Reports now that Matthews could leave, following Dubas' surprise firing

The news delivered by Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan on Friday afternoon continues to send shockwaves through the entire NHL.

Shanahan, of course, announced that the team would not be extending the contract of GM Kyle Dubas, not because of performance issues, but because of a perceived change in negotiation from Dubas and his representation. Shanahan detailed the history of contract negotiations between the two sides that ultimately left Shanahan feeling personally that Dubas wasn't cut out to be the GM of the Leafs any longer.

Now, Dubas is out and the Leafs are without a GM.

Shanahan is expected to make a hiring in short order and there have been no shortage of rumors about who Dubas' replacement might be, but the more interesting aspect in all of this is what happens on the ice? You know... where the game is actually played. It remains to be seen what sort of fallout comes from Dubas' quick dismissal as it pertains to the Leafs' on-ice personnel, but NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is already reporting that the sentiment from the Leafs' players is that "nobody is really sure" what happens next, especially as it pertains to the future of superstar Auston Matthews.

More from Friedman:

"I did have one player reach out to me and say that they weren't even sure if Matthews would have signed by July 1 with Dubas, cause if they made big changes around the draft, the question became how would Matthews feel about it?"

"...but, he did tell me, this is one of the players on the team, he said to me they would have been very confident, like last year Pastrnak with Boston, the. Bruins didn't trade him, they believed he wanted to be a Bruin and eventually got it done..."

"...he thinks that's what the Leafs would have done. If Matthews hadn't signed with Dubas there they would have kept him and they believe they would have gotten it done. Now, nobody is really sure, so that's obviously the biggest story"

- Elliotte Friedman

Yikes... 

If I'm a Leafs fan I'm probably pretty nervous right about now. Shanhan's next hiring has the potential to change the trajectory of this franchise forever.