DEAL IN PROGRESS: Toronto Maple Leafs are about to welcome a new forward in the next two days from…..
The Toronto Maple Leafs are already busy with trade rumors, particularly surrounding forward Mitch Marner. Now, more drama has surfaced within the franchise’s Core Four, involving superstar forward Auston Matthews.
On July 12, Matthews posted a picture of his dog on his Instagram stories, which, according to Chris Gosselin of Hockey Feed, has triggered intense speculation about a potential trade involving Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller.
The photo, shared in an X post by @adam_la2karis, shows Matthews’ dog playing with Keller’s dog, as described by Adam Laskaris of Daily Hive Toronto. This implies that Matthews and Keller spent time together in July, fueling fan speculation about a possible reunion in Toronto through a trade.
Adding weight to these rumors is the fact that Matthews and Keller attended UFC 303 together at the end of June. Gosselin also speculates that Keller might be unhappy with the Coyotes’ relocation to Salt Lake City, potentially leading to a trade request to join his friend Matthews in Toronto.
“The whole relocation ordeal has been tough on Keller and other players in Arizona, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind moving to Toronto to play alongside one of his best buds,” Gosselin remarked.
Keller is entering the fifth season of his eight-year, $57.2 million contract with the Arizona Coyotes (now in Utah) signed in September 2019. He has played 520 games for the Coyotes, scoring 166 goals and assisting in 252, totaling 418 points.
