TORONTO -- Auston Matthews and newly named Toronto Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller have a relationship dating 10 years.
When the Maple Leafs captain, who was selected No. 1 by Toronto at the 2016 NHL Draft, entered the League in the 2016-17 season, Hiller was entering his second season as an assistant coach with the team, a role in which he would stay until the end of the 2018-19 season.
After a recent discussion, Hiller, who spent the past four seasons with the Kings, said he could sense Matthews' excitement about what the future holds with the Maple Leafs.
"Yeah, he sure is (excited)," Hiller said Thursday at his introductory press conference. "There's been times since I've been away that anytime I've been in Scottsdale, Auston and I have connected and grabbed a lunch or something like that, so we've stayed in touch over the years even though I wasn't with the team. We had a great conversation the other day and I can tell you he is extremely excited."
Matthews' season ended March 12 when he sustained a grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion to his left leg in a knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks and subsequently had surgery. The 28-year-old center had 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games this season and has two seasons remaining on a four-year contract that has an average annual value of $13.25 million per season.
Matthews has 428 goals since entering the NHL, most among all players, and is Toronto's all-time leader in the category.
"All the updates have been really positive in terms of physically," Toronto general manager John Chayka said. "Any time you go through something like that, it's unfortunate but there's also some upside when you go through a rehab process and you get a little more finely in tune with your body and maybe there is an opportunity to come out of it even stronger, that would be my hope."
"But Auston is an engaged captain, making sure he's in touch with us and asking questions, staying involved as we would expect. I think he's having a good offseason and ready to come to camp."
One of the primary reasons for Matthews' excitement is the fact that Toronto will select No. 1 at the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft in the first round on Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and could pick Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, though Chayka was not ready to eliminate the suspense.
"I have (made up my mind)," Chayka said. "We've got a decision. We considered everything, even considered all the different options of who the pick is… As we sit here today, it's probably likely we (make) the pick."
"It's video, data, research and development, medical, you name it, just to make sure we are not missing anything but I think at the end of the day, it is straight forward."
Since the offseason began, speculation has surrounded the future of defenseman Morgan Rielly, Toronto's longest-tenured player, who has been with the team since 2013-14.
While Chayka admitted gauging what Rielly, who has four seasons remaining on an eight-year contract ($7.5 million AAV) could return in a trade, he said at this point, it is unlikely that the 32-year-old will be moved.
"It's something where we are continuing to have those discussions," Chayka said. "I know he loves being a Toronto Maple Leaf and we think he's a great player. We're just trying to find the right fit for everyone. I don't think so (when it comes to making a trade) as I stand here but again those are discussions we continue to have."
Rielly is second all-time among Maple Leafs defenseman in points with 549 (98 goals, 451 assists), trailing Borje Salming (768). He is third among Maple Leafs defenseman in games played (951) behind Tim Horton (1,184) and Salming (1,099).
For his part, Hiller, who coached Rielly as a Maple Leafs assistant from 2015-19, hopes he remains with the Maple Leafs.
"Yeah, 100 percent," Hiller said. "I've talked to Morgan and we are going to meet next week. I'm really excited at the chance to get to coach him again. I thought Morgan during my time here was a really good player, a great person, so for me, I look at him as being part of the solution. He knows that. I've got great respect for him."
"We will see where that goes but from my perspective, I know him, I like him and I hope he's part of the team in the future."
Chayka also touched on the future of 23-year-old forward Matthew Knies, who has also been the subject of trade rumors. Knies, who had 66 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in 79 games this season, has five seasons remaining on a six-year contract ($7.75 million AAV).
"Matthew is an elite power forward in the prime of his career at a number we think allows us to build a great team around him," Chayka said. "Ultimately my job is to make the team better but all the things I just said make (trading him) incredibly difficult to do so. Like every other player, we will have discussions and evaluate things but there's nothing as we stand here today that I think makes us a better team (by trading him)."
