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

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Screw that man. Trade Matthews if he wants that kind of money. There just isn't enough evidence that Matthews can raise his game in the playoffs (7 seasons now). He is also injury prone. Thats too much cap invested in a may be asset IMO

If Matthews isn't willing to sign for Mack money for 8 years he should not be a maple leaf. period!

Ideally Matthews signs for 8 years around the Mack's AAV and we dump Marner before July 1st to round out the roster. If not, then dump Matthews; and re-tool.

Can't bend over backwards to the greed of the players if we want to win the cup. they are free to seek that kind of money from other teams for all i care
I don't believe MLSE is all that concerned about winning a cup. If it came they would certainly take it and it would be the cherry on top but they are quite content with icing a competitive (relatively) team and having enough star power to sell their jerseys, merchandise etc. This team is actually perfect for their means, likeable, nice boys......very woke.
Not a chance in hell they can ever win a cup but that doesn't matter. Everybody is making money and MLSE looks great in the eyes of the business world.
In the words of the soup Nazi to the leaf fans " there will be no cup for you".
 
Which teams have that kind of capspace and which teams would matthews go to...Sure Columbus can pay him but would he go there?

Only takes one and I would suggest LA Kings the most logical choice and #1 on Auston's list as its where he was born in California and not too far from his offseason mansion in Arizona.

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Also Kings has Anze Kopitar @$10 mil and Viktor Arvidsson's salary is $4,250,000 are both coming off the books the summer of 2024-25 when Matthews hits free agency.

He would follow the Wayne Gretzky path and head from Canada to California.
 
Only takes one and I would suggest LA Kings the most logical choice and #1 on Auston's list as its where he was born in California and not too far from his offseason mansion in Arizona.

View attachment 719038 View attachment 719039

Also Kings has Anze Kopitar @$10 mil and Viktor Arvidsson's salary is $4,250,000 are both coming off the books the summer of 2024-25 when Matthews hits free agency.

He would follow the Wayne Gretzky path and head from Canada to California.
I agree about the Kings, but the poster was suggesting that pretty much every team in the league would be lining up to pay 34 whatever he wants.
 
If he’s hell bent on becoming a UFA and won’t agree to a trade, putting him in the press box wouldn’t be out of the question if I was running the show. When he did play it’d 4th line minutes.

Not much positive leverage so you have to get out in front of it in the media and make it about AM and his agent.
Unfortunately real life isn't a video game and you can't have a childish tantrum and sit players over a players contractual right to do what he wants. That would basically salt the soil for any player and this org for a long time.
 
I don't believe MLSE is all that concerned about winning a cup. If it came they would certainly take it and it would be the cherry on top but they are quite content with icing a competitive (relatively) team and having enough star power to sell their jerseys, merchandise etc. This team is actually perfect for their means, likeable, nice boys......
Not a chance in hell they can ever win a cup but that doesn't matter. Everybody is making money and MLSE looks great in the eyes of the business world.
In the words of the soup Nazi to the leaf fans " there will be no cup for you".
likeable you say?
 
Only takes one and I would suggest LA Kings the most logical choice and #1 on Auston's list as its where he was born in California and not too far from his offseason mansion in Arizona.

View attachment 719038 View attachment 719039

Also Kings has Anze Kopitar @$10 mil and Viktor Arvidsson's salary is $4,250,000 are both coming off the books the summer of 2024-25 when Matthews hits free agency.

He would follow the Wayne Gretzky path and head from Canada to California.
Matty for Kempe, Byfield and Clarke. Get 'er done.
 
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Unfortunately real life isn't a video game and you can't have a childish tantrum and sit players over a players contractual right to do what he wants. That would basically salt the soil for any player and this org for a long time.
It’s not ideal and that’s why you have to get out in front of it with the media.
It won’t happen, but if he dug in and said he’s not signing and not willing to be traded, ice time is all they have to help encourage him to change his mind. .
 
The right thing to do is not necessarily what the organization will do unfortunately . For some fans having a face or faces of the organization is very important to them personally. If it's about winning a cup then this is where the path has to diverge for this team. Star power and talent are important but it has to be accompanied with heart and soul. Gretzky epitomized those qualities perfectly, he just hated to lose and dragged his teammates into the fight with him. There is no one on this team that exemplifies this important trait.
Mlse won't give up their golden goose even if the GM knows it would improve the team.
If I'm the team and intent on winning I would without a hesitation trade MM and AM asap, move on from this ridiculous hostage taking and start fresh. Get the best return possible and move on. And please stop giving away draft picks like they are Crack Pipes in California.
 
I don't believe MLSE is all that concerned about winning a cup. If it came they would certainly take it and it would be the cherry on top but they are quite content with icing a competitive (relatively) team and having enough star power to sell their jerseys, merchandise etc. This team is actually perfect for their means, likeable, nice boys......very woke.
Not a chance in hell they can ever win a cup but that doesn't matter. Everybody is making money and MLSE looks great in the eyes of the business world.
In the words of the soup Nazi to the leaf fans " there will be no cup for you".
You're not wrong. Leafs have among the highest ticket prices in the NHL and in order to validate those prices they need star players on the roster.

Also MLSE has shareholders and investors and luxuary box owners etc to satisfy and secure those investments and putting a +100 point NHL teams on the ice with star material shows that they're trying to be successful and winning in the playoffs is hard and they're at least involved and attempting to find success.

The cost of these overpaid stars comes at the price of Cup competitiveness in the big picture, but their is still a method to the madness behind their strategy to make money and have their franchise gain equity annually. Winning the Cup is not their #1 priority as a result and being the least successful NHL team in a Salary Cap era means their spending harder and not smarter.

What this team needs is a smart GM to make it work and win a Cup with essentially 1 hand strapped behind his back and in Cap Hell annually. My suggestion would be use the CBA as it was intended and invest as much money as you like in drafting and developing young talent internally (outside a Salary Cap advantage for the rich) and have the ability to offset your stars BIG AAV contracts with cheap ELC young players that contribute at high levels.

I call this my "Play the Kids" strategy to wining the Cup because for every Matthews making $11 mil you need a high-end prospect like Matthew Knies making < $1 mil where the average of 2 players on the roster is offset minimize the higher cost by taking full advantage of the ELC player contribution while making league minimum.
 
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Only takes one and I would suggest LA Kings the most logical choice and #1 on Auston's list as its where he was born in California and not too far from his offseason mansion in Arizona.

View attachment 719038 View attachment 719039

Also Kings has Anze Kopitar @$10 mil and Viktor Arvidsson's salary is $4,250,000 are both coming off the books the summer of 2024-25 when Matthews hits free agency.

He would follow the Wayne Gretzky path and head from Canada to California.

The level of detail in this fansclussive map has sold me, he isn't staying.
 
You know to the regional Kids (tongue in cheek) ......they're heros didn't you know.
Not likeable in my eyes!!!!!
I have no idea what these guys are like outside the rink so I cant talk to that but as players for the TML I went from comparing Marners game when he first started for us to a little like Gretzky and I was over the moon excited with the potential Matthews showed. Now after the losses (the way they lose) and the smug non responsibility answers they give when losing to the over payed entitlement shananigans I could care less if they are showed the door. Each year has gotten harder to root for these guys. Reilly is about the only one I feel gets it out of our core guys.
 
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Messi is going to be the 5th highest earning athlete in North America at 54m per year.
He is also part owner of the team.
The deal will include an agreement with Apple for rights.

Messi has earned nearly $1billion, so it's hardly fair to compare that to NHL players.

Lastly, Messi is nowhere close to being at the top of the game.
He was a major disappointment when he left Barcelona, and never had any modicum of club success in France (the only place he played outside of Barca).

The biggest claim to success outside of Barcelona is the Copa America where he rode shotgun to DiMaria and the World Cup where he scored 6 goals in 7 games.

It helps when your team is awarded 5 penalties in those same 7 games though......

He did score a beaut and had an amazing assist, but all in all, DiMaria was still the driving force of the team.


All that to say Messi turned down s significant sum of money, sure, but he will still be extremely well taken care of.
I'd say world cup mvp and world player of the year and/or runner up this year, might still be at the top of the game.
 
I have no idea what these guys are like outside the rink so I cant talk to that but as players for the TML I went from comparing Marners game when he first started for us to a little like Gretzky and I was over the moon excited with the potential Matthews showed. Now after the losses (the way they lose) and the smug non responsibility answers they give when losing to the over payed entitlement shananigans I could care less if they are showed the door. Each year has gotten harder to root for these guys. Reilly is about the only one I feel gets it out of our core guys.
Agreed, my post was intended to be froth with sarcasm. If only MLSE would see it as real hockey people do. These two know they run the roost and therefore will call the shots with contracts. Therefore and I hate to use this word they are cancers. The rest of the team (lower level players) will not have their back in a game. Other teams (like Stamkos) will chop and punch at them without repercussions. No player making 800k will go to their defense when they gouged them of their piece of the pie. Can't blame them either, why should MM and AM make all the money and other players make all the sacrifices.
 
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Based on EF reporting the terms for Matthews is 8x13.75. While that isn’t outrageous he certainly hasn’t earned that and I think it doesn’t set a good precedent for the rest of the team especially if we trying to reset the mindset if this franchise.

I have said it before and I will say it again 12.7 should be the absolute maximum we pay him X 8 years. It sets the cultural shift in buying into a team concept and not about just getting paid.

But doing so it give Treliving the flexibility to add to this team and resign those who will be coming due.
13.75 is a bit too high for my liking. Leafs should push for lower based on the relatively static cap, his current cap %, and all the July 1 bonuses that will no doubt be offered.
Matthews should take 10 million over 5 years, if he cares about winning. He already has 5 houses paid for and 50 million in the bank. His ego is the reason he wants 13 plus on his deal.
What player of his calibre in his prime takes less on his next deal?
We've virtually have lost all power. If he says he won't sign with any team and wants to become a UFA, what team will give you close to market value for him ?? Tre could be in a worse position with Matty than he was with Tkachuk. All thanks to Shanny and Dummy.
Worst-case scenario is Matthews does not re-sign, tells the Leafs he plans to explore the 2024 UFA market, and vetoes any trade possibility.

In the next CBA, the NHL should push to ban no move clauses in the last year of any contract. It hurts the league to limit player movement for star players.
 
The contract will be completely on Treliving.

Unless his strings are being pulled from above.
The purse strings are certainly being pulled from above by MLSE that must be willing to pay the contract, so they must have some input into budgeting for such a large expense including term, amount and signing bonus structure etc.. If they said the buck stops here and they're not paying him more than McDavid then that sets the financial table for restrictions for the GM.,
&
Apparently according to hearsay rumours it was the President Shanahan that allegedly told all the core 4 they were staying, so any new GM better be prepared to re-sign these players if its his boss that claims their not leaving on his watch, then that sets the table for the GM options to re-sign only and not trade or walkaway status.
&
Its the former now fired GM that failed to get the 8 years term on the previous deal with 4 cheaper RFA cost controllable years at above UFA prices $11.6 mil that set the base price for the next contract, and also provided the NMC that gives all the leverage to the player to use to elevate his asking price to stay against fear of loss to the organization without return. So that sets the table for base price only thing left to negotiate is the amount of the raise by the new GM.

So I guess we could say the next contract is completely all on the GM for accountability, as long as its a given and understood the only real say he has is amount of the raise on this deal (up to MLSE upper limit) as everything else has already been predetermined even before he was hired . :wg:

It would be unrealistic to judge the new GM claiming he didn't get Auston to sign a good contract of say 5 years at $10.5 mil take it or leave it, because he isn't starting from a clean slate but rather inherited issues and predetermined restrictions with limited choices.
 
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Its the former GM that failed to get the 8 years terms on the previous deal with 4 cheaper RFA cost controllable years at above UFA prices $11.6 mil that set the base price for the next contract, and also provided the NMC that gives all the leverage to the player to use to elevate his asking price to stay against fear of loss to the organization without return. So that sets the table for base price only thing left to negotiate is the amount of the raise by the new GM.

So I guess we could say the next contract is completely all on the GM for accountability, as long as its a give and understood the only real say he has is amount of the raise on this deal (up to MLSE upper limit) as everything else has already been predetermined even before he was hired . :wg:

It would be unrealistic to judge the new GM claiming he didn't get Auston to sign a good contract of say 5 years at $10.5 mil take it or leave it, because he isn't starting from a clean slate but rather inherited issues and predetermined restrictions and limited choices.

I am holding Treliving accountable for what he does.

He doesn't have to offer a bad contract.

Unless of course he is just a replacement puppet, in which case neither he nor Dubas can be held accountable.

Can't have it both ways.
 
You "overpay" if you're forced to. Then you give up this ridiculous notion that you can have 3 forwards making over 10/11M aav and a balanced NHL roster.
 
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I am holding Treliving accountable for what he does.

He doesn't have to offer a bad contract.

Unless of course he is just a replacement puppet, in which case neither he nor Dubas can be held accountable.

Can't have it both ways.
I will as well but I'm also able accept that inheriting 3 kids on ELC and signing them to their current deals and adding an $11 mil UFA, is different starting point then inheriting 3 X $11 mil players and told they're all staying and deal with it, in your next round of contract talks.

You're not evaluating GM performances on equal terms only on status and authority of position. When the previous GM was negotiating the contracts of the 3 Amigo's coming out of their ELC there were 4 years of cost controllable RFA years standing between them and UFA status, with little to no options for them in contract talks but holding out and going unpaid. Now all players will have total free agency status at completion, and so the market decides, and if Leafs are not willing to pay supply and demand rates no longer RFA comparable rates, those players are free to walk away to greener pastures.

However that said I like what I'm hearing so far..

According to talking heads like Elliotte Friedman Matthews originally was pushing for a short-term deal of 3-4 years at top $$ so he could double down one more time on his next contract. That is good for him but bad for Toronto to keep having to adjust to higher AAV cost, insteading of gaining on long-term deals where Cap ceiling goes up but C.H.% (cap hit %) goes down with a static AAV as more cap space grows to build around that player.

However the hiring of Shane Doan by Treliving a childhood idol and close friend of Matthews and Treliving pushing for max term deal, has according to rumours gotten Matthews on board willing to lock in long term this time round (which should have happened on last contract). There is also talk of a future captaincy involved on a #34 Leafs jersey to fuel further speculation of getting him to buy into a long-term commitment and the prestige that would go with that as part of his NHL legacy. New management is selling him on TEAM above just ME.
 
You never answered the question...I get it ...you hate Shanny and blame him for everything. You have already declared the leafs are screwed and Treliving is a puppet ... apparently Dubas wasnt the gm here the last 5 yrs...he was just a cut out who did nothing and made no decisions whatsoever. Curious....did you think the tdl moves were good this year? And who do you give credit to? Or is everything leaf related doom and gloom and everyone is incompetent at all times?

As far as Shanny sticking with Dubas too long. 5 yrs is about what gms get to show they can get things done. Personally I could see the issues the leafs had growing with each year but at the same time I kind of understand why they ran it back and believed they were close. After this latest playoffs my hope is they move in a different direction. Time will tell.

Im not even saying Im a Shanny fan. If they run it back and fail again with the new pieces surrounding the core I will be on the fire Shanny bandwagon. It just seems as though you have an agenda...every thread is about Shanny pullling all the strings all the time and what a loser he is and what a loser Tre is and what a loser Tanenbam is etc.


That would be terrible asset management but Im coming to the place where I dont care. Let him run out his last year and leave. If he were to do that then good riddance, we are better off without him and can use that 13-15 milly for players who want to be here. F**k him.

The bolded pretty much highlights how I feel right now.

I didn't think the trade deadline was good, no.

I have blamed Dubas plenty for the problems with the organization. After the Montreal series I have been blaming mainly Shanahan and ownership. They're the ones that kept Dubas around.

Even scarier Shanahan had a new contract for him.

I see no point in flogging a dead horse. Dubas is gone. A GM that didn't even want to be here and who was fired for reasons other than performance related isn't accountability in my eyes.

Even Keefe still has a job ffs.

Either Shanahan actively participated in botching the rebuild. Or he idly sat by and watched while Dubas did it. It's one of the other, there is no other choice.

Either way it doesn't look good on Shanahan.
 
Shanny is also at fault, but dubas was the main culprit.

I've never seen a gm get a pass and the blame put on the president. That's not how it works.

The gm makes the trades and is responsible for signing players and staff. Not the president.

But I do believe that shanny should be gone. The guy gave dubas the team at the worst time. To top it off, he even wanted to give dubas another contract! Hes been here for like 9 years with 1 series win. Not sure how hes survived this long.

I never gave the GM a pass though.

I don't see any point in flogging a dead horse. Seeking accountability from a GM that didn't even want to be here anymore and is gone seems silly. It would amount to nothing more than ranting.

Which I do enough of that already.

If they fail again this year, fans need to be pressuring ownership to make change.

Starting at the top, with Shanahan.

The buck stops there.
 
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