Tribute Auston Matthews Discussion Thread II: Record Breaking Edition

[WillyC]

Auston played outstanding last night… his elite vision is impressive and improving.

 

[Stephen]

Seems to be recharged after coming back from the injury.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Auston played outstanding last night… his elite vision is impressive and improving.

I know they aren't exactly the same plays. However, last night I thought his assist on Nylander's goal reminded me of this assist he had in the 2019-20 season when Marner scored in that 8-6 win against Carolina.

 

[WillyC]

I know they aren't exactly the same plays. However, last night I thought his assist on Nylander's goal reminded me of this assist he had in the 2019-20 season when Marner scored in that 8-6 win against Carolina.

Auston is so good… that first video with the spin around pass was filthy.

 

[kb]

I mean... He signed a 5 year contract and not an 8. He's not Canadian, he's american. He's not the captain of this team

There is plenty of reason for speculation.

I don't think Arizona would be his choice, but an American team. Sure. New York? LA? He loves style, he likes warm weather too (LA).

At this point nobody knows where his mind is.

He wanted an 8 year deal.

 

[Gabriel426]

Are we sure it’s going to be $15m? I don’t think he’s going to get much more than MacKinnon really. If anyone breaks $15 it’ll be McDavid on his next contract.

That’s what I think too.
Unless he leads the Leafs to a Cup or two. There is no way he could possibly ask for 15mil.
I can see him wanting to have a contract bigger than Mack and be the highest paid player but it is quite foolish for AM’s camp to even suggest 15mil, which is 15% more than Mack who actually won a Cup when he signed.

 

[Dekes For Days]

That’s what I think too.
Unless he leads the Leafs to a Cup or two. There is no way he could possibly ask for 15mil.
I can see him wanting to have a contract bigger than Mack and be the highest paid player but it is quite foolish for AM’s camp to even suggest 15mil, which is 15% more than Mack who actually won a Cup when he signed.

He's not getting 15m, but cups are team accomplishments, and what's way more relevant in a comparison to Mackinnon is that Matthews is a better player, signing through a year younger age, under a higher cap, so of course he's going to have a higher cap hit.

 

[Antropovsky]

He wanted an 8 year deal.

I don't recall reading this. Do you have a link?

 

[kb]

I don't recall reading this. Do you have a link?

Leafs lock up Auston Matthews with a team-friendly five-year, $58.17 million extension

“We made the investment in Auston because he’s shown tremendous potential,” Dubas said. “He’s a centre and he scores at an elite rate few have matched in his first three years of hockey. We know what he’s capable of and he’s still a very young man. He has a lot of potential that we have to help him reach.”

Matthews initially wanted an eight-year term, which would have cost the Maple Leafs a pretty sum, possibly as much as $13 million to $14 million a year, since he would have been sacrificing a few years of free agency.

It would have squeezed the cap so tightly that some good players might have had to be moved to create cap space. Dubas said Matthews showed his commitment to the team by offering a shorter term.

“We’re very thankful that they were willing to move from their desired term, and obviously everyone wants to be here for as long as possible, so we were able to find an AAV (average annual value) that works for everybody,” Dubas said. “And we were able to lock him in, and also to maintain some flexibility as we move ahead.”

 

[Antropovsky]

Leafs lock up Auston Matthews with a team-friendly five-year, $58.17 million extension

“We made the investment in Auston because he’s shown tremendous potential,” Dubas said. “He’s a centre and he scores at an elite rate few have matched in his first three years of hockey. We know what he’s capable of and he’s still a very young man. He has a lot of potential that we have to help him reach.”

Matthews initially wanted an eight-year term, which would have cost the Maple Leafs a pretty sum, possibly as much as $13 million to $14 million a year, since he would have been sacrificing a few years of free agency.

It would have squeezed the cap so tightly that some good players might have had to be moved to create cap space. Dubas said Matthews showed his commitment to the team by offering a shorter term.

“We’re very thankful that they were willing to move from their desired term, and obviously everyone wants to be here for as long as possible, so we were able to find an AAV (average annual value) that works for everybody,” Dubas said. “And we were able to lock him in, and also to maintain some flexibility as we move ahead.”

Thanks for the link! Right decision on Dubas part 13 to 14 would've crippled us. Good to know Matthews was willing to consider a longer term contract.

 

[saffronleaf]

mediocre performance tonight

 

[kb]

He's clearly playing through something. You can see the frustration written all over his face when he gets to the bench after some shifts.

 

[WillyC]

Put him in the hypersonic chamber until April

 

[ZEBROA]

1 shot on goal... Against Buffalo. Something is wrong.

 

[BallardEra]

Would like to see him hit 300 career goals before this season ends.

 

[geo25]

I mean... He signed a 5 year contract and not an 8. He's not Canadian, he's american. He's not the captain of this team

There is plenty of reason for speculation.

I don't think Arizona would be his choice, but an American team. Sure. New York? LA? He loves style, he likes warm weather too (LA).

At this point nobody knows where his mind is.

I agree and would like to think mgmt is attempting to find out whether he truly wants to be here so they can plan accordingly. He's been off lately. Sometimes I wonder whether he's already "checked out" mentally....I hope not, he is a generational talent...

 

[francis246]

I mean... He signed a 5 year contract and not an 8. He's not Canadian, he's american. He's not the captain of this team

There is plenty of reason for speculation.

I don't think Arizona would be his choice, but an American team. Sure. New York? LA? He loves style, he likes warm weather too (LA).

At this point nobody knows where his mind is.

It’s already been proven that he wanted to sign an 8 year deal. The leafs/Dubas chose a 5-year deal for flexibility. Matthews wanted to sign long term from the jump. I don’t think Matthews is going anywhere.

 

[horner]

He's clearly playing through something. You can see the frustration written all over his face when he gets to the bench after some shifts.

Maybe he needs marner more than people think.

 

[horner]

Thanks for the link! Right decision on Dubas part 13 to 14 would've crippled us. Good to know Matthews was willing to consider a longer term contract.

Anything north of 13 and I would trade him.

 

[horner]

He's not getting 15m, but cups are team accomplishments, and what's way more relevant in a comparison to Mackinnon is that Matthews is a better player, signing through a year younger age, under a higher cap, so of course he's going to have a higher cap hit.

Sorry I wouldn't say mathews is better than Mackinnon.
Mackinnon's speed is level below McDavid
There are different players but on the same level.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Sorry I wouldn't say mathews is better than Mackinnon.
Mackinnon's speed is level below McDavid

Mackinnon is a faster player. Matthews is a better player.

 

[horner]

Mackinnon is a faster player. Matthews is a better player.

Mackinnon has an extra gear in the most important season the playoffs

Mathews 39 gp 17 g 33 p ts
Over 82 gp 35 g 69 pts

Mackinnon 70 gp 41g 93 pts
Over 82 gp 48 g 108 pts

 

[Dekes For Days]

Mackinnon has an extra gear in the most important season the playoffs

Mackinnon has certainly been healthy and faced much easier situations to produce in the playoffs, while in a drastically weaker conference, that's for sure.
And some people that only look at points mistake that for an "extra gear".
6 points in 6 games (less than Matthews) against Tampa, who was missing their #1C when Mackinnon got to face him.

 

[janesy12]

He's clearly playing through something. You can see the frustration written all over his face when he gets to the bench after some shifts.

Agreed...he's not 100%.

 

[horner]

Mackinnon has certainly been healthy and faced much easier situations to produce in the playoffs, while in a drastically weaker conference, that's for sure.
And some people that only look at points mistake that for an "extra gear".
6 points in 6 games (less than Matthews) against Tampa, who was missing their #1C when Mackinnon got to face him.

Sorry it's also the eye test .
I have watched both Mac and mathews in the playoffs .
Mackinnon never stops .
I need to see more from Matthews.

Point was injured last yr vs Toronto in the playoffs