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

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Is this some of the woke stuff people talk about? As you are the one embarrassed, try not to brush away failures, don't take the sport so seriously that it affects your day to day life. Fans should enjoy the game in my opinion. As for pride, there are plenty of ways to have pride in what you do and in who you are. I don't know what works for you, but I have found that self-confidence works.

This is someone who isn't so self-centred they can't take pride in the accomplishments of others.

Sports are a social contract. Winners are honoured. Results matter.

We all want to live vicariously through our favourite team.

In this way when they win we are honoured to be part of that process. And we are invited by the team to be part of the celebration. Otherwise what's the point?

It's no fun when they keep losing.

Tanenbaum tells us he holds a PUBLIC TRUST with the "greatest fan base in the world". The name on the team is the TORONTO Maple Leafs. This is our hometown team ffs.

A representation of our great city.

We were promised a contender. Where is it? This team hasn't contended for a damn thing.

Sticking to the process has meant sticking it to the fans.

Meanwhile everyone at ML$E keeps making bank sticking it to the $17 tall boy beer drinking fans like us that support these losers for all these years.

 

[1specter]

Speculation.

But remember when the media kept beating the drum of Marner 11m and look what happened...

Hell, even with Matthews first contract go around, there were some insane numbers being thrown about that didn't make sense, and yet he got the reported deal anyways. These guys camps/agents are in bed with media, 100%.

It keeps being mentioned that this is the 'new trend' for contracts yet we seem to be the only team really doing it. MacK, Pasta, both Tkachuk bros etc. just signed max term deals with their teams. Where are these NBA style 3 year big money deals Johnson is alluding to?

 

[Peasy]

Hell, even with Matthews first contract go around, there were some insane numbers being thrown about that didn't make sense, and yet he got the reported deal anyways. These guys camps/agents are in bed with media, 100%.

Yup. The 100% tell for me was when the Leafs got Barrie, before he even played a game for the Leafs, Dreger was reporting that he wants 8x8 on his next deal.

 

[NVious]

As a fan, I'm embarassed for these guys whenever something like this happens.

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They get punched in the face and all you can see is this:

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The backs of their sweaters as they skate back to the bench and laugh it off.

We need to tell the other players to chirp them as follows:

"You're not going to make 200 million your career"
"Your next contract WILL be 8 years"
"You are not going to be the highest paid guy in the NHL"

Pretty sure that would turn them all into prime Tie Domi in terms of aggression.

 

[RAM]

Mathews is a good player but 14+ million a year is insane, No way leaf's can get a well rounded team with all the cap space going to a couple of players

 

[Leaf Fans]

This is someone who isn't so self-centred they can't take pride in the accomplishments of others.

Sports are a social contract. Winners are honoured. Results matter.

We all want to live vicariously through our favourite team.

In this way when they win we are honoured to be part of that process. And we are invited by the team to be part of the celebration. Otherwise what's the point?

It's no fun when they keep losing.

Tanenbaum tells us he holds a PUBLIC TRUST with the "greatest fan base in the world". The name on the team is the TORONTO Maple Leafs. This is our hometown team ffs.

A representation of our great city.

We were promised a contender. Where is it? This team hasn't contended for a damn thing.

Sticking to the process has meant sticking it to the fans.

Meanwhile everyone at ML$E keeps making bank sticking it to the $17 tall boy beer drinking fans like us that support these losers for all these years.

If that is who you are, so be it,

 

[NVious]

What a terrible position Kyle Dubas put this team in with these contracts.

He literally set up this player to absolutely put the screws to us and give him all leverage in his final year before UFA.

If there wasn't some sort of collusion or kickback to Dubas I'd be very surprised.

The whole thing reeks.

A rookie overseeing a rookie coaching a bunch of rookies.

Shanahan oversaw this entire gongshow and wanted to keep it going. How he has been absolved and unscathed in all of this is beyond me, he needs to be next on the chopping block, but then again after all this failure he really should've been gone already.

He went soft and it trickled down; Dubas on contracts, Keefe on criticism, the players on the ice.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Too bad there's no self confidence cup. LOL

Why would there be? LOL

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

We need to tell the other players to chirp them as follows:

"You're not going to make 200 million your career"
"Your next contract WILL be 8 years"
"You are not going to be the highest paid guy in the NHL"

Pretty sure that would turn them all into prime Tie Domi in terms of aggression.

Ever see that movie Full Metal Jacket?

It's awesome.

They whip this fat kid into being a soldier. He was pathetic and kept bringing down the unit and getting them all in trouble. So they beat him up and something in his head snapped and he became a like a robot and he was a perfect soldier.

These guys need their spirits broken.

They had the stick. Now they've had the carrot. Time to bring back the stick.

Oh, and maybe that was t the best example to use considering the guy in Full Metal Jacket went nuts and shot people he shouldn't have.

We just want the killer instinct and perfect hockey player part.

 

[NVious]

Ever see that movie Full Metal Jacket?

It's awesome.

They whip this fat kid into being a soldier. He was pathetic and kept bringing down the unit and getting them all in trouble. So they beat him up and something in his head snapped and he became a like a robot and he was a perfect soldier.

These guys need their spirits broken.

They had the stick. Now they've had the carrot. Time to bring back the stick.

Oh, and maybe that was t the best example to use considering the guy in Full Metal Jacket went nuts and shot people he shouldn't have.

We just want the killer instinct and perfect hockey player part.

We shoulda brought back Babcock for the ultimate lulz.

 

[Racer88]

So he isn't coming to Marners all star invitational in July? News to me.

He probably will for his best buddy but time will tell.
if he ends up being traded before his no trade kicks in I doubt he would show up and in that case I wouldn’t blame him

 

[ACC1224]

Something I heard today actually made my jaw drop.

RBC which is the sponser of the Canadian Open, the same RBC that pays Matthews scads of money to appear in those kind of limp commercials and act as a spokesperson for them. They asked Matthews to come and participate in the Opens celebrity pro-am, which he flat out refused to do.

You would think that a guy who supposedly "loves Toronto" not to mention makes some sweet coin from their association, couldn't be bugged to come up to the city he "loves" get to meet the new GM, shoot a nice easy round, get feted and pick up some swag thats fit for a king.

Not in love atm , perhaps?

Probably has other commitments.

 

[Racer88]

Probably has other commitments.

Probably beer and babe’s

 

[egd27]

Nope, Arizona.
Look, if AM does not agree yo sign new agreement by June22, is it not possible that he is planning on leaving. Maybe Dubas who said he didn't want out, lied, and maybe he knows AM wants out. Everything changed with the Leafs when Dubas and his agent changed the game. Obvious there was tampering.
The risk of walking with no compensation is too high.

I don't disagree with either of your statements I've bolded, I just think your solution of just trade him to Arizona or some other bottom feeder is neither simple nor the correct solution.

 

[Boxscore]

Cap is going to rise rapidly.

Are you not paying attention to the economy? The cap is not going to rise rapidly lol. As unemployment and inflation continue to rise rapidly, one thing is for sure, most people are going to choose food and nest egg over high-priced hockey games.

 

[yubbers]

Why would there be? LOL

Exactly

 

[justashadowof]

If Matthews were willing to ink an 8 year $14M aav deal on July 1st, would you jump at that deal (my first impulse) or be suspicious why it was that easy (I may be damaged beyond repair)?

 

[Notsince67]

Are you not paying attention to the economy? The cap is not going to rise rapidly lol. As unemployment and inflation continue to rise rapidly, one thing is for sure, most people are going to choose food and nest egg over high-priced hockey games.

Pardon me. Inflation will exist for every product on earth except hockey games.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

IIRC, scuttlebutt had it at 13.5M x 8. I believe the two sides settled on the lower AAV and term in order to keep enough of the team intact.

So he wanted more money...$1M more than the best player in the game...yup...makes sense. And people think he is going to be reasonable this time around.

Agree with Hayes here

If Matthews comes in and says I want a 3 year deal as the highest paid player in the NHL, he's showing he doesn't care about the team or winning.

Honest question, if the Leafs trade Matthews - do you see anyone giving Matthews these contracts?

I can see a team who needs to bump up ticket sales...but the problem is he won't want to play in that city most likely. Then again...he does like his summers off....

 

[Buds17]

So he wanted more money...$1M more than the best player in the game...yup...makes sense. And people think he is going to be reasonable this time around.


I can see a team who needs to bump up ticket sales...but the problem is he won't want to play in that city most likely. Then again...he does like his summers off....

IMO, that contract actually would have been preferable to the one which was ultimately agreed to. It just unfortunately wouldn't have worked out quite as well for the team as a whole (the overall cap situation).

I don't disagree at all that Matthews has a whole lot of leverage this time around.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

We shoulda brought back Babcock for the ultimate lulz.

Supposedly the 3 amigos wanted to be highly paid because they absolutely hated playing for Babcock. That might have been the case but now that they have a coach in Keefe that pretty much never criticizes them and plays them a ton...what's the excuse now?

 

[BallardEra]

What's the excuse now?

Media causing shambles in the brains.

 

[Metroid]

With regards Matthews and Leafs.
I'm ok with him potentially being highest payed leaf... I'm not ok with him being highest payed player in the NHL especially on a f***in 3 year deal.

 

[yubbers]

Are you not paying attention to the economy? The cap is not going to rise rapidly lol. As unemployment and inflation continue to rise rapidly, one thing is for sure, most people are going to choose food and nest egg over high-priced hockey games.

THIS

 

[Menzinger]

Are you not paying attention to the economy? The cap is not going to rise rapidly lol. As unemployment and inflation continue to rise rapidly, one thing is for sure, most people are going to choose food and nest egg over high-priced hockey games.

Worth noting the cap actually rose consistently in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis - experiencing just one year of paused growth, before returning to multi million dollar rises the year after.