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

[mjd1001]

How come it’s only our stars that hard ball the team?

Around the league most stars sign more team friendly contracts.

Mcdavid, Mackinnon, Tkachuk, Pasta, Crosby, Malkin, etc.

And don't forget the young up-and-comers:
-Jack Hughes is on pace to contend for a future MVP and hes long term for $8m per year
-Hintz put up almost 40 in the last couple years and he is long term at $8.4m
-Tage Thompson in Buf put up 40 last year and almost 50 this year (playing hurt toward the end of the season) at $7.1m
-Robertson in Dallas has 87 goals in the last 2 years and is at $7.7

Toronto really could use something CLOSE to that kind of bargain with at least one of their core players.

 

[ALine]

This deal seems like it should be pretty easy to hammer out, IMO, under the assumption that both parties are negotiating in good faith.

Matthew’s should not find being made the highest earning player in the league, being just ahead of MacKinnon’s deal, an unreasonable offer. He gets well compensated and he gets that ‘cachet’.

The leafs should be comfortable paying that, as long as it’s over 8 years. He has to show an 8 year commitment, full stop.

One party gets made the highest earner in the league, for now, the other party gets their increased cap savings as the cap goes up over 8 years.

If Matthews can’t commit for 8 years to help the team by staying and the long run cap savings, and the leafs can’t commit to making that deal for a hart and 2x rocket winner, then both parties should just agree to move on and explore a trade.

Nightmare scenario is another 5 year (or less)deal while still being in the 13+ cap hit territory.

 

[sxvnert]

Leafs can give Matthews, Nylander and Marner top dollar so long as JTs 11m is out the door. Leafs have one more season of Nylander & Matthews under their old deals, then next summer Brad needs to tell JT to get the **** out. At that point with, one year remaining, I see no reason why he would fight against it.

 

[egd27]

You seem to be missing a number of names there. Weird how you went really in depth to injury fill-ins and players that played a handful of games, but missed a bunch of the better and more obvious players. Also weird how our supposedly bad depth keeps finding raises and spots with other competitive teams.

Who was missed? I ignored players that played a Top 6 role like Hyman and Bunting as ,IMO, they are not considered depth pieces.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Who was missed?

Hyman, Bunting, O'Rielly, Kerfoot, Foligno, Knies, Blackwell, etc.

I ignored players that played a Top 6 role like Hyman and Bunting as ,IMO, they are not considered depth pieces.

Ah, so if we just arbitrarily don't count many of our best depth as depth, then we can claim we've had bad depth. Genius!

 

[andora]

Who was missed? I ignored players that played a Top 6 role like Hyman and Bunting as ,IMO, they are not considered depth pieces.

Depth is anyone not the 4 horsemen

 

[Da Cool Rula]

How come it’s only our stars that hard ball the team?

Around the league most stars sign more team friendly contracts.

Mcdavid, Mackinnon, Tkachuk, Pasta, Crosby, Malkin, etc.

Playing in Canada, with the taxes etc you've got to add atleast a million per year to sign a star. As for McDavid remember when he signed too. So that wasn't really a deal. He was the highest paid player.

But fact are facts... the core 4 - 1 are not team players. Money is priority to them.

 

[MCR74]

Why does a dog lick its privates? Because it can.

What a great analogy. Well done.

 

[Boxscore]

The Toronto Maple Leaf-Dubasisms of “betting on yourself” needs to be corrected over the next little while from a cultural standpoint. It’s all good for a UFA or own free agent to come here for individualistic reasons, build their career, inflate their next contract via market exposure. These are realities that work for the Leafs in attracting talent.But it also fosters an openly short term, mercenary mentality and tacit understanding that this organization won’t be able to reward you. Just milk you for your short term gain. That needs to change. We need to be a team where the goal is to be a Leaf and be successful and everything else is gravy. Not the vehicle to all the other stuff.

I don't understand how this is so difficult to comprehend. We're not the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, or another team that is (or should be) desperate to overpay for talent to stay relevant.

At this point, anyone who doesn't realize there needs to be a culture reset, has been asleep at the wheel for 7 years. And it starts with everyone's darling, Auston Matthews. The problem is, the fans are afraid to even question his motives because at this point, deep down, they know he is a diva who can walk if he doesn't get his way. It's embarrassing.

 

[Boxscore]

I think they're going pretty normally. We have no reason to think otherwise.

Not really related to the topic, but:
1. We've actually managed to put together pretty good depth over the years.
2. If you're upset that we didn't have even better depth, that has more to do with the cap unexpectedly stagnating for multiple years due to a pandemic and our disappointing drafting towards the end of our rebuild and the beginning of our rise than it does paying elite players what they're worth.

They're not overpaying them at all. They're negotiating around what would be pretty reasonable deals.

The depth has been horrific. Hail Mary passes like Joe Thornton who are 9,004 years old and benched late in the season.

They certainly are overpaying them. Marner signed years ago for 10.8 mil x 6 when Matt Tkachuk just signed last summer for 9.5 x 8 (after scoring 40 goals and 100+ points).

John Tavares signed for 11 when Nikita Kucherov signed the following summer for 9.5 (after winning the Hart and scoring 126 points to Tavares career high 86).

Defending these atrocious contracts is part of the problem. Fair market would have been:

Nylander: 6.5
Marner: 8.5
Matthews: 10.5
Tavares: 9.5

This would have given us 5+ million a year extra to spend on quality depth pieces. Guys like the ones Vegas added to win a Cup.

 

[Confucius]

This deal seems like it should be pretty easy to hammer out, IMO, under the assumption that both parties are negotiating in good faith.

Matthew’s should not find being made the highest earning player in the league, being just ahead of MacKinnon’s deal, an unreasonable offer. He gets well compensated and he gets that ‘cachet’.

The leafs should be comfortable paying that, as long as it’s over 8 years. He has to show an 8 year commitment, full stop.

One party gets made the highest earner in the league, for now, the other party gets their increased cap savings as the cap goes up over 8 years.

If Matthews can’t commit for 8 years to help the team by staying and the long run cap savings, and the leafs can’t commit to making that deal for a hart and 2x rocket winner, then both parties should just agree to move on and explore a trade.

Nightmare scenario is another 5 year (or less)deal while still being in the 13+ cap hit territory.

Well I’d prefer 5 over 8, you really think Mathews would be worth 13 at age 32, 33, 34? I think he isn’t worth that now…

 

[Racer88]

The depth has been horrific. Hail Mary passes like Joe Thornton who are 9,004 years old and benched late in the season.

They certainly are overpaying them. Marner signed years ago for 10.8 mil x 6 when Matt Tkachuk just signed last summer for 9.5 x 8 (after scoring 40 goals and 100+ points).

John Tavares signed for 11 when Nikita Kucherov signed the following summer for 9.5 (after winning the Hart and scoring 126 points to Tavares career high 86).

Defending these atrocious contracts is part of the problem. Fair market would have been:

Nylander: 6.5
Marner: 8.5
Matthews: 10.5
Tavares: 9.5

This would have given us 5+ million a year extra to spend on quality depth pieces. Guys like the ones Vegas added to win a Cup.

Yup absolutely no question they are overpaid. Especially since they have accomplished nothing in the last 7 years.
1 single round win, for that price point it’s pathetic

 

[authentic]

Well I’d prefer 5 over 8, you really think Mathews would be worth 13 at age 32, 33, 34? I think he isn’t worth that now…

Especially if the wrist and whatever other health issues persist. The shorter the deal the better really. We likely won't even be a contender 5 years from now anyway.

 

[MCR74]

I don't understand how this is so difficult to comprehend. We're not the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, or another team that is (or should be) desperate to overpay for talent to stay relevant.

At this point, anyone who doesn't realize there needs to be a culture reset, has been asleep at the wheel for 7 years. And it starts with everyone's darling, Auston Matthews. The problem is, the fans are afraid to even question his motives because at this point, deep down, they know he is a diva who can walk if he doesn't get his way. It's embarrassing.

If he walks, he walks, so be it. Not like he shows up in the post-season. $13M won't suddenly change that.

 

[Boxscore]

Well I’d prefer 5 over 8, you really think Mathews would be worth 13 at age 32, 33, 34? I think he isn’t worth that now…

Here's the problem with that:

If Matthews is supposed to be the legit superstar he wants to be paid as, then the Leafs absolutely need an 8 year deal. This way, if/when the cap goes up in 2-3 years, the Leafs have Matthews under wraps and can use that extra cap bump to surround him with better talent for the last 5-6 years of his contract in hopes of winning a Cup or two. This is the only way top-heavy teams with hefty cap hits can eventually build something.

If Matthews and Marner keep signing short-term, they get to reset their cap % when it goes up, which removes the opportunity of having extra cap dollars to spend on a better "team."

Do you think any other fanbase doesn't want their young superstar to commit long-term? Why do we? Do you think the Oilers, Bruins, Avs, Devils, and Avs didn't want McDavid, Pasta, MacKinnon, Hughes, and Stutzle to commit long-term so they have cost certainty?

The only reason we wouldn't want Matthews for 8 years is because we honestly don't trust him, his game, his dedication, or his body to hold up. But this kid is only 25 years old. Could you imagine having reservations about a 25 year old supposed megastar? Lol.

 

[Confucius]

Here's the problem with that:

If Matthews is supposed to be the legit superstar he wants to be paid as, then the Leafs absolutely need an 8 year deal. This way, if/when the cap goes up in 2-3 years, the Leafs have Matthews under wraps and can use that extra cap bump to surround him with better talent for the last 5-6 years of his contract in hopes of winning a Cup or two. This is the only way top-heavy teams with hefty cap hits can eventually build something.

If Matthews and Marner keep signing short-term, they get to reset their cap % when it goes up, which removes the opportunity of having extra cap dollars to spend on a better "team."

Do you think any other fanbase doesn't want their young superstar to commit long-term? Why do we? Do you think the Oilers, Bruins, Avs, Devils, and Avs didn't want McDavid, Pasta, MacKinnon, Hughes, and Stutzle to commit long-term so they have cost certainty?

The only reason we wouldn't want Matthews for 8 years is because we honestly don't trust him, his game, his dedication, or his body to hold up. But this kid is only 25 years old. Could you imagine having reservations about a 25 year old supposed megastar? Lol.

He’ll be 27 when his next contract kicks in, past his prime. Not washed up by any means but 27 is not a young up and coming star you want long term, that would be 21-22

 

[centipede2233]

And don't forget the young up-and-comers:
-Jack Hughes is on pace to contend for a future MVP and hes long term for $8m per year
-Hintz put up almost 40 in the last couple years and he is long term at $8.4m
-Tage Thompson in Buf put up 40 last year and almost 50 this year (playing hurt toward the end of the season) at $7.1m
-Robertson in Dallas has 87 goals in the last 2 years and is at $7.7

Toronto really could use something CLOSE to that kind of bargain with at least one of their core players.

That’s why it’s impossible to win a cup with matthews at 13 mil plus when there are comparable players at a 8 mil caphit…..matthews would have to be a perennial 55-60 goal man and similar production in the playoffs, he matched none of that this past year in the reg season or playoffs. I’d wait until next summer to see how he does this year. Is he a 50-60 goal guy, or is he a 35-40 goal guy. No team has the cap and can structure it with huge bonuses and is competing like the leafs. Matthews doesn’t have the leverage you might think he has.

 

[Boxscore]

He’ll be 27 when his next contract kicks in, past his prime. Not washed up by any means but 27 is not a young up and coming star you want long term, that would be 21-22

Ovechkin is scoring 40+ goals at 37. If Matthews wants to be the highest paid player on the planet, he better not be a 25-30 goal scorer at 34.

We've seen what overpaying for 4 forwards has resulted in over the last 7 years -- one playoff series win. Continuing down this same path is the definition of insanity. If we don't change the internal salary structure and culture of the team, we better start trading these dudes for top assets before they walk for nothing or become tainted from never being able to win.

The current recipe is a recipe for playoff failure.

 

[Confucius]

That’s why it’s impossible to win a cup with matthews at 13 mil plus when there are comparable players at a 8 mil caphit…..matthews would have to be a perennial 55-60 goal man and similar production in the playoffs, he matched none of that this past year in the reg season or playoffs. I’d wait until next summer to see how he does this year. Is he a 50-60 goal guy, or is he a 35-40 goal guy. No team has the cap and can structure it with huge bonuses and is competing like the leafs. Matthews doesn’t have the leverage you might think he has.

No way Mathews is a 50 plus goal guy in his mid 30S

Ovechkin is scoring 40+ goals at 37. If Matthews wants to be the highest paid player on the planet, he better not be a 30 goal scorer at 34.

Well that is more realistic. Lol

 

[A1LeafNation]

Matthews gonna make 13m while other contenders like LA #1C Kopitar making 7m.

Wonder if Matthews gets it or does he not really care about winning.

Crosby and Bergeron openly talked about taking less to win.

 

[Boxscore]

No way Mathews is a 50 plus goal guy in his mid 30S

Ovechkin goals in his 30s:

Age 33 = 51G
Age 34 = 48G (in 68 GP)
Age 35 = 24G (in 45 GP)
Age 36 = 50G (in 77 GP)
Age 37 = 42G (in 73 GP)

Now, we don't need Matthews to be like Ovechkin, which is the exact same reason Matthews shouldn't be paid like someone on the level of Ovechkin.

We need Matthews to be a very good, solid and savvy veteran producer in his 30s -- say 35-40 goals until he's about 35. That is why we need him to commit to an 8-year deal @ approximately 12.5 per, so we can bank on his veteran production from age 32-35 while using the extra cap dollars on better, younger players to take the pressure off of him.

If we think Matthews is going to fall off the cliff at age 32, wtf are we worried about losing him for? Legit megastars like Sid, Geno, Ovechkin, etc. perform well into their late-30s. Heck, Claude Giroux just scored 35 goals and about a PPG for the Sens at age 35. If we think Matthews is going to be toast then, we better trade him by next Wednesday.

 

[meefer]

AM, heck of a player.
Wants to be the highest paid, ok.
Wants to do the Leafs a favour, ok.

12.634M x 6

Unless Bedard goes insane and Chicago pulls a Leaf move when signing the RFA contract, I don't see anyone on the horizon that will pass Matthews at the above number for 4 years, save McDavid. Leafs have 5 years after the deal kicks in and after Tavares' deal expires. I don't know if it is likely he accepts that number (I doubt it). At 32, and still productive, he can sign another deal at what the Cap will allow.

WN can then be offered something in the 8.75M range. He too could satisfy the ego thing - my raise was bigger than Matthews - while still not burying the team with another outrageous deal.

MM, I don't know.

 

[centipede2233]

No way Mathews is a 50 plus goal guy in his mid 30S


Well that is more realistic. Lol

Your assuming he signs for 8 yrs, it’s never good to assume

 

[Squiffy]

What is the play though people? We can sit here bitching and moaning about the contract he got 5 years ago, that and a $1.50 buys a Mr. Big.

Do you really let him walk next year? Because he wants what, 14 not 13, just hypothetically? It's not real. I've said it before, mess with anything else cap structure wise, but for AM, here, now, not signing him, there's no upside. f*** with the rest of it, AM is automatic.

 

[Havoc]

They're going to give this guy what he asks for. I don't even read Matthews news. It's all noise just to keep people reading.

If we lose Matthews, most of us will be dead by the time we ever find another player as good as him.