around their names recently.

There are two UFAs still on the roster in Troy Stecher and Calle Jarnkrok, as well as three RFAs: Matias Maccelli, Nick Robertson and Jacob Quillan.