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

[yubbers]

Imagine telling people not to make more money to appease you. Next time you're at work tell them you want a pay cut.

Imagine getting raises for failure.

Athletes don't operate in the real world.

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

Yes. Players salaries are driven based on regular season stats and accomplishments, not playoffs. A player MIGHT get a slight bump due to winning a cup, but it’s not as much of a driving force as people think it is. The reality is that Matthews has the resume to be the highest paid player in the league briefly until Draisaitl or McDavid tops him next deal.

Mackinnon is a better regular season and playoff player than Matthews.

12 million/year is a fair deal

 

[Kiwi]

He can say what he wants but his past says he's going to want as much money as possible over the most friendly term as possible

So 13-14M by 5 is my best guess

Is he worth that if he plays like he did this year and can you build a team around him at that number?

Because I don't trust him not to walk if he doesn't get what he wants

 

[Trapper]

then get a deal done in the next few weeks.

100% trade before July 1, 2023 if no deal done.

Dubas needs to give him a date. Go past that date you are TRADED.

I think draft weekend is a perfect time to have it done. That should be the drop dead date.

 

[The Best Leafs Everr]

Mackinnon is a better regular season and playoff player than Matthews.

12 million/year is a fair deal

I would take McKinnon for Matthews any day and twice on Sunday.

 

[Menzinger]

Guessing he just doesn't want to be traded somewhere he doesn't want to be for a year before his NMC kicks in.

Say the right things, say you "hope" to stay in Toronto, give your agent the directive to make a deal untenable, say "ahh shucks we tried but it didn't work out" and sign in some nice beachy west coast local when he's a UFA and get a massive bag.

We can't trust him and tbh I don't know if we can win with him either. He showed zero urgency in an elimination game.

His word means nothing and can set this franchise back a long way if he walks for free.

If he was to have no interest in staying i doubt he'd go to such lengths to conspire to prevent a trade.

 

[Trapper]

Kyper thinks Matty wants big bucks. Says MacKinnon won a cup and got 12.6. Matty gets no goals in round two, why does he deserve more than Mac ?? Says giving him 11.634 for 5 years instead of 8 has put the Leafs back against the well. It's not like many of us were saying the same thing.

It was bad overall.
Matthews/Nylander UFA at the same time.
1 year later, Tavares/Marner UFA at the same time.

This time, you need to get the cap right and refine the core at the same time. We need a harder core forward and a solid 25 minute D. Rielly on one pair, new guy on the other.

 

[Superstar]

It was bad overall.
Matthews/Nylander UFA at the same time.
1 year later, Tavares/Marner UFA at the same time.

This time, you need to get the cap right and refine the core at the same time. We need a harder core forward and a solid 25 minute D. Rielly on one pair, new guy on the other.

I wonder what it would take to pry Wilson out of Washington...Wilson and Knies on Matthews' wing.

 

[Trapper]

I wonder what it would take to pry Wilson out of Washington...Wilson and Knies on Matthews' wing.

I’m not sure if Wilson is the answer but a package from LA of Kempe/D/pick could be a solid change. A 40 goal scorer with size, speed, physical, can drive to the net.

 

[Buds17]

It'd be great to have the contract wrapped up going into the season and stop that storyline before it has the chance to take on a life of its own.

 

[stats1]

I’m actually ok with the medium term ( 5 years) he gives the team enough time to make adjustments to this team while not handicapping the long term outlook. If things don’t work out on this contract McDavid is an upcoming UFA

Let’s say 2-3 years down the line things are a mess here, he’d have enough term left for a team to go on 2 playoff runs with him, we could flip him in his prime and still get a haul for him. I’m not a big fan of locking him in for 8 years at 14-15 million a year.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

12.5M x 8 or less.

If he asks for 13+, it's time to move on. There is no point in building a team around that contract because it doesn't work and it certainly won't work as he enters his 30s.

 

[killer1980]

WHERE ARE THEY NOW??????​

Top 10 Salaries this year​

​

8. (Tie) Patrick Kane, Carey Price, Jonathan Toews – $10,500,000 cap hit​

7. Mitch Marner – $10,903,000

5. (Tie) John Tavares and Drew Doughty – $11,000,000​

4. Erik Karlsson – $11,500,000​

3. Auston Matthews – $11,640,250

2. Artemi Panarin – $11,642,857​

1. Connor McDavid – $12,500,000

 

[Stephen]

I wonder what it would take to pry Wilson out of Washington...Wilson and Knies on Matthews' wing.

I feel like that might be a Nylander for Wilson type thing. But I wouldn't support that. But I do like Tom Wilson a lot. Imagine having that nuclear threat every time some pip squeaks started acting rough in front of their parents when coming home to Ontario.

 

[Stephen]

12.5M x 8 or less.

If he asks for 13+, it's time to move on. There is no point in building a team around that contract because it doesn't work and it certainly won't work as he enters his 30s.

I wouldn't blow up the era based on a $500K difference though but there are diminishing returns the higher the AAV.

I actually wouldn't mind giving him slightly higher AAV for shorter term. (Like 5-6 years instead of 8). There's an argument to be made to keep things flexible. In 7 years time, Matthews will be 33. Do we want him on a massive deal for another 2-3 years, or will it be time for him to taper down? Who knows.

 

[Stephen]

I’m actually ok with the medium term ( 5 years) he gives the team enough time to make adjustments to this team while not handicapping the long term outlook. If things don’t work out on this contract McDavid is an upcoming UFA

Let’s say 2-3 years down the line things are a mess here, he’d have enough term left for a team to go on 2 playoff runs with him, we could flip him in his prime and still get a haul for him. I’m not a big fan of locking him in for 8 years at 14-15 million a year.

I think 6 years might be the sweet spot for me, come to think of it. That buys you 5 years of a post John Tavares cap and takes him to 2030 where he'll be about Tavares' age now. At 33 you can re-evaluate and lock him up for a retirement tour at a reduced rate or let him walk. And wouldn't it be a beautiful thing if Tavares was riding off into the sunset this summer.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

I can pull about dozens of quotes of pending UFAs saying the same thing that ended up leaving. We should be able to smell a rat from the Tavares saga.

I am pretty sure we are going to get visited by a certain guy named Karma on July 1st 2024 for the JT signing and celebrating we did.

When they use words like "Intend" and "Can't foresee" you know its just window dressing. He looks like he likes the accolades he gets from the biggest market but doesn't like the shitty stuff too much. He looks indifferent to me and would probably like to play in a city where he can blend in a bit compared to here.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I wouldn't blow up the era based on a $500K difference though but there are diminishing returns the higher the AAV.

I actually wouldn't mind giving him slightly higher AAV for shorter term. (Like 5-6 years instead of 8). There's an argument to be made to keep things flexible. In 7 years time, Matthews will be 33. Do we want him on a massive deal for another 2-3 years, or will it be time for him to taper down? Who knows.

You're right and I do agree with keeping Matthews. It's hard to find a franchise #1 C.

But on principle, they need to draw a line somewhere with these guys. If it's just 500k, why can't he come down for the same amount? It shouldn't always be the Leafs bending over for the stars.

The Leafs management needs to value itself more as an organization. It's one of the premier NHL teams with first-class facilities. No way should they be getting taken to the cleaners when other organizations can get 12.6 x 7 for a cup-winning superstar in Mackinnon.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I am pretty sure we are going to get visited by a certain guy named Karma on July 1st 2024 for the JT signing and celebrating we did.

When they use words like "Intend" and "Can't foresee" you know its just window dressing. He looks like he likes the accolades he gets from the biggest market but doesn't like the shitty stuff too much. He looks indifferent to me and would probably like to play in a city where he can blend in a bit compared to here.

Can’t wait til then, he HAS to be traded by then

 

[seventieslord]

Would we be ok with the same deal as MacKinnon? Basically takes him through his whole prime. Maybe Matthews doesn't go for that and wants another 5 year deal to cash in again at the end.

Interesting offseason ahead.

Why should we be ok with paying Matthews the same amount of money to fail every April and May, that MacKinnon is paid to take the team on his back and go beast mode?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

He fumbled pucks. He missed the net. He fired fewer of those patented,
mostly unstoppable wrist shots. The variety in his shooting
diminished. Matthews was even held without a single shot in one game
in early November for only the sixth time in his career.

After the trade deadline earlier this month, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas
conceded what long seemed apparent but was never definitively
acknowledged — that Matthews had “played through some injuries and
things that have hampered him.”

Matthews shouldn’t command insane money, he’s damaged goods.

This feels like a very bad situation.

Bad wrist Matthews is with 9.5 AAV

 

[Menzinger]

I’m actually ok with the medium term ( 5 years) he gives the team enough time to make adjustments to this team while not handicapping the long term outlook. If things don’t work out on this contract McDavid is an upcoming UFA

Let’s say 2-3 years down the line things are a mess here, he’d have enough term left for a team to go on 2 playoff runs with him, we could flip him in his prime and still get a haul for him. I’m not a big fan of locking him in for 8 years at 14-15 million a year.

4-5 years is actually pretty fine with me too. It takes up the rest of his 20s, which will be the rest of his best years and also mitigates risk against any major injuries or physical decline.

 

[CaptainCrunch17]

???? Tavares was the captain. Matthews is not. Tavares was on a team that didn’t have an arena. Toronto does.

Did Tavares say it was important to him to get an extension signed before the season?

Also…. There is a whole offseason and trade deadline to become Tavares

The Islanders at that time were a long term dysfunctional mess.

They are in much better shape now.

 

[CaptainCrunch17]

Which is what you say to avoid being traded. He was less than a 3rd line player in the 2nd round, I want a mean junk yard dog like Tkachuk that shows up when it matters.

Adding a player like that to the group would actually change the entire character of the team. But it has to be a player that has grit, skill and can be an impact player.

Imagine adding a player like a Milan Lucic in his prime.

Suddenly everyone would seem a little bit bigger.

 

[BayStBullies]

I feel like that might be a Nylander for Wilson type thing. But I wouldn't support that. But I do like Tom Wilson a lot. Imagine having that nuclear threat every time some pip squeaks started acting rough in front of their parents when coming home to Ontario.

5 min penalty and suspended for "the rest of the series". The Leafs will never be allowed to play by the same rules.