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

[TheGreenTBer]

he's not a winner. he's a douche.

yes, you let him walk.

I'd rather move him as a rental but I hate him just as much as you do.

Stop worrying about what other teams are doing. They fall under different circumstances that don't apply to the Leafs.

1. What other market gives this much of a headache to its star players? You think superstars in Colorado, Florida, Boston or NY are receiving the same headaches that Matthews and co are?

Y'all NHL23 warriors think it's as simple as restarting the game when you mess up...You're dealing with a top 3-5 player...Sundin is closer to Tavares than he is to Matthews....You think Curry/Lebron/Jokic/Doncic/Giannis are getting lowballed by their teams? You think their teams complain that they demand max contracts? LMFAO

2. If you're going to get paid regardless of where you go, you have leverage...Toronto doesn't have the post-season success of Boston or Colorado to retain their stars. Pasta didn't sign a team friendly deal. Mackinnon stayed on a cup-winning team. Boston and Tampa's salary structure is predicated on a decade + of deep post-season runs...WTF has Toronto done to expect that same salary buy-in from their stars?

What exactly are the Leafs?

Stop worrying what other teams are doing? Are you kidding? Do you think we play in a goddamned vacuum? We are competing against other teams, that's the whole point of this league.

The price you pay for superstardom in Toronto is increased attention. If a player doesn't want to win here, where he can be a bigger star than anywhere else, move him.

These are the most loyal fans in hockey. I live in Boston and if these fans got the same run-around from their players as Matthews does to Leafs fans they'd rake him over the f***ing coals and rightfully so. You Toronto people are too nice!

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I love how Friedman says Matthews cap-hit might seem high at first but will look better as the cap rises. Why are we the only team that players fleece every penny from based on what the cap will look like 3 years from now? Our players don't give us full-term either. MacKinnon must have been a real sucker then to sign with the Avs for $12.6m x 8?

We heard the same BS 5 5 years ago when they all signed..."Oh don't worry the cap will go up" Worked out real well last time why not do it again!

 

[PromisedLand]

Public Service Announcement

Matthews earns on average about 3 million per year with endorsements etc... just because he is a Leaf. This endorsement is only likely to go up to about 4 to 5 million on avreage per year if he stays a Leaf.

Technically Matthews' annual average "income" in Toronto at present is

11.6 (contract) + 3 (endoresements) = approx 15M per year on average.

LOL at 14 million demand.

 

[Sypher04]

We heard the same BS 5 5 years ago when they all signed..."Oh don't worry the cap will go up" Worked out real well last time why not do it again!

I mean, if not for a global pandemic it would have been true. I’m thinking the odds of that happening twice are pretty poor

 

[ToDavid]

Speculation on full term deal based on % of projected Cap.

The belief is also that Matthews might consider a seven or even eight-year deal, but only if the deal came with a cap hit that accounted for where the cap is going, not where it is today.

An eight-year deal, for instance, might come with a $16 million cap hit, given how high the cap is projected to rise.

That’s not a “report” it’s a ridiculous number based on bad math. I don’t know what Matthews does or does not want but that article is hilariously bad. He’s acting like Matthews is the first player in NHL history to sign a contract with the expectation that the cap will go up. It’s nonsensical.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I mean, if not for a global pandemic it would have been true. I’m thinking the odds of that happening twice are pretty poor

I get that and realize the cap probably will go up. My point remains though that we seem to be the only team that has our stars negotiate based off of not what the cap is now but off what it might be in 3 years.

 

[Sypher04]

Public Service Announcement

Matthews earns on average about 3 million per year with endorsements etc... just because he is a Leaf. This endorsement is only likely to go up to about 4 to 5 million on avreage per year if he stays a Leaf.

Technically Matthews' annual average "income" in Toronto at present is

11.6 (contract) + 3 (endoresements) = approx 15M per year on average.

LOL at 14 million demand.

Matthews’ endorsements are irrelevant. It is money he earns for work he does outside of playing hockey. Yes, his profile, being a Leaf is higher, but he’s a legit superstar regardless of where he’s playing, and it’s not like all the other stars around like McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon don’t have tons of endorsements themselves

I get that and realize the cap probably will go up. My point remains though that we seem to be the only team that has our stars negotiate based off of not what the cap is now but off what it might be in 3 years.

I would argue all good agents do this. Our media machine just drums it up like no other

 

[ToDavid]

I love how Friedman says Matthews cap-hit might seem high at first but will look better as the cap rises. Why are we the only team that players fleece every penny from based on what the cap will look like 3 years from now? Our players don't give us full-term either. MacKinnon must have been a real sucker then to sign with the Avs for $12.6m x 8?

Seriously, it’s like the cap increasing is some novel phenomenon that has only just been discovered. We’re expected to perform calculus to justify these contracts.

 

[PromisedLand]

Matthews’ endorsements are irrelevant. It is money he earns for work he does outside of playing hockey. Yes, his profile, being a Leaf is higher, but he’s a legit superstar regardless of where he’s playing, and it’s not like all the other stars around like McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon don’t have tons of endorsements themselves

Nobody outside of Matthews, Marner, McDavid (legit superstar), Ovi earns more than 1M per year from endorsements in the entire league.

Matthews playing in Arizona will get the same money for endorsement compared to playing for the Leafs?

It absolutely Matters!!!

Matthews gets 3M on avearge right now ONLY because he is a Leaf. And it will only go up to 4 to 6M on average per year if remains a Leaf. that should most definitely be a factor in contract negotiations.

 

[Sypher04]

LMAO matthews isn't worth 14M over the 8 year deal forget about 5 year deal.

may be put a clause in his contract for the years he doesn't score at least 50 goals and in the playoffs he doesn't average at least 4 goals per 7 games he will forefiet half of the annual earnings back to MLSE

and if he has any wrist issues moving forward he will willingly cancel the contract status

also no signing bonuses,

Nobody who knows anything has indicated it’ll be 14. That said, his value per year on a 5 year deal is higher than an 8, so your post is kind of nonsensical.

 

[MCR74]

I'd rather move him as a rental but I hate him just as much as you do.

Stop worrying what other teams are doing? Are you kidding? Do you think we play in a goddamned vacuum? We are competing against other teams, that's the whole point of this league.

The price you pay for superstardom in Toronto is increased attention. If a player doesn't want to win here, where he can be a bigger star than anywhere else, move him.

These are the most loyal fans in hockey. I live in Boston and if these fans got the same run-around from their players as Matthews does to Leafs fans they'd rake him over the f***ing coals and rightfully so. You Toronto people are too nice!

Boston wouldn't be paying Matthews and Marner their current salaries either (never mind a substantial raise). I wish our GM would've had the balls to say no.

 

[Canadian Finn]

It’s guys like you that don’t get it.

You never except the players for who they actually are, you expect everyone to be Wendel Clark. Same reason a guy like Kessel gets shamed for “not being a winner” (ring a bell?), then goes on to win back to back cups as a key contributor.

You are a clueless, troll.

sure thing son.

 

[Sypher04]

Nobody outside of Matthews, Marner, McDavid (legit superstar), Ovi earns more than 1M per year from endorsements in the entire league.

Matthews playing in Arizona will get the same money for endorsement compared to playing for the Leafs?

It absolutely Matters!!!

Matthews gets 3M on avearge right now ONLY because he is a Leaf. And it will only go up to 4 to 6M on average per year if remains a Leaf. that should most definitely be a factor in contract negotiations.

As I said, endorsements have nothing to do with his NHL contract value. You’re free to disagree, but you’re objectively wrong.

It’s a perk, but it’s not a negotiation point.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Matthews’ endorsements are irrelevant. It is money he earns for work he does outside of playing hockey. Yes, his profile, being a Leaf is higher, but he’s a legit superstar regardless of where he’s playing, and it’s not like all the other stars around like McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon don’t have tons of endorsements themselves



I would argue all good agents do this. Our media machine just drums it up like no other

You got countless players around the league that just inch the bar forward take max term keep their team competitive. The media can absolutely fan the flames around here but this is all on the players and what their priorities have been at this point. This isn't me hating on them either, their actions plainly show it has been priority 1) Money 2) Win. Other players around the league those are in different orders.

 

[PromisedLand]

Nobody who knows anything has indicated it’ll be 14. That said, his value per year on a 5 year deal is higher than an 8, so your post is kind of nonsensical.

yea... MacKinnon is also nonsensical for signing 12.6 X 8.

LMAO get outta here buddy

 

[Sypher04]

You got countless players around the league that just inch the bar forward take max term keep their team competitive. The media can absolutely fan the flames around here but this is all on the players and what their priorities have been at this point. This isn't me hating on them either, their actions plainly show it has been priority 1) Money 2) Win. Other players around the league those are in different orders.

One round of contract negotiations doesn’t equal a pattern. Maybe we wait and see what they do this go around first.

 

[PromisedLand]

As I said, endorsements have nothing to do with his NHL contract value. You’re free to disagree, but you’re objectively wrong.

It’s a perk, but it’s not a negotiation point.

Very he can get this "perk" and his "contract" from some other team in the league.

Leafs should not bend over for the ridiculous demands.

its a team game. Matthews is not superman that will singlehandedly change the outcome of the series or games.

 

[Sypher04]

yea... MacKinnon is also nonsensical for signing 12.6 X 8.

LMAO get outta here buddy

Your response doesn’t even make sense.
I’m saying MacKinnon’s 5 year number would have been higher than 12.6, not lower.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

One round of contract negotiations doesn’t equal a pattern. Maybe we wait and see what they do this go around first.

I mean that round of negotiations kind of set the path for the last 5 years. Now you have the rumoured numbers thrown around for both Nylander and Matthews in the last week or so? I mean yes there is a chance the deals get done and we get surprised by the numbers in a good way....I will be shocked.

 

[Sypher04]

I mean that round of negotiations kind of set the path for the last 5 years. Now you have the rumoured numbers thrown around for both Nylander and Matthews in the last week or so? I mean yes there is a chance the deals get done and we get surprised by the numbers in a good way....I will be shocked.

We’ve certainly had a lot of speculation masquerading as reporting. I’m just saying maybe we let it play out before everyone loses their crap.

Let’s be real though, and I’m not saying you specifically, but generally speaking talking to this fanbase has become miserable, childish and toxic so I fully expect these people to hate whatever number it comes in at regardless of how good or bad it actually is

 

[NVious]

Good luck selling Matthews (or anyone) on giving up millions of dollars so it can go to the likes of Reaves or Kampf

If we had a gm with balls, he'd tell him we have to sign guys like that because you don't show up in the playoffs

 

[Sypher04]

If we had a gm with balls, he'd tell him we have to sign guys like that because you don't show up in the playoffs

Yep, because that’d be helpful when trying to sign a guy to a long term extension.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

We’ve certainly had a lot of speculation masquerading as reporting. I’m just saying maybe we let it play out before everyone loses their crap.

Let’s be real though, and I’m not saying you specifically, but generally speaking talking to this fanbase has become miserable, childish and toxic so I fully expect these people to hate whatever number it comes in at regardless of how good or bad it actually is

I mean I know I have a number in my mind that I would be more then happy with. I just don't have a lot of hope of it happening. Anything 13 and under with Matthews and I am perfectly fine. 9 and under with Willy. I don't think these guys should be getting underpaid...they do not need to continually try and blow past any market comps. Like I said I have very very little hope in this but certainly do hope I am wrong on this.

 

[PromisedLand]

Your response doesn’t even make sense.
I’m saying MacKinnon’s 5 year number would have been higher than 12.6, not lower.

why in the blue hell is Matthews' 8 year number has to be 16 million?

Matthews signed his 5 yr deal at 11.6; for 8 yr deal he was looking at higher AAV

In which world is Matthews worth more than Mack on the 8 year deal especially given the earning potential in endorsements Matthews has per year when he is a Leaf?

It amazes me that you are advocating Matthews gets the most money. Are you a Leafs fan or Auston Matthews fan?

 

[Sypher04]

why in the blue hell is Matthews' 8 year number has to be 16 million?

It wouldn’t be.

I f***ing despise lazy articles like Siegel’s “work” here. Because he’s completely wrong, and speculating but the end result is people take it at face value and don’t think critically and the argument spun in directions it has no reason to go.

Matthews is neither asking or getting 16Mx8

There is no world in which that happens.