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

[IPS]

The whole thing stinks of being tantamount to collusion or even conspiracy.

NMCs all go active on one date.
Dubas contract is up at the same time. Shares agent with Matthews.
Matthews says wants to be Leaf and wants to get it done ASAP
Dubas makes massive emotional plea about possibly not staying. Makes gangster like 6-7m demand
Dubas fired.
Matthews now apparently will not negotiate before July 1st.

This reads out like some kind of movie ffs. It's insane like hostage level gangster shit.

WTF

f***ing insane, isn't it? I've been trying to find other examples around the league of a GM and a franchise player sharing the same agency and I've yet to find another example of this.

Imagine how pissed Matthews was when Dubie got fired. His $15M x 8 mega retirement contract went up in flames and he's probably been pissed as hell since.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Yep. At this point see Shanahan treating it as a must sign, regardless of the conditions.

And I'd agree it won't just be about money. Matthews has lost the GM he seemingly liked working with, and is almost certainly going to lose the coach he likes. He may want assurances for other issues

I can't believe what people are saying here. I am not caving because a player puts a gun to my head. If that's what any of these players (Matthews/Marner/Nylander) are planning, they need to go. I'd trade them for nothing in fact if that's the team culture right now. If Matthews refuses to deal before his NMC, it wouldn't even be a consideration if it was me. Bye.

 

[ToneDog]

Feels like a huge unforced error to bring such instability to the franchise immediately before the most important re-signing attempt in decades.

I always said they would have to be stupid to fire Dubas before Matthews extends and here we are, in a state of stupidity.

What message would they be sending if Shanny gave in to Dubas' after saying the job took a toll on me and my family and I don't know if I am all in and then last minute, demanding almost twice the money ?? Shanny playing hardball and punting Dubas sends a much better message IMO.

 

[Trapper]

He doesn't technically get to dictate it, but a franchise player is going to want to have a say. Or at least be given more of an explanation about the direction of the team than the average depth player is during a contract negotiation.

Personally, I don't think Shanny would survive long in his current job if he has to go ask the board to trade Matthews unless he can genuinely show he had no other option to take

Find out in a few weeks one way or the other if I'm right

And that’s a real possibility. I’m sure management (Shanny and Pridham) will have a full disclosure conversation with Matthews. And again, it might involve trading someone to get a core D, change the playoff style if the team and it will be up to Matthews to agree or not.
Say Marner was moved for a McAvoy,Hughes,package, just examples, and Matthews says we will see how the year goes, what do you say?

 

[yubbers]

Feels like a huge unforced error to bring such instability to the franchise immediately before the most important re-signing attempt in decades.

I always said they would have to be stupid to fire Dubas before Matthews extends and here we are, in a state of stupidity.

And many of us said you'd have to be stupid to let a rookie GM handle AMs original contract when you have Lou Lam.

And here we are

 

[Menzinger]

I can't believe what people are saying here. I am not caving because a player puts a gun to my head. If that's what any of these players (Matthews/Marner/Nylander) are planning, they need to go. I'd trade them for nothing in fact if that's the team culture right now. If Matthews refuses to deal before his NMC, it wouldn't even be a consideration if it was me. Bye.

I get that people would love for the Leafs front office to just play extreme hardball with these guys. But they're ultimately also constrained by how things work in the corporate MLSE structure.

The ownership board wants a winning team that makes the playoff. Hard to fill that expectation if you trade away the core in a blink of an eye.

 

[koyvoo]

I can't believe what people are saying here. I am not caving because a player puts a gun to my head. If that's what any of these players (Matthews/Marner/Nylander) are planning, they need to go. I'd trade them for nothing in fact if that's the team culture right now. If Matthews refuses to deal before his NMC, it wouldn't even be a consideration if it was me. Bye.

It’s insane. All for a guy who’s biggest professional career struggle is playing to his standards and abilities when it counts.

If these were all nameless, faceless players with no reputation or pedigree, no draft status, nothing to identify them other than the play of a formless, unidentifiable figure, there’s is no way people would be chasing this underperforming diva around with a blank cheque.

 

[Menzinger]

And that’s a real possibility. I’m sure management (Shanny and Pridham) will have a full disclosure conversation with Matthews. And again, it might involve trading someone to get a core D, change the playoff style if the team and it will be up to Matthews to agree or not.
Say Marner was moved for a McAvoy,Hughes,package, just examples, and Matthews says we will see how the year goes, what do you say?

I'm hopeful that ultimately a reasonable compromise between all sides is found - and theres probably a decent chance it works out too. I'd agree that Matthews as a lame duck needs to be avoided at all costs (even if a trade happens). - which is why I predict he'll end up getting whatever he asks for at least in terms of money and NMCs ect to get a deal in place by the end of the summer.

The awkward thing for Shanny here is if he's asked if his Dubas decision made things harder to get a Matthews deal done

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

If Matthews isn't negotiating before July 1st it's a trade. If the other two do the same, it's a trade and we aren't getting top value.

But you are getting top value: likely $35M in cap space plus...whatever.

 

[Trapper]

I'm hopeful that ultimately a reasonable compromise between all sides is found - and theres probably a decent chance it works out too. I'd agree that Matthews as a lame duck needs to be avoided at all costs (even if a trade happens). - which is why I predict he'll end up getting whatever he asks for at least in terms of money and NMCs ect to get a deal in place by the end of the summer.

The awkward thing for Shanny here is if he's asked if his Dubas decision made things harder to get a Matthews deal done

Retaining Matthews for money isn’t going to be an issue. All the rest might.
It’s going to be a long summer until we can find that stability again.

 

[ToneDog]

I'm hopeful that ultimately a reasonable compromise between all sides is found - and theres probably a decent chance it works out too. I'd agree that Matthews as a lame duck needs to be avoided at all costs (even if a trade happens). - which is why I predict he'll end up getting whatever he asks for at least in terms of money and NMCs ect to get a deal in place by the end of the summer.

The awkward thing for Shanny here is if he's asked if his Dubas decision made things harder to get a Matthews deal done

I do not like having to overpay these guys again but given Tavares comes off the books in two more seasons, you can easily overpay Matty and Marner and Nylander to a lesser extent given Tavares will still be on the books when Nylander's next deal kicks in. For this reason, I lean to Willie being the odd man out.

 

[IPS]

Doesn't anyone else see Matthews' true motivation now?

If he really did say that he's not negotiating until his NMC since Dubie is gone now - his motivation is clear as day. He plays like he doesn't give a f*** in the playoffs and now that you jeopardize his money all of a sudden his interest in Toronto doesn't seem like much. If he kept the same energy after Dubas got fired - I might believe he wants to win. But it sounds like he's become quite pouty now that Dubas is fired what with putting out info of him not wanting neogitaite until his NMC.

 

[thewave]

I can't believe what people are saying here. I am not caving because a player puts a gun to my head. If that's what any of these players (Matthews/Marner/Nylander) are planning, they need to go. I'd trade them for nothing in fact if that's the team culture right now. If Matthews refuses to deal before his NMC, it wouldn't even be a consideration if it was me. Bye.

I am with you. I don't think like these people and if this was as much a power play as it seems like it was by all parties, I want nothing to do with any of them. Honestly.

I feel kinda sick to my stomach.

 

[hockeyes]

I get that people would love for the Leafs front office to just play extreme hardball with these guys. But they're ultimately also constrained by how things work in the corporate MLSEA structure.

The ownership board wants a winning team that makes the playoff. Hard to fill that expectation if you trade away the core in a blink of an eye.

I don't think anyone is advocating for "hard ball", just to do whatever actually makes sense. If Matthews starts demanding certain players, who can be traded or not, who the coach is, and a max contract, or whatever else he wants, then it's his decision, not the teams, to part ways. No different than walking from Dubas when it became clear the objectives weren't aligned.

 

[Stephen]

The whole thing stinks of being tantamount to collusion or even conspiracy.

NMCs all go active on one date.
Dubas contract is up at the same time. Shares agent with Matthews.
Matthews says wants to be Leaf and wants to get it done ASAP
Dubas makes massive emotional plea about possibly not staying. Makes gangster like 6-7m demand
Dubas fired.
Matthews now apparently will not negotiate before July 1st.

This reads out like some kind of movie ffs. It's insane like hostage level gangster shit.

WTF

It’s like Dubas built a contractual time bomb to lock out Matthews Nylander and Marner all at the same time as his contract was out, to ensure Toronto had minimal leverage whomever was in charge. The specificity of the timing is what seems calculated.

 

[Buds17]

But you are getting top value: likely $35M in cap space plus...whatever.

Cap space and an unknown trade return aren't undeniably tangible assets for a team that's trying to accomplish things in the here and now though.

 

[IPS]

It’s like Dubas built a contractual time bomb to lock out Matthews Nylander and Marner all at the same time as his contract was out, to ensure Toronto had minimal leverage whomever was in charge. The specificity of the timing is what seems calculated.

Marner's NMC kicking in on the 2nd last year of his contract is especially a puzzling one.

How in anyway is it a good idea to line up your best players' NMC directly beside eachother when one of them is in their last year?

These contractual time bombs - I swear to god it was all by design by Dubie, and orchestrated by that Wasserman media group that BOTH Matthews and Dubas work for. That slimy ass agency has been trying to get every dollar out of Toronto for awhile now.

 

[Stephen]

I get that people would love for the Leafs front office to just play extreme hardball with these guys. But they're ultimately also constrained by how things work in the corporate MLSEA structure.

The ownership board wants a winning team that makes the playoff. Hard to fill that expectation if you trade away the core in a blink of an eye.

I think all we want is some open communication, reasonable compromise and goodwill for the organization that nurtured these guys all along. Money, term, protection. You’ll get it all but why does it need to be built around hostage dates, pressure points, etc.

 

[Macman]

I’m at the point where I’m hoping Shanahan is trying right now to pry the No. 2 pick in the draft from Anaheim and involving Matthews. We’re on a high wire here without a safety net.

 

[Stephen]

Doesn't anyone else see Matthews' true motivation now?

If he really did say that he's not negotiating until his NMC since Dubie is gone now - his motivation is clear as day. He plays like he doesn't give a f*** in the playoffs and now that you jeopardize his money all of a sudden his interest in Toronto doesn't seem like much. If he kept the same energy after Dubas got fired - I might believe he wants to win. But it sounds like he's become quite pouty now that Dubas is fired what with putting out info of him not wanting neogitaite until his NMC.

I don’t think we should project too much into it. Just built around what Friedman said that it was unlikely a deal would be signed by July 1. Don’t know if that’s because of a perceived timeline delay because of an unknown GM or because of intentionally looking for pressure points. In any case, the range of motivations for that are pretty wide.

 

[thewave]

It’s like Dubas built a contractual time bomb to lock out Matthews Nylander and Marner all at the same time as his contract was out, to ensure Toronto had minimal leverage whomever was in charge. The specificity of the timing is what seems calculated.

That's some pathological shit right there Stephen.

Marner's NMC kicking in on the 2nd last year of his contract is especially a puzzling one.

How in anyway is it a good idea to line up your best players' NMC directly beside eachother when one of them is in their last year?

These contractual time bombs - I swear to god it was all by design by Dubie, and orchestrated by that Wasserman media group that BOTH Matthews and Dubas work for. That slimy ass agency has been trying to get every dollar out of Toronto for awhile now.

If it truly is the case, it's the most insane attempted heist ever in Hockey and there is a lot of circumstantial evidence here.

 

[Macman]

That’s not what Friedman said.

I listened to his 32 thoughts.

He said, given the uncertainty, the team has to be “prepared for the possibility” that Matthews won’t make a decision before July
1st.

The only complication is whether Matthews wants to stay without the Dubas.

That’s all he said. It doesn’t take a some insider info that is a possibility.

Unless I misheard, I think he said more than that on HNIC last night.

 

[thewave]

I don’t think we should project too much into it. Just built around what Friedman said that it was unlikely a deal would be signed by July 1. Don’t know if that’s because of a perceived timeline delay because of an unknown GM or because of intentionally looking for pressure points. In any case, the range of motivations for that are pretty wide.

The alignment of all NMCs with Dubas' contract expiration is extremely suspect.

 

[Stephen]

The alignment of all NMCs with Dubas' contract expiration is extremely suspect.

We all saw July 1, 2023 as a bit of a hostage takeover day the moment these contracts were all signed and no one was thinking of Dubas' contract.

Extremely calculated that he would be the one to have to be extended to work things out, or the incoming GM would be completely hogtied from the jump. Baffling that these guys got the money, the term and the cherry on top of the cherry with their protections.

I hope he has to answer those questions on his job search.

 

[Petrus]

The strategy with Matthews does not necessarily change with or without Dubas.

The management team has to make an offer with a deadline for agreeance by “x” date (prior to draft).

If there is no agreement the team has to move on.

This goes for Nylander as well and potentially Marner.

At the end of the day, does the core believe in the organization or do they only believe in Dubas.

That’s really what this boils down to. If the answer is the latter then we are in for a dramatic change in the team.

This going to be an interesting month!