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

[sunstersun]

Not that we're going to tank, but the Leafs do have the 1st next year.

Oh my bad, I guess next next year we don't have it.

Whatever, the point is Matthews is the line between a rebuild an a retool.

 

[DarkKnight]

We have the heft to give him the money up front too, last time this meant nothing but it should have, big time. He can take that money and invest it right away instead of waiting years, and yet these greedy players never gave back a dime despite this TO advantage. Also, how much is this guy making in endorsements here, he won’t make that anywhere else. I want Dubas to lay it out clear, there are benefits you get her beyond the simple cap hit, so you want to win, throw us a bone. He already fleeced Dubas once, up front money, only one UFA year and highest salary, now compromise for the team or f*** off. All of them, he hasn’t won shit, he’s wilted crunch time, every time, MacKinnon money is laughable on one level. You love it here, it’s an honour, then don’t roll the organization again Auston and tell Mitch ditto.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I don't know if you draw the line on the franchise player himself because if your game of chicken goes wrong, your entire era has blown up in your face over $500K. That's not something the GM wants to report to the president, the president to the board, the franchise to the fanbase...

If you had your next superstar waiting in the wings maybe you pull an Yzerman on Stamkos but we don't have that.

If you want to be a tough organization, why not start with John Tavares? Give him the hard sell on waiving his NMC. Make the actual hard hockey move that needs to happen. Cause I think everyone can live with Matthews, Nylander and even Marner. But Tavares is the weak link that costs a crap ton, who has the C.

The best way to probably approach it is to set a ceiling on the cap hit. I think there has to be one and Matthews is not a "blank check" situation right now. Yes, if they say 12.5 and he says 13 then it's not the end of the world as you said assuming it's an 8-year deal.

 

[Squiffy]

This exactly. Talk is cheap. He is not going to exactly say that he wants out of Toronto and that he is not going to resign. He may very well have his heart set on Los Angeles or Arizona. Don’t be surprised If he bolts.

I’ll be surprised if he bolts.

 

[The Best Leafs Everr]

Oh my bad, I guess next next year we don't have it.

Whatever, the point is Matthews is the line between a rebuild an a retool.

Show me a bonafide top line center on Seattle. Vegas running washed up Eichel. Winning takes sacrifices and not just talent. These guys never have the compete. Through out the whole playoffs losing year after year for so many years, they still played unprepared, playing the catch up game, not ready since min 1 to the end. These guys don't have character, I would never want to hear their Cinderella bull shit about wanting to stay together.

f*** them, I deserve better than a non competent bunch of p***yes.

10.5 for 8 years and not a penny more.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Show me a bonafide top line center on Seattle. Vegas running washed up Eichel. Winning takes sacrifices and not just talent. These guys never have the compete. Through out the whole playoffs losing year after year for so many years, they still played unprepared, playing the catch up game, not ready since min 1 to the end. These guys don't have character, I would never want to hear their Cinderella bull shit about wanting to stay together.

f*** them, I deserve better than a non competent bunch of p***yes.

10.5 for 8 years and not a penny more.

Yeah man Seattle making round 2 and losing to a team with a 1C is enough to prove that every cup winner for the past decade having elite Cs is fake.

 

[Legion34]

I dunno man but nickle and diming your best player is really not something I would care about. You obviously want the number to be as low as possible and I think it'll be around what the superstars make. Do we really care if he's slightly over expectations? Mackinnon is slated to make 12.6M, I'm sure Matthews is around that ballpark of value.

I care more about the term. I want Matthews for 8 years. None of this bullcrap of 4-6 years.

Honestly. If he wants 5 years is that the worst thing?

I mean 27-31…. With his injury history maybe not the worst

 

[Squiffy]

Losing Matthews is insanity. Literally try anything else if you want Leafs. They are not failing as a franchise because they have a generational 1C a year removed from the Hart. It’s something else.

Step back from the brink here people.

 

[SprDaVE]

Show me a bonafide top line center on Seattle. Vegas running washed up Eichel. Winning takes sacrifices and not just talent. These guys never have the compete. Through out the whole playoffs losing year after year for so many years, they still played unprepared, playing the catch up game, not ready since min 1 to the end. These guys don't have character, I would never want to hear their Cinderella bull shit about wanting to stay together.

f*** them, I deserve better than a non competent bunch of p***yes.

10.5 for 8 years and not a penny more.

Let's take it a step further. These playoffs Seattle, Dallas, Carolina, VGK and Florida all have much less hits and BkS per 60 than the Leafs. Matthews lead the Leafs forward in hits and blocked shots.

VGK have 6 majors. Leafs had 5. Dallas 0 and Seattle 0. Carolina has 1.

Game 1 and 2 the Leafs started off those games very well against the Panthers and kinda got undone by bad goaltending/breakdowns and Bobrovsky standing on his head to keep Florida in it. They were shit in game 3. They had plenty of issues but starting on time wasn't one of them to me except for game 3.

 

[Squiffy]

And still only lost in OT

 

[Stephen]

I dunno man but nickle and diming your best player is really not something I would care about. You obviously want the number to be as low as possible and I think it'll be around what the superstars make. Do we really care if he's slightly over expectations? Mackinnon is slated to make 12.6M, I'm sure Matthews is around that ballpark of value.

I care more about the term. I want Matthews for 8 years. None of this bullcrap of 4-6 years.

The 6 year deal will take him to 2030 and age 33, 14 years into his career. 33 can look like anything, but most like we will have extracted his peak seasons by then and probably not a lot of prime years left so you're not leaving that much on the table if you don't get the full 8. Plus if everything goes well you can probably sign him to a tapering off retirement contract.

8 years feels like security now, but 6 will give us flexibility when time comes.

 

[IPS]

The 6 year deal will take him to 2030 and age 33, 14 years into his career. 33 can look like anything, but most like we will have extracted his peak seasons by then and probably not a lot of prime years left so you're not leaving that much on the table if you don't get the full 8. Plus if everything goes well you can probably sign him to a tapering off retirement contract.

8 years feels like security now, but 6 will give us flexibility when time comes.

5 or 6 years is totally fine with me given the cap hit isn't lunacy.

 

[WillNy29]

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.

showed up with 0 goals?

 

[Cleetus]

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.

yep suspended and Banned from the NHL, we all know how this works, this stuff will not work here in Toronto, just look at the DOPS, how they treat anyone with a leaf crest on their jersey

 

[WillNy29]

They did provide a reason... he's 'Murican and he wants to play in 'Murica!

Or something dumb like that.

ive noticed the Americans seem to love it here and want to play in this fishbowl market and the hometown boys come off as p***yes and don't want to be here and want to be anonymous.

 

[Gallagbi]

Let's take it a step further. These playoffs Seattle, Dallas, Carolina, VGK and Florida all have much less hits and BkS per 60 than the Leafs. Matthews lead the Leafs forward in hits and blocked shots.

VGK have 6 majors. Leafs had 5. Dallas 0 and Seattle 0. Carolina has 1.

Game 1 and 2 the Leafs started off those games very well against the Panthers and kinda got undone by bad goaltending/breakdowns and Bobrovsky standing on his head to keep Florida in it. They were shit in game 3. They had plenty of issues but starting on time wasn't one of them to me except for game 3.

Game 3 we had a 2on1 in the first shift and multiple odd man rushes in the first 10 minutes. We got weaker as the game went on, so starting on time wasnt a huge issue

 

[Zero1]

He has to take less and commit to the team.

If your best player takes less and commits to 8 years I strongly believe that everyone else would follow.

If he wants another high AAV low term contract then f*** him. Leafs probably still give it to him but f*** him. It just tells me he’s not serious about winning.

 

[WillNy29]

Show me a bonafide top line center on Seattle. Vegas running washed up Eichel. Winning takes sacrifices and not just talent. These guys never have the compete. Through out the whole playoffs losing year after year for so many years, they still played unprepared, playing the catch up game, not ready since min 1 to the end. These guys don't have character, I would never want to hear their Cinderella bull shit about wanting to stay together.

f*** them, I deserve better than a non competent bunch of p***yes.

10.5 for 8 years and not a penny more.

Seattle just lost to a team with a bonafide 1C...

every cup champion since 2009 has had a bonafide 1C and strength in the middle of the ice.

Eichel is a legitimate 1C he isn't washed wtf?

 

[Stephen]

yep suspended and Banned from the NHL, we all know how this works, this stuff will not work here in Toronto, just look at the DOPS, how they treat anyone with a leaf crest on their jersey

Nope. Guys on the Leafs get in trouble with discipline because the rest of the team is so passive. Dial that stuff up and have a roster that knows how to play tough, I believe things would be different.

 

[leafsfan5]

I would prefer a 4-5 year deal so I'm glad if that happens

Matthews is a unique case where you don't want to lose a player of that calibre, but also have questions about how injuries have changed his game. 4-5 years lets us keep him while also not boxing us in if we realize his wrist will never be the same

 

[sunstersun]

I'd hate it but I think we're getting 13.5 x 4/5

 

[The Best Leafs Everr]

Seattle just lost to a team with a bonafide 1C...

every cup champion since 2009 has had a bonafide 1C and strength in the middle of the ice.

Eichel is a legitimate 1C he isn't washed wtf?

66 points in 67 games, it's in the category of Tavares. Seattle who had their first season in the league outperformed your 33 million boys.

 

[WillNy29]

66 points in 67 games, it's in the category of Tavares. Seattle who had their first season in the league outperformed your 33 million boys.

he's coming off a neck injury....he is still a number 1 centre the guy fed McDavid his lunch; you're embarrassing yourself

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Most players don't decline as bad as Tavares. Stamkos for example is still really good.

Being a bad skater means the decline in the 30s is even more brutal.

Tavares outplayed Stamkos in the first round.

The JT decline is being over exaggerated. He’s overpaid, yes. But he’s still a borderline 1C or one of the best 2Cs in the league.

 

[Jagged Ice]

Honestly. If he wants 5 years is that the worst thing?

I mean 27-31…. With his injury history maybe not the worst

This is his biggest contract and if you can get a short term you do it. Having said that, his agent will probably try to get a much longer term.