Red Wings acquire Auston Matthews from the Maple Leafs in latest trade proposal emerging

The Hockey Writers released a new report in which they talk about the idea of seeing the Toronto Maple Leafs trade their captain and top player, Auston Matthews, to the Detroit Red Wings.

While it sounds surprising, Matthews leaving the Maple Leafs like Mitch Marner did last summer isn't such a far-fetched scenario.

The first overall pick in 2016 has two more seasons on his $13M AAV contract signed with the Leafs in 2023, and as we saw with fellow superstars Quinn Hughes and Mikko Rantanen, no one is untradable in the NHL.

Matthews, 28, has won only two playoff rounds in his NHL career, and it's safe to say the market in Toronto didn't help him achieve his goals.

There's no denying that it's a tough environment for players, one that not all of them can handle.

Mitch Marner couldn't, Ryan O'Reilly couldn't, and many more as well over the years.

Matthews showed that he has what it takes to succeed in Toronto; he even scored 69 goals in a single season.

But at this stage of his career, the veteran could be interested in playing elsewhere, in a market where he could thrive more easily or simply be under a smaller spotlight.

This year, the forward tallies 27 points in 33 games, including 15 goals, disappointing numbers for a player like Matthews, who is expected to be among the best players in the league.

Due to his struggles, speculation of a potential trade has emerged.

This is where the Detroit Red Wings could be interested.

Getting him will cost a lot, a price that Steve Yzerman may not be ready to pay, but he could definitely take the team to the next level.

There's no way of knowing what will happen, but the fact that the idea is being discussed is already a great thing for Red Wings fans.

Stay tuned for further details and updates.