(Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews told reporters Thursday that he wasn't willing to speculate on his long-term future with the team.

Matthews was confident he will be fully healthy after undergoing surgery to repair the torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee last month. The star forward, however, had a less-than-concrete answer in regard to his future with the team after his four-year, $53 million contract expires following the 2027-28 season.

'I mean, I can't predict the future,' he said Thursday. 'Obviously, there's steps that kind of have to take place. They're going to hire new leadership in management and stuff like that. So, you know, I don't really know.

'I think that's kind of like I said, I can't really predict the future.'

The Maple Leafs are in need of a new general manager after they fired Brad Treliving on March 30.

Matthews said Thursday that he's intent on letting that situation play itself out.

'We're not even at that point yet. Obviously, we're still in the searching phase, I guess you can say, for them,' he said. 'So, I think when those conversations come and when the time comes, those conversations will just happen organically.'

Matthews, 28, was injured after absorbing a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas during the second period of a game on March 12. Gudas was suspended five games for the hit, marking the fifth suspension of his career.

Matthews finished the season with 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games.

Although the Maple Leafs posted the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs, Matthews reiterated that he believes the team can win a Stanley Cup title.

'I do,' Matthews said. 'I believe in the guys in the room and the people we have here ... we're all hopeful this is kind of a one-off.'

The 2021-22 Hart Memorial Trophy winner as league MVP, Matthews has recorded 780 points (428 goals, 352 assists) in 689 regular-season games over 10 seasons with Toronto. He also won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2016-17.

--Field Level Media