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

[Gabriel426]

June 22nd is coming to an end without a deal between Leafs and AM.
If at least 2 members of the Leafs staff is not on the phone calling other teams for a trade of AM, Treliving and Shanny should resign.
Our best offer should be on the table right now...if it is not shame on Treliving. If it is a trade must be made.

They cannot announce any deals with AM till July 1.

I think the fact that there is no trade rumors leaking on the internet about AM is a good bet he is staying.

 

[geo25]

June 22nd is coming to an end without a deal between Leafs and AM.
If at least 2 members of the Leafs staff is not on the phone calling other teams for a trade of AM, Treliving and Shanny should resign.
Our best offer should be on the table right now...if it is not shame on Treliving. If it is a trade must be made.

It blows my mind as well that there is no rumours out there of anything other thsn mgmt taking him out to dinner and discussing life etc...like, no sense of urgency. I would literally laugh if AM pulls a Gaudreau and leaves TO empty handed. Would serve the new billionaire Tautenbaum(?) right for ignoring the team and caring only about social injustice and other bs I cant discuss here. The incompetence appals me.

 

[thewave]

It blows my mind as well that there is no rumours out there of anything other thsn mgmt taking him out to dinner and discussing life etc...like, no sense of urgency. I would literally laugh if AM pulls a Gaudreau and leaves TO empty handed. Would serve the new billionaire Tautenbaum(?) right for ignoring the team and caring only about social injustice and other bs I cant discuss here. The incompetence appals me.

Why would Larry care? He probably knows that there are going to be major asset losses or crippling cap situations and that would hurt evaluations going forward. This is a great time to sell, Raptors have Barnes and some good assets, Leafs Matthews, Marner and Nylander under contract. If they lose some of those players including the Raptors and it doesn't look like a cup or NBA title will be won here for a decade it could spell 1Billion off that evaluation. Not even getting into the rumors of recession and what that means for consumer spending etc.

Larry is smart to cash out now.

 

[geo25]

Why would Larry care? He probably knows that there are going to be major asset losses or crippling cap situations and that would hurt evaluations going forward. This is a great time to sell, Raptors have Barnes and some good assets, Leafs Matthews, Marner and Nylander under contract. If they lose some of those players including the Raptors and it doesn't look like a cup or NBA title will be won here for a decade it could spell 1Billion off that evaluation. Not even getting into the rumors of recession and what that means for consumer spending etc.

Yep, he sees the dark clouds...

 

[rojac]

June 22nd is coming to an end without a deal between Leafs and AM.
If at least 2 members of the Leafs staff is not on the phone calling other teams for a trade of AM, Treliving and Shanny should resign.
Our best offer should be on the table right now...if it is not shame on Treliving. If it is a trade must be made.

To be accurate, June 22nd is coming to an end and there are no rumours of a deal (or one being close) between the Leafs and Auston Matthews.

Nothing can officially be done before July 1.

I'm pretty sure that any kind of agreement between the player and the team that occurs before July 1 would be totally unbinding.

 

[QJo]

You can't give him more than Mackinnon unless you get the 8th year. Forget cap % Mackinnon is making 12.6 for the next 8 years. A 7 year contract for matthews would overlap that exactly and that has to be tops.

 

[nuck]

Dupe

 

[thewave]

You can't give him more than Mackinnon unless you get the 8th year. Forget cap % Mackinnon is making 12.6 for the next 8 years. A 7 year contract for matthews would overlap that exactly and that has to be tops.

Forget about the term. I'd match it and go 5 if we don't have to NMC him. The Leafs should be a strictly run on... WE DO NOT GIVE NMCs. Honestly if I am Treliving that's what I would become known for. No NMCs in my book Treliving.

NMC is the dagger. 16 Teams no trade lists sure, NMC's are a joke and if we eliminated that we retain asset value, screw these rich princes.

 

[Stephen]

Edmonton is like us.. they play in spurts. You beat them by bending only and continue to lean on them.. they are farther away than they are close in my opinion

I think they surpassed us with the Ekholm addition, but could break down again because Campbell and Skinner are two wild cards.

 

[Boxscore]

There are many, many posts saying that these players don’t care, don’t try, would rather be at the cottage once the season is over, etc.

Seems you agree that they could win in the right environment.

I think this is chix vs. egg argument though, no?

I mean, the main reason they will likely never find themselves in the right environment is because they are spoiled, greedy children who prioritize every last dollar over being a part of a deeply built team. The fact is, they can't have it both ways -- if they want to make 11+ and 14 million in a hard cap world, they'll never be part of a deep and balanced team. And, if they demand those dollars and are not as great as the players I mentioned, then it ends in annual disappointment, heartbreak, and frustration. But these kids have no one else to blame but themselves.

So, in a way, I think there is much truth to them ultimately not caring. Or not caring in a way that makes it possible to improve the situation. Sure, they care, but only once all of their personal demands are met. What they care mostly about is their own net worth, not the Toronto Maple Leafs.

No fan expects them to make peanuts, but in a cap world, when is enough enough? And what's with their constant obsession with "being the highest paid" and signing short-term deals so they can "hit a HR on their next deal too"?

I think any reasonable person who has watched this core over the last 7 years can safely say that these kids are spoiled, entitled, and their priorities are not heavily aligned with making the Toronto Maple Leafs a true Cup contender. This is a fact. So, would it surprise me if these kids would rather be at the cottage, or following Bieber around, than grinding it out deep in the playoffs and taking all the physical abuse that comes with it? Honestly, not in the least. But, heck, they can prove me wrong! So far though, they've proven what they're really all about -- money and entitlement. Right now Matthews has a chance to reverse course but all indications are that he's going to double-down even worse. What then?

 

[andora]

I think they surpassed us with the Ekholm addition, but could break down again because Campbell and Skinner are two wild cards.

Its nurse bouchard desharnais and sometimes ceci that were causing it along with forwards not helping

Ekholm could only do so much.. he was like rielly alone

 

[Boxscore]

I think they surpassed us with the Ekholm addition, but could break down again because Campbell and Skinner are two wild cards.

I agree that us and the Oilers are similar top-heavy teams that are not properly built for serious Cup runs. However, if we're being brutally honest, our two best players can't touch their two best players. While Matthews is scoring at a 36 goal, 72 point pace in the playoffs, and Marner is playing like a cavalier beer leaguer, McDavid and Draisaitl are scoring at a pace rivaling Gretzky and Lemieux in the playoffs. HUGE DIFFERENCE.

I've watched every game the Leafs and Oilers played in the playoffs since all these kids entered the league. For as flawed as the Oilers are, watching 97 and 29 put the team on their backs is encouraging as an Oilers fan and there's a certain level of optimism that "this year they will be unstoppable and all the cards will fall right." But I have never gotten that feeling with the Leafs. Our best players simply shrivel up in the playoffs and look as if they care less, let alone hate losing.

 

[Stephen]

I think any reasonable person who has watched this core over the last 7 years can safely say that these kids are spoiled, entitled, and their priorities are not heavily aligned with making the Toronto Maple Leafs a true Cup contender. This is a fact. So, would it surprise me if these kids would rather be at the cottage, or following Bieber around, than grinding it out deep in the playoffs and taking all the physical abuse that comes with it? Honestly, not in the least. But, heck, they can prove me wrong! So far though, they've proven what they're really all about -- money and entitlement. Right now Matthews has a chance to reverse course but all indications are that he's going to double-down even worse. What then?

I don't know if I subscribe to the idea that players that win the Stanley Cup enjoy their money and entitlement and cottage time any less than your typical Leaf star...

But I do think agree they need a little a lot more fight in them from a culture POV to get closer to winning a championship. Dubas and Shanahan have peddled a lot of team of destiny nonsense as if Time x Belief could yield championship results. Success isn't inevitable.

 

[Stephen]

I agree that us and the Oilers are similar top-heavy teams that are not properly built for serious Cup runs. However, if we're being brutally honest, our two best players can't touch their two best players. While Matthews is scoring at a 36 goal, 72 point pace in the playoffs, and Marner is playing like a cavalier beer leaguer, McDavid and Draisaitl are scoring at a pace rivaling Gretzky and Lemieux in the playoffs. HUGE DIFFERENCE.

I've watched every game the Leafs and Oilers played in the playoffs since all these kids entered the league. For as flawed as the Oilers are, watching 97 and 29 put the team on their backs is encouraging as an Oilers fan and there's a certain level of optimism that "this year they will be unstoppable and all the cards will fall right." But I have never gotten that feeling with the Leafs. Our best players simply shrivel up in the playoffs and look as if they care less, let alone hate losing.

Yeah, I don't disagree. As I mentioned before in this thread, all things being equal, I'd rather Matthews fail in the playoffs like Draisaitl, being a points pig than getting so much better defensively and short circuiting offensively.

With Draisaitl, you know you're getting the star power and the real numbers and you might lose 6-5 on a turnover by Draisaitl himself. With Matthews, we might get goalied and lose 2-1. But I'd rather he gave me 2 G 1 A and I solve all my other problems one variable at a time, knowing I'm getting my $13 million in value. That's what I need going forward.

 

[Moonman]

LT is smart. This organization is on course for severe long-term pain.

 

[WillNy29]

Yeah, I don't disagree. As I mentioned before in this thread, all things being equal, I'd rather Matthews fail in the playoffs like Draisaitl, being a points pig than getting so much better defensively and short circuiting offensively.

With Draisaitl, you know you're getting the star power and the real numbers and you might lose 6-5 on a turnover by Draisaitl himself. With Matthews, we might get goalied and lose 2-1. But I'd rather he gave me 2 G 1 A and I solve all my other problems one variable at a time, knowing I'm getting my $13 million in value. That's what I need going forward.

didn't get a lot of that star power in the final 5 games of the playoffs from him... only the turnovers

 

[Squiffy]

It blows my mind as well that there is no rumours out there of anything other thsn mgmt taking him out to dinner and discussing life etc...like, no sense of urgency. I would literally laugh if AM pulls a Gaudreau and leaves TO empty handed. Would serve the new billionaire Tautenbaum(?) right for ignoring the team and caring only about social injustice and other bs I cant discuss here. The incompetence appals me.

What would signify urgency to you that you don’t now see?

I’m picturing Larry showing up at AM’s pad with Luca Brasi here. “Austin, I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Either your brains or your signature will be on this contract”

​

 

[Boxscore]

Yeah, I don't disagree. As I mentioned before in this thread, all things being equal, I'd rather Matthews fail in the playoffs like Draisaitl, being a points pig than getting so much better defensively and short circuiting offensively.

With Draisaitl, you know you're getting the star power and the real numbers and you might lose 6-5 on a turnover by Draisaitl himself. With Matthews, we might get goalied and lose 2-1. But I'd rather he gave me 2 G 1 A and I solve all my other problems one variable at a time, knowing I'm getting my $13 million in value. That's what I need going forward.

Couldn't agree more. Matthews will never be Guy Carbonneau, and if he were, he'd be making 6.5 mil instead of close to 12. If the Leafs were losing in the playoffs but Matthews and Marner were carrying the load and producing at an elite level, there would at least be optimism that this core could get it done if things fall their way. In order for depth pieces to pay off, the stars still need to shine. No matter how great Marchessault and Hill were, Vegas doesn't win the Cup if Eichel, Stone, Pietrangelo and Theodore didn't come up huge during the run. I currently don't have confidence that our stars have it in their DNA to lead the team during wartime.

And here's the difference between Draisaitl and Matthews -- watch some of Leon's post game pressers where he's showing emotion and is visibly irate after losing. When have we ever seen this from Matthews? Never. He has such a ho-hum, cavalier attitude that's extremely frustrating. I expect more from a player who will soon demand to be the highest paid in hockey history. We all should.

didn't get a lot of that star power in the final 5 games of the playoffs from him... only the turnovers

1.64 PPG in the playoffs for Draisaitl. You know what Matthews is?? 0.88 lmao. 7 years of playoffs and he averages half of what Draisaitl does.

 

[geo25]

What would signify urgency to you that you don’t now see?

I’m picturing Larry showing up at AM’s pad with Luca Brasi here. “Austin, I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Either your brains or your signature will be on this contract”

​

That would work lol!

 

[Niagara Bill]

To be accurate, June 22nd is coming to an end and there are no rumours of a deal (or one being close) between the Leafs and Auston Matthews.

Nothing can officially be done before July 1.

I'm pretty sure that any kind of agreement between the player and the team that occurs before July 1 would be totally unbinding.

They can talk, they can agree, they cannot sign, they can announce they are both happy!

They cannot announce any deals with AM till July 1.

I think the fact that there is no trade rumors leaking on the internet about AM is a good bet he is staying.

Hope uou are right

 

[HamiltonNHL]

If Matthews signs for 8 years then he's badly injured.

 

[francis246]

If Matthews signs for 8 years then he's badly injured.

Or maybe he just wants to commit? Does everything have to be a conspiracy?

People were speculating that Matthews wanted a shorter term deal. Has anyone heard Matthews say that? Wasn’t it reported before that he wanted an 8 year deal and Dubas said 5 would give the team and Auston more flexibility?

 

[BertCorbeau]

If Matthews signs for 8 years then he's badly injured.

If Matthews was badly injured there wouldn’t be reports that he was seeking a 4-5 year deal

 

[HamiltonNHL]

If Matthews was badly injured there wouldn’t be reports that he was seeking a 4-5 year deal

The Media is unreliable.

And so is Shanahan.

I believe nothing until it’s official.

 

[geo25]

Some just believe it doesn't have to be one or the other.


If you swap out a Vegas player for Matthews do they still win the cup?

You can swap out 3 LV players for AM salary ....get real

The Media is unreliable.

And so is Shanahan.

I believe nothing until it’s official.

The owners of MLSE own the media so you're right. As for Shanny (I watch out for me first) Shanaplan hes a pos who stays in the shadows but pulls the strings. They have so much talent and no leadership or vision...starting at the top.