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

[New User Name]

I didn't think Matthews was going to re-sign before July 1.

The unfortunate thing is we aren't getting much back for him unless the Leafs ask him where he would be willing to sign long term, give him 8 years and do a sign and trade. Of course the other team has to be in agreement in this.

Or ask the Hawks if they'll give up the 1st OA for Matthews and Marner.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

More I think about it….July 1st NTC doesnt matter. If you are trading matthews then its to a team he wants to resign with. No team is going to empty everything they have for a year of matthews.

At the end of the day, if we are trading him then its to a team that he wants and will waive his NTC for. July 1st doesnt matter.

MLSE also will not trade matthews. They will wait till the end hoping to convince him. Once you lose matthews then its done and full rebuild and no playoffs for next 5 years and 7 years for true competition. Our rebuild got lucky with matthews last time. Aint happening again.

 

[Superstar]

More I think about it….July 1st NTC doesnt matter. If you are trading matthews then its to a team he wants to resign with. No team is going to empty everything they have for a year of matthews.

At the end of the day, if we are trading him then its to a team that he wants and will waive his NTC for. July 1st doesnt matter.

MLSE also will not trade matthews. They will wait till the end hoping to convince him. Once you lose matthews then its done and full rebuild and no playoffs for next 5 years and 7 years for true competition. Our rebuild got lucky with matthews last time. Aint happening again.

If Matthews doesn't extend, you trade him before his NMC kicks in...cannot afford to keep him around and let him walking into free agency as a UFA and get nothing for him...it will set the Leafs back for years if that happens.

 

[New User Name]

Such a f***ing dysfunctional organization, for decades this Leafs team is.

 

[capfit9]

Its not stupid at all, recruiting and selling the program is important. Players buy into leadership they believe in.

I don’t think he understands leadership

 

[34]

Freidman just said he's unlikely to sign an extension by July.

If that's the case, see ya.

He is gone. 100%


South Florida bound.

 

[Stephen]

What needs to happen between the Leafs and Matthews is some good will discussions transparency in negotiating and hammer out a deal. The shock of the Dubas episode is real but if there’s a desire to stay they should hash it out, work with this key player to formulate the next few years. If the relationship can’t continue then let’s work with him to get him where he needs to sooner.

We gotta stop acting like Matthews is going to negotiate like Dubas and we have to stop acting like there was no organization other than Dubas. Root that nonsense out and just behave rationally and make appropriate decisions with a clear head.

 

[Stephen]

Freidman just said he's unlikely to sign an extension by July.

If that's the case, see ya.

He can’t technically sign an extension before July 1.

 

[New User Name]

If Matthews doesn't extend, you trade him before his NMC kicks in...cannot afford to keep him around and let him walking into free agency as a UFA and get nothing for him...it will set the Leafs back for years if that happens.

I agree, don't like it but agree.

American players understandably prefer to play in the states. Most go back home if they play here when they retire.
Heck even Canadian born players prefer to play and retire in the states.

What needs to happen between the Leafs and Matthews is some good will discussions transparency in negotiating and hammer out a deal. The shock of the Dubas episode is real but if there’s a desire to stay they should hash it out, work with this key player to formulate the next few years. If the relationship can’t continue then let’s work with him to get him where he needs to sooner.

We gotta stop acting like Matthews is going to negotiate like Dubas and we have to stop acting like there was no organization other than Dubas. Root that nonsense out and just behave rationally and make appropriate decisions with a clear head.

What if he refuses to negoiate prior to July 1?

 

[ORRFForever]

It will come down to whether Matthews wants to play in Toronto. If he does, there is more than enough time to get a deal done.

 

[New User Name]

He can’t technically sign an extension before July 1.

I believe an agreement in principle is allowed. Just not pen to paper prior to July 1.

 

[Stephen]

What if he refuses to negoiate prior to July 1?

If I'm running the Leafs, I'm starting with the soft sell. Looping him into the offseason plans, walking him through the vision and scenarios, the vision for the new GM, what we want as an organizational philosophy and are you interested in this partnership in a transparent manner. Work together on money and term. What do you want to achieve, how much money do you want to make, how long of a window do you want to give us, what kind of on-ice running mates do you envision to get to the next level?

If he's broadly interested in this, then you work out a deal and sign. If he's freezing you out prior to July 1 then that's a sign you have to move him. You'll know between May 20 and the draft.

You have to think there's risk for the player not to sign too. What if he has another injury plagued down year? What if he refuses to work with the team and has to answer to scrutiny. Why would you not want to go to your true destination earlier and stay where you don't want to be? They can work together on this one.

 

[New User Name]

If I'm running the Leafs, I'm starting with the soft sell. Looping him into the offseason plans, walking him through the vision and scenarios, the vision for the new GM, what we want as an organizational philosophy and are you interested in this partnership in a transparent manner. Work together on money and term. What do you want to achieve, how much money do you want to make, how long of a window do you want to give us, what kind of on-ice running mates do you envision to get to the next level?

If he's broadly interested in this, then you work out a deal and sign. If he's freezing you out prior to July 1 then that's a sign you have to move him. You'll know between May 20 and the draft.

That's fair.

 

[TheDoldrums]

MLSE are absolute morons. Auston Matthews is worth hundreds of millions to a franchises value. He has a chance to go down as the best goal scorer ever. And they've screwed up our relationship with him by canning the GM over petty reasons.

 

[Superstar]

MLSE are absolute morons. Auston Matthews is worth hundreds of millions to a franchises value. He has a chance to go down as the best goal scorer ever. And they've screwed up our relationship with him by canning the GM over petty reasons.

Does Matthews want to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs or Kyle Dubas? If the latter, he should be moved. I supposed he's upset that his cash cow Dubas is gone? Was he looking forward to Dubas offering him a 5 x $15 million deal?

 

[MapleLeafs77]

I think the thing with Matthews is that he like everyone else has no idea what is going on with the Leafs and what the team will look like moving forward. Nothing to do with Dubas. More so that MLSE wanted dubas then didnt within a couple of days and now everything is on fire.

As the franchise player who is going to stick around for a couple of years, yes I understand the questions.

Does Matthews want to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs or Kyle Dubas? If the latter, he should be moved. I supposed he's upset that his cash cow Dubas is gone? Was he looking forward to Dubas offering him a 5 x $15 million deal?

I agree but what are those Toronto Maple Leafs. No GM. New coach most likely. New core players most likely.

Questions that Matthews has and needs answers for.

 

[Superstar]

I think the thing with Matthews is that he like everyone else has no idea what is going on with the Leafs and what the team will look like moving forward. Nothing to do with Dubas. More so that MLSE wanted dubas then didnt within a couple of days and now everything is on fire.

As the franchise player who is going to stick around for a couple of years, yes I understand the questions.


I agree but what are those Toronto Maple Leafs. No GM. New coach most likely. New core players most likely.

Questions that Matthews has and needs answers for.

He only needs to know the Toronto Maple Leafs are committed to winning...it's up to him whether he wants to be a part of it...there's no guarantees in the life, and going to another team doesn't mean success, but his situation with the Leafs are mighty good.

 

[yubbers]

He can't sign one until July 1st can he? I guess Friedman means he's unlikely to agree to one beforehand?



I said the same thing.

It's possible the players (Matthews, Marner, maybe Nylander?) are redeemable, but it probably doesn't happen by July 1.

The damage is done. I don't see AM signing before July 1. WIlly is gonna ask for stupidity. And Marner will cry if a coach yells at him.

It's over. Nuke it. You can get quite a return for those 3

 

[yubbers]

I was also thinking that perhaps Dubas' exit itself is the reality check the Big 4 really need. Tavares is a lost cause, so it's really just the Big 3 who are capable of elevating. But if you're ever going to wake up maybe this is your moment.

But generally, it's not often that a GM exits a team and all the star players run for the exits. That's not typical behavior. But you never know.

I've also never heard a GM say they won't trade a player as long as they're GM after they just finished getting held out on.

Yet here we are. Dubas was easy money for the Muskoka 3. Their free wallet and force field is now gone.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I believe an agreement in principle is allowed. Just not pen to paper prior to July 1.

Sure, but an agreement in principle doesn't mean anything. That is why the good advice for any agreement is to get it in writing.

 

[Gabriel426]

I really don’t understand why would it matters to AM if he doesn’t know the new GM?

Whoever is the new GM and coach won’t ask him to play as a Dman or goalie. He is still going to ask him to be their 1C, unless the new GM can trade for Mack or McD. He is still going to be the focus on the PP. The team is still here. It is true that some of the guys like MM or Willie or JT won’t be here next season but they are traded to make the team more competitive for the Cup.
The Leafs is not going to rebuild on purpose in AM next contract at least that’s not the plan.

That’s why I don’t understand what changed between last Sat and now.

Dubas or not, the team will make changes bc they failed again in the playoffs. If AM is so naive to the point that he thought as long as Dubas is here, everyone will be back, he really should not be leading the Leafs.

 

[Squiffy]

If I'm running the Leafs, I'm starting with the soft sell. Looping him into the offseason plans, walking him through the vision and scenarios, the vision for the new GM, what we want as an organizational philosophy and are you interested in this partnership in a transparent manner. Work together on money and term. What do you want to achieve, how much money do you want to make, how long of a window do you want to give us, what kind of on-ice running mates do you envision to get to the next level?

If he's broadly interested in this, then you work out a deal and sign. If he's freezing you out prior to July 1 then that's a sign you have to move him. You'll know between May 20 and the draft.

You have to think there's risk for the player not to sign too. What if he has another injury plagued down year? What if he refuses to work with the team and has to answer to scrutiny. Why would you not want to go to your true destination earlier and stay where you don't want to be? They can work together on this one.

All that happens. There is also no world in which there hasn’t already been some talk between AM camp and Leafs, a general idea of what is up, and the likes of Shanny and Pridham not aware of it. Like, Shanny at no point asked Duby, bud, what’s going on with AM, what’s you’re feeling, what’s the talks been like?

Us acting as if the only things that have happened are what Elliot et all have reported is absurd. The panic level here is silly.

Me, I see no world in which the Leafs don’t lock him up. Maybe that takes some time, sure. I don’t expect an announcement July 1, sure as hell don’t expect a trade, and am not worried.

 

[Gabriel426]

Sure, but an agreement in principle doesn't mean anything. That is why the good advice for any agreement is to get it in writing.

A lot of contracts are signed predated and that’s why on July 1, there are all these announcements right away.

 

[Leaf Fans]

A lot of contracts are signed predated and that’s why on July 1, there are all these announcements right away.

Sure, if there is a signed document go for it.

 

[keonsbitterness]

I've also never heard a GM say they won't trade a player as long as they're GM after they just finished getting held out on.

Yet here we are. Dubas was easy money for the Muskoka 3. Their free wallet and force field is now gone.

Is there any confirmation that Matthews and Nylander have been to Muskoka?