News Article: Auston Matthews - August 1st., Contract Crickets

[arso40]

The playoffs are a crapshoot. Saying the Leafs would be winning or losing or doing ballet at center ice is all pointless. Our teams issue is we gave up too much cap space to 3 forwards. That is it. Nylander is fine at his cap hit, as is Reilly. In my delusional alternate timeline, Treliving is able to trade JT for an elite defenseman.

Don't wake me up unitl I find out who that is....

I’ll take karlsson for captain t for Christ sakes

 

[darrylsittler27]

Lol, Matthews is better than Eichel, don't kid yourself

Not in the playoffs. I will take Eichel for $10 million and move on.

 

[Boxscore]

I will take Eichel for $10 million and move on.

I won't. I am not a fan of Eichel. Yes, he's done his part, but that Vegas team is absolutely stacked and built the right way. And, make no mistake, Marchessault, Stone, and Pietrangelo are the engines that drive that bus. Eichel just needs to fit in and contribute, not carry the team.

I'd still take Matthews with all his playoff warts and Bieber tees over Eichel, easily. That said, Matthews has been a huge disappointment in the playoffs, and if that's simply brushed under the rug during negotiations, the Leafs are out to lunch.

 

[Trapper]

I won't. I am not a fan of Eichel. Yes, he's done his part, but that Vegas team is absolutely stacked and built the right way. And, make no mistake, Marchessault, Stone, and Pietrangelo are the engines that drive that bus. Eichel just needs to fit in and contribute, not carry the team.

I'd still take Matthews with all his playoff warts and Bieber tees over Eichel, easily. That said, Matthews has been a huge disappointment in the playoffs, and if that's simply brushed under the rug during negotiations, the Leafs are out to lunch.

We need to change the team around Matthews to equal more if the above. We don’t need to keep trying (and failing to win) with all 4 guys. Trade a winger and pull in a solid D piece to add to Matthews. Find some hard nosed winger for around 5 million and move out the other high salaries. Pick 1 high priced forward, spend on another higher priced D and fill it out.

 

[ToneDog]

We need to change the team around Matthews to equal more if the above. We don’t need to keep trying (and failing to win) with all 4 guys. Trade a winger and pull in a solid D piece to add to Matthews. Find some hard nosed winger for around 5 million and move out the other high salaries. Pick 1 high priced forward, spend on another higher priced D and fill it out.

Let me know when there is a sale on Pietrangelos at Walmart, although there is a beauty from Mississauga playing in Buffalo that I would overpay to acquire. Sabres are going to be a beast in a year or two with Power and Dahlin anchoring their D.

 

[Arzak]

What other city offers the same amount of sponsorship opportunities as Toronto?

Also, from what I've heard, the tax argument is overblown.

It is a bit, if I'm not mistaken you are paying taxes depending on where you play.

The home tax advantage is 50% of your salary.*

Also, Bruins like other teams, had an internal cap structure with Bergeron / Krejci on top for years, was it the tax?

*signing bonus exempt

 

[Trapper]

Let me know when there is a sale on Pietrangelos at Walmart, although there is a beauty from Mississauga playing in Buffalo that I would overpay to acquire. Sabres are going to be a beast in a year or two with Power and Dahlin anchoring their D.

What do you think is available if we went out looking for a solid D to anchor us?
Heiskenen from Dallas?
Seider from Detroit?
Hughes from Vancouver?
Slavin from Carolina?
Werenski from Columbus?
Sanderson from Ottawa?

 

[ToneDog]

What do you think is available if we went out looking for a solid D to anchor us?
Heiskenen from Dallas?
Seider from Detroit?
Hughes from Vancouver?
Slavin from Carolina?
Werenski from Columbus?

None of the above. I would kick tires on K'Andre Miller and/or Mayfield. Stud #1 dmen are not often available and cost too much.

 

[therealkoho]

Trying to find some articles but it has been a long time.

I seem to recall them getting into training camp time and there being some sort of deadlock (with Dubas apparently fine with a holdout) until Shanny swooped in to play good cop and a deal got done quickly.

Either way we will see in short order who negotiates better deals as all three are looking for a raise now

The barn door is open, none of those guys are going backwards, the only guy who can realistically demand a raise is Will, something that starts at 9-9.5 any higher and let someone else dole out the cash.

MM is at the top of his payscale, he's Mr Everything for this team and it's like he's 3 players in one. Its hard for him to overcome his lack of size but he does go to the front of the net, he retrieves 50/50 pucks goes into the corner and not afraid to bounce off Dman on the forecheck, but, at least he does it. In London he had lots of heavy guys around him and that gave him lots of room to operate, so much so he made a good player in Dvorak a star.

Matthews is also at the top and maybe already over his top dollar, I'd be making calls and trying to deal him somewhere they want to pay him crazy dough. I'm not going to say he'll never win, but I just don't see him ever rising to the level of a Trottier, a Crosby, a Messier, Clarke or an Yzerman, he has never shown to possess that kind of drive and intensity, that hunger to win that all those champions have

 

[ToneDog]

The barn door is open, none of those guys are going backwards, the only guy who can realistically demand a raise is Will, something that starts at 9-9.5 any higher and let someone else dole out the cash.

MM is at the top of his payscale, he's Mr Everything for this team and it's like he's 3 players in one. Its hard for him to overcome his lack of size but he does go to the front of the net, he retrieves 50/50 pucks goes into the corner and not afraid to bounce off Dman on the forecheck, but, at least he does it. In London he had lots of heavy guys around him and that gave him lots of room to operate, so much so he made a good player in Dvorak a star.

Matthews is also at the top and maybe already over his top dollar, I'd be making calls and trying to deal him somewhere they want to pay him crazy dough. I'm not going to say he'll never win, but I just don't see him ever rising to the level of a Trottier, a Crosby, a Messier, Clarke or an Yzerman, he has never shown to possess that kind of drive and intensity, that hunger to win that all those champions have

Eichel just won. Matty can too with the right mix of players. Unless his ask is ridiculous, he is untouchable. If Willie wants close to Marner money, he is the guy to go. If he takes a team friendly number, then Marner is the one to go. Having said that, I'd give it another shot with a new GM and coach.

 

[Stephen]

We need to change the team around Matthews to equal more if the above. We don’t need to keep trying (and failing to win) with all 4 guys. Trade a winger and pull in a solid D piece to add to Matthews. Find some hard nosed winger for around 5 million and move out the other high salaries. Pick 1 high priced forward, spend on another higher priced D and fill it out.

Yeah, I think any team could build a strong contender around Matthews, just do so with a purpose and some thought to the design of the roster.

Hmm, first clue is Matthews is a 6'3" center. Why don't we add size on the wing, speed on the wing and build a high end version of the Sundin-Antropov-Ponikarovsky line?

Hmm, why don't we actually turn the blueline into a strength so there's less of a need for our Rocket-Hart-Lindsay guy to sag in the defensive zone and block shots all day?

Why do we need all of Marner, Nylander, Tavares? They don't even fit together in a coherent play style and don't even mix and match well together.

 

[Stephen]

Eichel just won. Matty can too with the right mix of players. Unless his ask is ridiculous, he is untouchable. If Willie wants close to Marner money, he is the guy to go. If he takes a team friendly number, then Marner is the one to go. Having said that, I'd give it another shot with a new GM and coach.

I wish this was an offseason where there were strong candidates to replace Keefe. Maybe things go sideways in Pittsburgh and we end up with a Mike Sullivan for Keefe coach swap. I'd love to see this organization have a bit more bite and stop acting like nervous frontrunners. Time for something different. Think different, act different.

 

[ToneDog]

I wish this was an offseason where there were strong candidates to replace Keefe. Maybe things go sideways in Pittsburgh and we end up with a Mike Sullivan for Keefe coach swap. I'd love to see this organization have a bit more bite and stop acting like nervous frontrunners. Time for something different. Think different, act different.

I'd go with Gallant. He might have short shelf life but he might be able to get more out of these guys.

 

[TOGuy14]

The barn door is open, none of those guys are going backwards, the only guy who can realistically demand a raise is Will, something that starts at 9-9.5 any higher and let someone else dole out the cash.

MM is at the top of his payscale, he's Mr Everything for this team and it's like he's 3 players in one. Its hard for him to overcome his lack of size but he does go to the front of the net, he retrieves 50/50 pucks goes into the corner and not afraid to bounce off Dman on the forecheck, but, at least he does it. In London he had lots of heavy guys around him and that gave him lots of room to operate, so much so he made a good player in Dvorak a star.

Matthews is also at the top and maybe already over his top dollar, I'd be making calls and trying to deal him somewhere they want to pay him crazy dough. I'm not going to say he'll never win, but I just don't see him ever rising to the level of a Trottier, a Crosby, a Messier, Clarke or an Yzerman, he has never shown to possess that kind of drive and intensity, that hunger to win that all those champions have

Marner should be making 9-9.5M based on essentially every other comparable winger in the game

 

[Stamkos4life]

It is a bit, if I'm not mistaken you are paying taxes depending on where you play.

The home tax advantage is 50% of your salary.*

Also, Bruins like other teams, had an internal cap structure with Bergeron / Krejci on top for years, was it the tax?

*signing bonus exempt

They are paid in US dollars. Converting that to CAD alone is a huge win.

Add on that they will have very good financial advisors to help them hide what they can.

 

[Gabriel426]

I won't. I am not a fan of Eichel. Yes, he's done his part, but that Vegas team is absolutely stacked and built the right way. And, make no mistake, Marchessault, Stone, and Pietrangelo are the engines that drive that bus. Eichel just needs to fit in and contribute, not carry the team.

I'd still take Matthews with all his playoff warts and Bieber tees over Eichel, easily. That said, Matthews has been a huge disappointment in the playoffs, and if that's simply brushed under the rug during negotiations, the Leafs are out to lunch.

I will take AM too but here is the thing, can AM leads the Leafs or any teams to the Cup? Or is AM a complimentary piece that needs others to lead?

 

[Stamkos4life]

Which teams are giving out sizeable bonus and not getting much in return in AAV or playoff results ??

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Woah that is even crazier than I thought!

Does anyone else in the league have contracts like theirs regarding the signing bonuses?

 

[Boxscore]

We need to change the team around Matthews to equal more if the above.

Yes, we do. But that all hinges on Matthews. There's not a player on Vegas who makes more than 10 million, we have three. And if Matthews insists on making 13.5 to 14.5 a pop forget about building a championship caliber team around him. If the Oilers can't do it with McDavid and Draisaitl (the two greatest players on the planet) then the Leafs have no shot.

Does swapping Marner out for Dougie Hamilton get the Leafs closer to a Cup? Nope, not in my opinion. Or swapping Nylander for Jones and taking on additional 3 mil of salary? Nah.

In order for the Leafs to be a legit contender, they need:

1. Tavares to wave his NTC (won't happen).

2. Matthews to do us a solid and agree to a long-term deal for 12.6 mil/yr. (won't happen).

3. Swap flashy, soft perimeter players for some gamers like Tkachuk, Marchessault, Bennett, etc. (possibly, with Dubas gone).

I know I'm in the minority but I'm literally at the breaking point where I firmly believe either Matthews resets the tone and signs long-term for under 13 mil cap hit, or we need to trade him for an absolute haul and remake what this club is all about. If not, we're just delaying the inevitable and rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic until Matthews walks in a year, 3 years, or 5 years.

All of that said, I still don't want Eichel. The way we're built, swap Matthews out for Eichel and we still choke in the playoffs but with a more unlikeable player on the roster.

 

[Boxscore]

I will take AM too but here is the thing, can AM leads the Leafs or any teams to the Cup? Or is AM a complimentary piece that needs others to lead?

That's the million dollar question. And the answer probably costs us 14 million dollars x 4 years. My gut tells me that Matthews does not have it in his DNA to put the club on his back and lead us to the Cup, no.

But since the team is built on a wonky foundation, it's impossible to tell. The thing is, I'm torn on both Matthews the player and Matthews the person. His career PPG and GP82 in the playoffs is pitiful compared to his regular season production and contract, so his ability to elevate to the occasion as a player must be in question. That is a fact.

And his me-first attitude when it comes to his contract demands speaks to his character and priorities, if I'm being honest. How are you supposed to be the leader of a franchise when you leverage the organization for personal gain without prioritizing team success even a little? That tells me Matthews is more concerned with being "the highest paid" than "fairly paid" while placing his team in a no-win situation.

So, do I think that type of person can lead us to a Cup? Honestly, no chance. His cap hit will make it virtually impossible, even if he scores 65 goals a year in the regular season.

 

[socko]

Eichel was exactly what Vegas needed. They needed a number 1 center and they didn't have one. Buffalo gave them one. I would have offered them Marner. Eichel and Matthews as your centers. Bench Tavares until he agrees to waive. The Leafs are such a slow team now, like dirt slow, need speedy players like Eichel.

 

[Boxscore]

Eichel was exactly what Vegas needed. They needed a number 1 center and they didn't have one. Buffalo gave them one. I would have offered them Marner. Eichel and Matthews as your centers. Bench Tavares until he agrees to waive. The Leafs are such a slow team now, like dirt slow, need speedy players like Eichel.

I agree with a lot of this. But we need to keep it real, Vegas masterfully exploited the Expansion Draft which gave them immediate depth, character, talent, and high-end draft capital. It was a black swan event and they were strategic with their plan, adding the proper pieces at the right times (Stone, Pietrangelo, Eichel). They were concise and calculated, which is the opposite of the Leafs, but in my opinion the NHL shouldn't have gifted them a Disney FastPass to the Stanley Cup.

 

[socko]

Well I'm sure it hurts Florida that the Conn Smythe winner was a guy they didn't protect in the expansion draft but I don't know that you can blame the league for that.

 

[ToneDog]

Woah that is even crazier than I thought!

Does anyone else in the league have contracts like theirs regarding the signing bonuses?

I looked up McDavid and he does. Guessing a few more will but not too many.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Do you not remember Darryl Sittler, he'd eat Matthews lunch

Loved Darryl. Named after Davey Keon. Mahovlich was my favourite forward. I did say “arguably.” Matthews is a great goal scorer and 200 foot player. I do wish we could parachute Dougies competitiveness into that body. But yeah he’s pretty damned good

 

[Racer88]

I will take AM too but here is the thing, can AM leads the Leafs or any teams to the Cup? Or is AM a complimentary piece that needs others to lead?

Nope, complimentary piece just like Kessel was