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

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I think Matthews plans his outfits, career naaaa.

For at least 1 more year, Leafs fans get to celebrate one of the best Leafs in my lifetime. I can't speak prior to the '60s. (For those too young that was the previous century.)
 
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But he has only ever surpassed 85pts once in 7 years and is well under a ppg in the playoffs. 14M???

Look at what McKinnon actually delivered and what he signed for. I want AM back but not at some fanciful number that has no actual connection to what he brings on a regular basis. Auston its time to start being a pro.
Would you rather have Auston at 14 M or not have him ?
 
How is this not bad faith discussion?

2016 - 40 goal rookie year had 69 points in 82 games
2017 - 63 points over 62 games paced for 84 points and 45 goals
2018 - 73 points in 68 games paced for 88 points and 45 goals
2019 - 80 points in 70 games paced for 94 points and 55 goals (season shortened due to Covid and not injury)
2020- 66 points in 52 games paced for 104 points and 65 goals (season shortened due to covid)
2021- 106 points in 73 games paced for 119 points and 68 goals (with an injured wrist to start the season)
2022- 85 points in 74 games paced for 94 points and 45 goals (with an injured wrist)
Unfortunately on a pace for doesn't win the games when he isn't there. He has also had two seasons with shoulder injuries and we don't know if the wrist or whatever is currently going on is done with him. He is not Eric Lindros but so far he has had more injured seasons than not and durability is important when you are paying for league leading production every year. His agent tries to compare him with McDavid who has had six actual 100pt seasons plus 97 in 64 games. How does that make any sense?

I'm not saying he needs to be paid as an 86 point guy but how much extra do they give him over a much more durable player like MacKinnon who was willing to commit to $12.6M x 8? People are throwing out numbers like $14M x 4. Eep!

I want the guy back but at a realistic dollar and term. Would you sign a 3 year deal with him and why? If the super short term massive dollar deals are just spring boards to squeeze the club for whatever the new max dollars are, I'm not a fan of that. Sign the players that want to stick around long term at a cap hit that works for both sides.
 
Unfortunately on a pace for doesn't win the games when he isn't there. He has also had two seasons with shoulder injuries and we don't know if the wrist or whatever is currently going on is done with him. He is not Eric Lindros but so far he has had more injured seasons than not and durability is important when you are paying for league leading production every year. His agent tries to compare him with McDavid who has had six actual 100pt seasons plus 97 in 64 games. How does that make any sense?

I'm not saying he needs to be paid as an 86 point guy but how much extra do they give him over a much more durable player like MacKinnon who was willing to commit to $12.6M x 8? People are throwing out numbers like $14M x 4. Eep!

I want the guy back but at a realistic dollar and term. Would you sign a 3 year deal with him and why? If the super short term massive dollar deals are just spring boards to squeeze the club for whatever the new max dollars are, I'm not a fan of that. Sign the players that want to stick around long term at a cap hit that works for both sides.
when his deal kicks in the cap will likely have gone up $4m then when Mcdavid is up he'll be taking 15 or 16 million. The hard cap punishes teams for having good hockey players.

McDavid has also accomplished nothing in the playoffs so it pretty much shows that rebuilding with high end talent apparently does not work in the NHL you need to be Seattle and not have any stars (who likely deserve more than $10m)

but the business of the NHL is a discussion for another day. I just wanted to say that the way that initial statement you made was worded came off as disingenuous. It ignores 2 covid shortened seasons and the fact that he's the highest overall and 5 on 5 scorer in hockey since he joined the league and plays a premium position as a centre while also being top 10 defensively at his position and winning a Hart and 2 rockets. That player is going to get paid big money wherever he goes.
 
Would you rather have Auston at 14 M or not have him ?
At $14M its likely adios amigo! 60g MVP Austin sure but not sure how often, if ever, he can bring that again. Would you rather pay 2022-2023 Matthews $14M or not have him? That's an easy choice right?

What do we think the chances of him having an MVP level scoring year in 2023-2024 based on what appears to be an unresolved injury dogging him all this season? Anyone who is thinking 50-50 should not gamble for money.

$14M is $1.4M more than MacKinnon. Does anyone think the Leafs would have won fewer games with a MacKinnon in the lineup instead of Matthews? On top of this he may want short term. I suspect that isn't so he can give the club a lower contract in 3 years.

I guess I would rather have him for $14M x 7 than $14M x 4 though. Still a potential disaster but at least he won't be jacking them again for more money in a couple of years.
 
when his deal kicks in the cap will likely have gone up $4m then when Mcdavid is up he'll be taking 15 or 16 million. The hard cap punishes teams for having good hockey players.

McDavid has also accomplished nothing in the playoffs so it pretty much shows that rebuilding with high end talent apparently does not work in the NHL you need to be Seattle and not have any stars (who likely deserve more than $10m)

but the business of the NHL is a discussion for another day. I just wanted to say that the way that initial statement you made was worded came off as disingenuous. It ignores 2 covid shortened seasons and the fact that he's the highest overall and 5 on 5 scorer in hockey since he joined the league and plays a premium position as a centre while also being top 10 defensively at his position and winning a Hart and 2 rockets. That player is going to get paid big money wherever he goes.
McDavid has 5 playoff series wins and 75pts in 49 games so "also accomplished nothing" is kind of disingenuous as well.

$13M - $13.5M is getting paid. What would you pay him? Would you take a 3 year deal knowing it was so he could either leave or take you to the woodshed again on the next contract?
 
McDavid has 5 playoff series wins and 75pts in 49 games so "also accomplished nothing" is kind of disingenuous as well.

$13M - $13.5M is getting paid. What would you pay him? Would you take a 3 year deal knowing it was so he could either leave or take you to the woodshed again on the next contract?
he didn't win? he's also made a habit of getting swept

hell he was a ghost in the series they lost to Vegas in the last 4 games but we want to coddle other teams stars while we rip our own?

he'll likely sign 13.5x5 which I would be fine with considering I think what we saw in 2022 is what he is; hell the 2 covid shortened seasons leading up to his Hart year showed he was trending to essentially being the second best centre in hockey after McDavid.

You could let him walk but I'll pose the question to you; do you ever see the leafs getting centre that good in the next decade? it took us a decade to replace Sundin.
 
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That really depends on what that $14mm is used on doesn't it?

Matthews at $14mm, or McDavid at $15mm?
I didn’t know we were operating in fantasy land. The choice is binary either you sign matthews to the number he wants or you trade him.
 
That really depends on what that $14mm is used on doesn't it?

Matthews at $14mm, or McDavid at $15mm?
It all depends on the success we have.
Winning makes things easier.
If we re-sign Matthews/Marner/Nylander all again and spend the next few years trying to win the first round again is it worth it? Better be sure these are the guys to drive the bus.
 
That really depends on what that $14mm is used on doesn't it?

Matthews at $14mm, or McDavid at $15mm?

Matthews will be overpaid. It sucks, but the alternative of letting him walk is too risky.

As for your comparison above, the answer is easily McDavid but you have to go with the guy you have. McDavid likely doesn't even hit free agency in 2 years.

But if he does...

Matthews at 14M + McDavid at 15M
Trade Marner ;)
 
He gets a nice raise from 11.6M to 12.6M AAV .. then he lines up with MAC which is generous for Matty .. all this stupid talk of more then 12.6M AAV is quite silly and immature .. team can't keep get destroyed by top end players .. it has to stop
This.

I'm tired of setting this precident. It always snowballs. Sadly I think it's too engrained in this core thanks to Dubas. He built a huge snowman of entitlement

13x5. You want a penny more then we need to trade him imho
 

6. One Toronto source said something very interesting on Thursday: the true tell to whether the Maple Leafs core stays together is more about their contract wishes than anything else. As I’ve said many times, I believe Matthews will extend, but not at maximum term (could be anywhere from three to six years, I’d guess). Treliving’s true challenge is trying to get it done before July 1, when his no-trade clause kicks in. It’s going to be a big number, likely the highest AAV in the NHL. So, the question then becomes: what does that mean for Mitch Marner and William Nylander? I think that’s the real question.
 
Unfortunately on a pace for doesn't win the games when he isn't there. He has also had two seasons with shoulder injuries and we don't know if the wrist or whatever is currently going on is done with him. He is not Eric Lindros but so far he has had more injured seasons than not and durability is important when you are paying for league leading production every year. His agent tries to compare him with McDavid who has had six actual 100pt seasons plus 97 in 64 games. How does that make any sense?

I'm not saying he needs to be paid as an 86 point guy but how much extra do they give him over a much more durable player like MacKinnon who was willing to commit to $12.6M x 8? People are throwing out numbers like $14M x 4. Eep!

I want the guy back but at a realistic dollar and term. Would you sign a 3 year deal with him and why? If the super short term massive dollar deals are just spring boards to squeeze the club for whatever the new max dollars are, I'm not a fan of that. Sign the players that want to stick around long term at a cap hit that works for both sides.

How is MacKinnon a much more durable player than Matthews? He's played less games than Matthews in each of the last 4 seasons
 
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6. One Toronto source said something very interesting on Thursday: the true tell to whether the Maple Leafs core stays together is more about their contract wishes than anything else. As I’ve said many times, I believe Matthews will extend, but not at maximum term (could be anywhere from three to six years, I’d guess). Treliving’s true challenge is trying to get it done before July 1, when his no-trade clause kicks in. It’s going to be a big number, likely the highest AAV in the NHL. So, the question then becomes: what does that mean for Mitch Marner and William Nylander? I think that’s the real question.

What will it mean for Marner? Ask Paul.
 
he didn't win? he's also made a habit of getting swept

hell he was a ghost in the series they lost to Vegas in the last 4 games but we want to coddle other teams stars while we rip our own?

he'll likely sign 13.5x5 which I would be fine with considering I think what we saw in 2022 is what he is; hell the 2 covid shortened seasons leading up to his Hart year showed he was trending to essentially being the second best centre in hockey after McDavid.

You could let him walk but I'll pose the question to you; do you ever see the leafs getting centre that good in the next decade? it took us a decade to replace Sundin.
I would take $13.5 x 5 in a heartbeat but I fear Auston won't. I would trade $14M Auston I wouldn't let him walk and I would make a center coming back part of the ask. But I kind of think the club ponys up no matter what as per your bolded. Its the Shanny thing to do.
 
Preferences in scenarios for Matthews and other elite players aside, the question is: Is it feasible to construct a championship team with a few players eating anywhere from a quarter to forty percent of the cap?
 
That really depends on what that $14mm is used on doesn't it?

Matthews at $14mm, or McDavid at $15mm?

The thing too is folks tend to vastly overrated the value of capspace. Capspace doesn't play centre or score goals.

And if one takes a moment to look at the top free agency centres in recent years, none of them who went to market ended up with particularly great deals. The Leafs landed the best one and they're paying him 11 million.

Imo Matthews even at something like 14 mil seems much better than the alternative
 
I would take $13.5 x 5 in a heartbeat but I fear Auston won't. I would trade $14M Auston I wouldn't let him walk and I would make a center coming back part of the ask. But I kind of think the club ponys up no matter what as per your bolded. Its the Shanny thing to do.

So the extra .5 mill is the difference between you keeping him and trading him? I think 13 million would be nice and still beyond the max of what he's worth but paying an extra million would be infinitely better than letting him walk lol
 
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How is MacKinnon a much more durable player than Matthews? He's played less games than Matthews in each of the last 4 seasons
I noticed you cut out three three years before where Mac missed 8 games and AM missed 34 :)

A bigger difference is when he gets banged up for whatever reason he still produces closer to the same level when he gets back into the lineup. NM is 1.4ppg to AMs 1.25ppg in the last 4 years. This year is a good example. Different athletes, different injuries and different outcomes.
So the extra .5 mill is the difference between you keeping him and trading him? I think 13 million would be nice and still beyond the max of what he's worth but paying an extra million would be infinitely better than letting him walk lol
So where do you draw the line? $14.5? $14.75? Keeping mind at the same time this is drawing Marner's expectations higher there has to be a number somewhere where you say no thanks, we aren't going to fill out bottom 6 with million dollar players.
 
This.

I'm tired of setting this precident. It always snowballs. Sadly I think it's too engrained in this core thanks to Dubas. He built a huge snowman of entitlement

13x5. You want a penny more then we need to trade him imho
Snowman of entitlement.. thats the best one i have heard in a while.. love it
 
The thing too is folks tend to vastly overrated the value of capspace. Capspace doesn't play centre or score goals.

And if one takes a moment to look at the top free agency centres in recent years, none of them who went to market ended up with particularly great deals. The Leafs landed the best one and they're paying him 11 million.

Imo Matthews even at something like 14 mil seems much better than the alternative
Sportsnet at least, is talking like Matthews signing a max 3 year deal to maximize his earnings is a foregone conclusion. $14 x 3 then and do it all again? This is a new strategy to further squeeze the clubs. They can participate in it or not. They can choose not to be the first team to go down that road and maybe avoid it with their other current players. Colorado didn't do it with Mac and Boston didn't do it with Pasta. Its like a reverse home town discount :)
 
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