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

[ORRFForever]

This team is so screwed up. What a mess.

we'll find out short;y.......

Yup.

I remember your avatar - IIRC, you were never a big fan of Matthews and you didn't like Toronto giving him everything he wanted - like he was a spoiled child. You were right.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Ask JT to waive.

If no, begin mini 2 year tank.
Matthews trade @50%
Marner 2 years @50%
Nylander trade
Brodie traded
Samsonov traded

Imagine that haul of young players high end picks.

Rebuild the team and identity by building from Defense and goaltender out.

Bring up and play the Marlies kids for 2-3 years and get a couple years of top 5 picks.

Build around Rielly, McCabe, Lily and Woll on the backend.

Buy bad contracts for picks for the next 2 years.

Upfront Knies, Robertson, Holmberg, Minten

I want it blown up. The core 4 model will never work. I don’t want multiple players making 11 million plus.

there’s no need or even possibility of the leafs ridding themselves of the Tavares contract and Nylander has not yet peaked in his career.

Marner and Matthews have already peaked and are basically playoff no shows so if you’re making a move then trading them should be the priority.

The focus should be on finding a true #1 D to play alongside Rielly or as a #3 solidifying the second pairing.

in goal they should look for more stability as well if a top goaltender becomes available.

They should be able to restock the bare cupboard with prospects and first round picks in any Marner and Matthews transactions while replacing their spots in the lineup using the freed up cap space with harder nosed players with some playoff scoring touch.

 

[Legion34]

Shocker that firing a GM based on personal feelings wasn’t the most prudent course of action.

He was offered a contract in season. Deferred to after. Then was approached. And called a public press conference andHe said he didn’t know if he wanted it…. And then wanted more money and say…… would you extend a contract to someone who voluntarily called a press conference and said that?

What was he going to get… 25 million? Who would go to their boss and say… yes give this guy millions who doesn’t want to be here.

This team is so screwed up. What a mess.


Yup.

I remember your avatar - IIRC, you were never a big fan of Matthews and you didn't like Toronto giving him everything he wanted - like he was a spoiled child. You were right.

What if he signs for 8 years on July 1? Still right?

 

[ToneDog]

Good

$250K more than Mitch satisfied Pasta for 8 years. $250K more than Matty won't satisfy Matty for 5 years. Gotta pay Matty for his 60 goal, 106 point season. Meanwhile Pasta put up 62 goals and 113 points this year and was the best player on the best regular season team.

 

[ORRFForever]

He was offered a contract in season. Deferred to after. Then was approached. And called a public press conference andHe said he didn’t know if he wanted it…. And then wanted more money and say…… would you extend a contract to someone who voluntarily called a press conference and said that?

What was he going to get… 25 million? Who would go to their boss and say… yes give this guy millions who doesn’t want to be here.



What if he signs for 8 years on July 1? Still right?

I'm not sure I understand your question.

It makes no sense that Matthews deserves a raise, let alone the highest paid contract in the NHL. Dubas sure made a mess of things.

 

[Legion34]

I'm not sure I understand your question.

It makes no sense that Matthews deserves a raise, let alone the highest paid contract in the NHL. Dubas sure made a mess of things.

My mistake I was talking about why shanny fired dubas.

I must have misunderstood.

Although it is funny you are pretending to be a leafs fan again.

If Matthews stays will you stick around?

$250K more than Mitch satisfied Pasta for 8 years. $250K more than Matty won't satisfy Matty for 5 years. Gotta pay Matty for his 60 goal, 106 point season. Meanwhile Pasta put up 62 goals and 113 points this year and was the best player on the best regular season team.

He hadn’t scored 60 when he signed.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

As a fan of the team it was pretty interesting to get fairly blatant insight into how Shanny approached things.

That said, I'm a bit surprised at how many people here think the way this played out won't have any consequences for what happens next.

I think everyone is starting to see that Shanny was pissed more about the power structure that was proposed than the salary. It just doesn't make sense that MLSE who overpays everyone would all of a sudden care about a few million dollars when it came to Dubas. I think the "streamlining" of the management process was what got to him. If he doesn't have final say over Dubas...why is he even there?

 

[ORRFForever]

My mistake I was talking about why shanny fired dubas.

I must have misunderstood.

Although it is funny you are pretending to be a leafs fan again.

If Matthews stays will you stick around?

It's nice to see you doubling down on your endless mistakes.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Please keep in mind that prior to signing a five-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs for $11.6 million per season on February 5, 2019, Nick Kypreos reported that Auston Matthews was seeking a deal for the maximum 8 years at $15 million per season. While the common consensus all along has been that the Leafs would basically hand Auston Matthews a blank check on July 1st and tell him to write in any number he wants, Kypreos also stated that he didn't believe that the Toronto Maple Leafs were prepared to do such a thing. Kypreos said the Toronto Maple Leafs had no intentions at that moment in time of simply handing over a $15 million per year for 8 years contract extension to Auston Matthews.

Leafs Agree to Terms with Auston Matthews on 5-Year Contract Extension | Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Auston Matthews on a five-year contract extension. The average annual value of the contract is $11.634 million.

www.nhl.com

Leafs Agree to Terms with Auston Matthews on 5-Year Contract Extension

by Staff Writer MapleLeafs / MapleLeafs.com
February 5, 2019

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Auston Matthews on a five-year contract extension. The average annual value of the contract is $11.634 million.

 

[ORRFForever]

The Leafs are stuck...

If they trade Matthews, they won't get what they hope.

If they sign Mathews, he'll be a big buck nothing in the playoffs for the next 5(?) years - assuming we make it.

Oh well... It's not my money.

 

[ToneDog]

My mistake I was talking about why shanny fired dubas.

I must have misunderstood.

Although it is funny you are pretending to be a leafs fan again.

If Matthews stays will you stick around?



He hadn’t scored 60 when he signed.

Neither had Matty and he was an RFA. Pasta the pending UFA was pretty close in March when he signed and the Bruins were running away with the league. Imagine what he could have commanded if he waited to July 1st.

 

[Trapper]

I don’t understand why Matthews wouldn't just sign a new contract anyway. That way, you have a guaranteed contract in case you get hurt, with a provision in it that if you don’t like the direction of the team you can ask for a trade to a specific location.
You get the money and the Leafs can recoup assets in the event of…

 

[RoadWarrior]

I don’t understand why Matthews wouldn't just sign a new contract anyway. That way, you have a guaranteed contract in case you get hurt, with a provision in it that if you don’t like the direction of the team you can ask for a trade to a specific location.
You get the money and the Leafs can recoup assets in the event of…

Agreed. However you underestimate the greed of player agents and I don’t think the new GM will approve of NMC in a new contract. They will want the freedom to move Matthews if he continues to fail in big moments.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I think everyone is starting to see that Shanny was pissed more about the power structure that was proposed than the salary. It just doesn't make sense that MLSE who overpays everyone would all of a sudden care about a few million dollars when it came to Dubas. I think the "streamlining" of the management process was what got to him. If he doesn't have final say over Dubas...why is he even there?

It was the new proposal combined with the stunt at his press conference that convinced Shanahan that Dubas already had one foot out the door….probably to the Pens. Dubas was not negotiating in good faith so he was terminated.

the leafs will miss his good drafting and player scouting but his trading record and contract negotiations were awful. Dubas should be in charge of a scouting department. Not a GM.

 

[facelessjoe1990]

Did Friedman mean that there won't be any negotiations/meetings or a handshake agreement before July 1st when he said he won't sign?

 

[therealkoho]

I think the majority of fans like and cheer for stars and they cheer for the team. From what I see the majority of Leafs fans don't think at all about the connections between contracts and team success, they just like watching their team play.

If you polled the majority of Leafs fans and asked "would you rather have Matthews on the team for 15 million a season or spread the money around 4 less exciting players" most would want Matthews no matter what it costs

Personally I cheer for the crest first, and I also have some favorite players. But earlier I wasn't talking about what I care about - just what I think most fans want.

You should maybe run a poll, you might be surprised what most fans think

 

[WTFMAN99]

McDavid makes 12.5 and MacKinnon 12.6M

Matthews hasn't done more than either.

12.7-13M for 8 years is available and must handshaken upon to be signed for July 1st or else trade at the draft.

15M? BYEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Never saw how people interpreted his comments as definitive that he’d sign…. What was he supposed to say?
But I do think he absolutely will not now unless he gets his say on new GM and the ol’ Willy promise that a harass coach won’t be brought in

 

[thewave]

McDavid makes 12.5 and MacKinnon 12.6M

Matthews hasn't done more than either.

12.7-13M for 8 years is available and must handshaken upon to be signed for July 1st or else trade at the draft.

15M? BYEEEEEEEEEE

I would even go 12.7-13m for his 5 year request rumor. Buys us time with McDavid to see whats going with him. AM is a C as well so really hard to replace regardless.

 

[Menzinger]

You should maybe run a poll, you might be surprised what most fans think

I don't necessarily think the hfboards community is necessarily reflective of the wider fanbase. People who post here I think tend to pay more attention to stuff like contracts, prospects, ect

 

[Stephen]

Did Friedman mean that there won't be any negotiations/meetings or a handshake agreement before July 1st when he said he won't sign?

It’s just a pressure point in negotiations and a media story to drive up negative engagement will he or won’t he storylines.

There are a lot of reasons for both sides to get a deal done but also expect a tedious song and dance in between.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Did Friedman mean that there won't be any negotiations/meetings or a handshake agreement before July 1st when he said he won't sign?

According to Rogers Sportsnet's NHL insider Elliotte Friedman:

"I think the Maple Leafs know if they're going to do that, he's probably going to be the highest-paid player in the league and I think they're willing to do it".

"They're looking for a GM with some bite, a GM who won't be afraid to make decisions. There are some big decisions to make that they have coming up, including that it doesn't appear likely that Matthews will sign by July 1st. It's not their only concern but it is one of the biggest things that they'll have to navigate."

 

[Squiffy]

Why is Lord Shanahan safe? Maybe the problem starts with him? Of Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe, I'll take Dubas. Keefe has to go. If Shanahan brings in some re-tread on his third or fourth try with a team. Just blow it up.

He's obviously safe for now. The Board just approved him to fire the GM and look for a new one. Have to think last kick at the can though, this is the last try Shanny gets at a GM, he's out with the next one for sure.

Shanny’s trying to save face here and throw Dubas under the bus. Yeah Dubas overplayed his hand but at the same time Shanny is trying to get everyone to overlook that he doesn’t seem to have a plan B set up at a critical time where the core players are approaching having NMC’s and in need of a change.

This is a bad time to have uncertainty, because Leafs have an opportunity to pivot with their core, with value in the trade market, and retool the roster.

I have bad vibes going into this off-season

Really, not that panicked. Team is good, they can't get over the playoff hump. Teams make changes in this situation all the time, changing GM and Coach high amongst them. It's just so high profile when its the Leafs.. and fine, it was weird how it went down, but the situation as a whole is not.. like Ballard-level nuts.

I think everyone is starting to see that Shanny was pissed more about the power structure that was proposed than the salary. It just doesn't make sense that MLSE who overpays everyone would all of a sudden care about a few million dollars when it came to Dubas. I think the "streamlining" of the management process was what got to him. If he doesn't have final say over Dubas...why is he even there?

Agree here. Not money, something in the ask about structure.

There was something else in here about Armstrong and McPhee not being interested in GM'ing in current structure.. yes, no kidding, they are Presidents, why would they take a demotion?

Somehow all of these quotes are from a Matthews thread lol.. I will try to post something on topic. Matthews will be a Leaf long term. There.

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Future Of Kyle Dubas | 32 Thoughts

SPORTSNET

May 22, 2023 32 Thoughts

Jeff and Elliotte discuss what might be next for Kyle Dubas and where Toronto might go from here. They also get into the situation in Calgary and much more on this full episode of 32 Thoughts.

02:40 - Kyle Dubas x Penguins

11:00 - Where Toronto might go from here

Friedman: ‘Nobody’s really sure’ whether Maple Leafs will be able to sign Matthews by July 1 with Dubas gone

Auston Matthews is set to enter the final year of his current contract...

theleafsnation.com

Here’s the transcript of part of Friedman’s conversation about Matthews and the Maple Leafs with Jeff Marek on Monday:

Jeff Marek: Do we know of, or do we have a feeling, or is there a sense of where a lot of the key players sit with this team, or is that even a premature conversation right now considering there’s not a general manager that’s been installed?

Elliotte Friedman: I think this, the biggest decision they’re gonna have to make this off-season is what to do with Matthews. I’ll say one thing: I did have one player reach out to me and say that they weren’t even sure if Matthews would’ve signed by July 1 with Dubas, because if they made big changes around the draft, the question became, ‘How would Matthews feel about it?’ But, what [the player] did tell me is that the Leafs, he felt, would’ve been — and this is one of the players on the team — he said to me they would’ve been very confident. Like last year, Pastrnak with Boston. The Bruins didn’t trade him, they believed he wanted to be a Bruin, and they eventually got it done. He thinks that’s what the Leafs would’ve done. If Matthews hadn’t signed, with Dubas there, they would’ve kept him and they believe they would’ve gotten it done. Now, nobody’s really sure.

[…] I heard that Toronto’s exit interviews were pretty tough. I heard that Toronto’s players were pretty blunt about what they thought was said, and that’s something still to work on, but what this player told me is they think you should keep an eye on what maybe unfolds over the next few weeks because he thinks some of the players were really blunt about why it didn’t work.

 

[TheDoldrums]