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

[authentic]

FYI he is young but has played an average of 71 games per season if that means anything. I excluded the pandemic season.

There were two pandemic seasons, he played 70 of 70 and 52 of 56

 

[Boxscore]

He was younger, healthier and hadn't won as many trophies.

Okay, so you're saying he signs 8-years. Let's just wait and see, no sense debating it.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It would be crazy for Matthews to sign now instead of waiting for next year's 8-10 million dollar cap jump. If he does, he must really want to be a Leaf

 

[Stephen]

It would be crazy for Matthews to sign now instead of waiting for next year's 8-10 million dollar cap jump. If he does, he must really want to be a Leaf

There's no effing way there's a $10 million cap jump happening next year. The hard cap is strangling the league and if they were to loosen up the purse strings they'd go $5 million and $5 million just to improve the product and flow of roster movement.

Lame cap, fake rationale, stringing along fans per usual.

 

[ULF_55]

Then by your rationale, why didn't he campaign for a long-term deal before? And why do you suspect he won't ask for 8 years this time? McDavid, Kucherov, Pastrnak, MacKinnon, Tkachuk, all signed long-term. Matthews though, insisted on less term before and he likely will again.

Matthews knows why.

How about a 2 year extension?

Then see if there is anybody else free at the time.

 

[Boxscore]

There's no effing way there's a $10 million cap jump happening next year. The hard cap is strangling the league and if they were to loosen up the purse strings they'd go $5 million and $5 million just to improve the product and flow of roster movement.

Lame cap, fake rationale, stringing along fans per usual.

Yep. 1 mil max this year and next. The bet would be a potential 3-4 mil bump in 3 years, which will be an opportunity for Matthews to demand all that extra cap belongs to him. If the Leafs and Matthews don't put this to bed quick, with a long-term (at least 6 year) commitment, I think we're screwed and will overpay him in dollars for short term or be pressured into trading him.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

There's no effing way there's a $10 million cap jump happening next year. The hard cap is strangling the league and if they were to loosen up the purse strings they'd go $5 million and $5 million just to improve the product and flow of roster movement.

Lame cap, fake rationale, stringing along fans per usual.

Well there is going to be a huge jump next year when the escrow debt is paid off, the amount remains to be seen. Either way, waiting to sign next year would make way more sense if he wants to maximize his earnings

 

[Racer88]

Matthews won’t do an 8 year deal. At most he might take 4 years. He wants to become a UFA again while still in his prime.

the AAV ask will be around $15M X 3 years wth full no move clause. The leafs will counter with $12M x 8 with no trade restrictions. Whether they can meet in the middle remains to be seen.

Trade him

 

[ULF_55]

Yep. 1 mil max this year and next. The bet would be a potential 3-4 mil bump in 3 years, which will be an opportunity for Matthews to demand all that extra cap belongs to him. If the Leafs and Matthews don't put this to bed quick, with a long-term (at least 6 year) commitment, I think we're screwed and will overpay him in dollars for short term or be pressured into trading him.

While he is a nice player, he is only a short term rental wrt The Maple Leafs.

Toronto will be just fine with or without.

And with a tremendous upgrade (snicker) at the GM position they'll just keep on Leafing.

 

[Stephen]

Well there is going to be a huge jump next year when the escrow debt is paid off, the amount remains to be seen. Either way, waiting to sign next year would make way more sense if he wants to maximize his earnings

I don’t believe the huge jump hype. That’s just a promise to keep the heat off. Mix in some Bally Sports issues and whatnot and it’s flat cap city.

 

[Boxscore]

While he is a nice player, he is only a short term rental wrt The Maple Leafs.

Toronto will be just fine with or without.

And with a tremendous upgrade (snicker) at the GM position they'll just keep on Leafing.

I just can't believe this has the feeling of pending disaster when it should be as easy as...

Treliving: "Auston. do you love playing in Toronto?"

Matthews: "Yes, 100%."

Treliving: "How about we give you the same deal MacKinnon got last year -- 8 x 12.6?"

Matthews: "Done."

This should be a conversation that lasts less than a minute.

 

[yubbers]

completely fair;

Byfield is a recent second overall pick and has tools but he doesn't seem to have the toolbox or be able to put it together; seems like LA fans want the Kings to move on from him.

the package doesn't move the needle for the leafs because they lose a superstar and don't get much back.

Doughty at half retained.

 

[Racer88]

It would be crazy for Matthews to sign now instead of waiting for next year's 8-10 million dollar cap jump. If he does, he must really want to be a Leaf

If he doesn’t agree to an extension then they will have no choice but to grade him before July 1st

 

[geo25]

No, I've been extremely vocal about this since the afternoon they signed John Tavares as a UFA. You can go back and visit the threads if you like -- I was extremely vocal in real time and said this was a massive mistake and it will now set the precedent for the younger players taking a similar "I want every penny I can possibly make" approach.

When I said that, I was attacked by virtually everyone, calling me a troll and saying I know nothing about Tavares, the Leafs, or the game of hockey. I have been openly critical of the way Shanny and Dubas handled the Core 4 contracts and the way they turned the Toronto Maple Leafs into a soft, spoiled country club where nobody is ever held accountable.

My point is: the Leafs can no longer continue down this path. Today is the one chance they have to reset the culture with Matthews. But, he needs to be willing to do his part. If he is willing to commit to the Leafs and leave money on the table to help us build a winner -- say 12.75 x 6 years -- then he has proven he loves Toronto and his priority is to win a Cup. If he hems and haws about making 14 million x 3 or 5 years, then it's the same old thing with him -- he only cares about the Leafs caving to his demands and truly cares less about winning a championship. And, if that's the case, the Leafs unfortunately should move on from him.

Agreed 100%.....

 

[geo25]

Good points
Unless he asks for insane money keep him and move MM. To me he personifies entitlement, immaturity and lack of accountability

Excellent points - but you are forgetting the recurring wrist situation as well....time to go...

 

[Maple Leaf]

Number 1 centers don't grow on trees

 

[Bomber0104]

Number 1 centers don't grow on trees

Neither do players that want to maximize their career earnings to the last dollar, like Matthews.

It's quite clear he doesn't give a shit about wins or Cups, by now.

Money is the primary motivator and always has been.

 

[The Apologist]

Too comfy, core got everything they wanted and Dubas's undying loyalty. He would say how much they "care", despite failure after failure and most in embrassing fashion. Entitled stars who will not go to war in the playoffs. Keefe couldn't even criticize them publicly without having to apologize
Lack of accountability

Who would you say is part of this 'coubtey club's?

 

[NVious]

Well, you have to consider the regular season as well, because you can't be a playoff choke artist if you don't qualify...

Second, it's not like you have the option to walk away from Matthews and sign a player of equal or greater value, more perfect player in the playoffs on the ice. There's a false dilemma.

Well good for him, I guess he earned the playoff choker title,.

Not equal ofc, but again, Matthews is not the Matthews from the season come playoff time.

You have big game performers like Crosby, McDavid, Malkin, Drai, Makar, Mack and they all get paid. Why are we paying a guy more and more and more as he continues to fail?

That's only including offensive play though, he's better defensively than most high scoring forwards. I agree though he doesn't need to be the highest paid player in the league but he absolutely will be for a short period of time atleast.

What's his defensive ranking then? Because the results are 1/8 series wins and 1 2nd round playoff appearance in 7 years.

 

[Sypher04]

You have big game performers like Crosby, McDavid, Malkin, Drai, Makar, Mack and they all get paid. Why are we paying a guy more and more and more as he continues to fail?

Playoff performances didn’t get anyone of those players their payday.

Their salaries were overwhelmingly driven by their regular season accomplishments, as it is with everyone and always has been.

At best players who win the cup might see a slight bump, but that’s more often true with mid to lower tier players as the stars get paid regardless.

 

[thewave]

Trade him

No point, 12.8x4 gives us more flexibility than distress trades. You could sign him to that and make pretty much so he requests a trade.

 

[NVious]

Playoff performances didn’t get anyone of those players their payday.

Their salaries were overwhelmingly driven by their regular season accomplishments, as it is with everyone and always has been.

At best players who win the cup might see a slight bump, but that’s more often true with mid to lower tier players as the stars get paid regardless.

You're right, I guess the sad thing is that in other cities, it is a given your star will perform in the playoffs. In this city, the 30th best playoff performer is going to be given the biggest contract in the NHL after 7 years of failing to do anything in the playoffs.

 

[ToneDog]

No point, 12.8x4 gives us more flexibility than distress trades. You could sign him to that and make pretty much so he requests a trade.

I'd do 12.8x4. I'd then knock on Sakic's door to see if he is interested in a Big Yankee Matty for East coast Canadian MacKinnon trade. I mean why wouldn't he take that? I hear Matty is much better than MacKinnon.

 

[hockeywiz542]

SIMMONS SAYS: Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews will be the highest paid player in the NHL

The usual popular collection of here and there and this and that

torontosun.com

Connor McDavid may well be the most dominant athlete in North American professional sports — everywhere but in his bank account.

There are 108 Major League Baseball players, led by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at $43 million, earning more than McDavid is paid by the Edmonton Oilers and more than Nathan MacKinnon will be paid next season by the Colorado Avalanche.
Article content

There are 107 current National Basketball Association players earning more than $12.6 million a year, which is just above McDavid’s salary grade and precisely what MacKinnon will be paid in the coming year. Steph Curry leads the NBA at $48 million a season.

There are 104 National Football League players, topped by Lamar Jackson’s mammoth deal of $52 million per season, who will be paid more than McDavid and MacKinnon will manage in the upcoming National Hockey League season.

All of this makes the upcoming negotiations with Auston Matthews, free agent in 2024, all the more complicated for Brad Treliving, the new general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

You can argue, quite sensibly, that Matthews does not deserve to be paid anything more than McDavid or MacKinnon. And nowhere near where the big boys of the other games are found.

But you can bet that when pen is put to paper, Matthews, without McDavid’s bevy of Hart Trophies, without his four scoring championships, without MacKinnon’s Stanley Cup ring, will clock in somewhere between $14 million and $15 million a season — significantly more than players who have accomplished more than him — but nowhere near the figures given to the elite from the other major sports.

The NHL salary cap for the coming season is expected to be $83.5 million. That’s $50 million below the NBA cap, $141 million lower than the NFL cap.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Then by your rationale, why didn't he campaign for a long-term deal before? And why do you suspect he won't ask for 8 years this time? McDavid, Kucherov, Pastrnak, MacKinnon, Tkachuk, all signed long-term. Matthews though, insisted on less term before and he likely will again.

The story going around was that AM did the Leafs a favor by going to 5yrs instead of 8 because his hit would have been even higher had they signed an 8yr deal. So, let's see if he was doing the solid or it was just after the fact PR.

It's a pretty simple decision for Brad. If AM wants more than $13M on anything less than 6yrs...you trade him. He will show you what his priority is by his asking price.