Value of: Auston Matthews

[Heldig]

At least half the league would be interested in Matthews even if he hasn't turned up in playoffs. So many GMs think they can be the genius to get the best out of players who underperformed elsewhere.

Teams that need a 1C desperately:
Utah, Seattle, Boston, Anaheim, Calgary, Philadelphia, Nashville.

Teams that could do with a 1C upgrade:
Washington, Buffalo, Rangers, Columbus, Chicago, Vancouver, Minnesota.

And then there is a list of teams who need some more firepower to take them to the next stage (LA, St Louis, Detroit, Islanders).

The market would be there if he's willing to move to one of several teams.

While Matthews would be a clear upgrade on all but a few teams, your groupings are...curious.

 

[Legion34]

I am glad that Toronto fans are happy with their team.

Trade between these 2 teams is not needed.

I actually think Marner has a decent chance of signing in LA.

If Matthews wanted to go to LA. The kings would absolutely move tons to get him.

Heck both might come.
We can gaurantee 2 rounds in 9 years

 

[kinghock]

I actually think Marner has a decent chance of signing in LA.

If Matthews wanted to go to LA. The kings would absolutely move tons to get him.

Heck both might come.
We can gaurantee 2 rounds in 9 years

No, Kings gets Marner for free and Matthews stays with Toronto.

 

[57special]

Rossi, Spurgeon, Yurov, 1st. Spurgeon is still a vg player, but his inclusion is mainly due to evening out the cap numbers.

Matthews is still worth quite a lot. Marner, not so much. I sure as hell don't want him on my team at the cap number he is probably going to get.

 

[Legion34]

No, Kings gets Marner for free and Matthews stays with Toronto.

You talk like any of this is your choice.

 

[bernmeister]

Guy is still pretty young and a star center in this league.

Toronto isn't working out and the capitaincy looks to have taken a toll on him.

He looks deflated out there, could certainly welcome a move under the circumstances... A new start somewhere else could re-ignite him for the 2nd part of his career.

The return could certainly spark a mega retool and allow Toronto to keep/re-sign all of the free agents (Marner, Tavares, Knies, etc) and add other pieces.

I could see most NHL teams being interested, with top prospects/top picks included.

What kind of an offer could work?

core of Shesty + Fox + ____ maybe trocheck + Othmann?
for
AM

Rs roll dice w/garand in G

reasonable cap dumps for balance may be considered

 

[Heldig]

I believe the Leafs are going to make a lot of changes of front but Matthews will not be that change.

Teans that trade their 2026 and 2027 1sts don't tend to rebuild.

Plus when was the lastv time you saw the division winner rebuild?

I have been watching this sport 25 years I've never seen a division winner rebuild the next year.

It doesn't happen

Rebuild, not likely but something has to change right?

Marner and Taveres walking to UFA is already massive. But how do they replace those 2?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Utah, Seattle, Columbus or Detroit (maybe even Philly too) would take him just to sell regular season tickets and increase their chances of making the playoffs.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Rebuild, not likely but something has to change right?

Marner and Taveres walking to UFA is already massive. But how do they replace those 2?

I have no doubt changes are coming I just don't think Matthews will be the change.

What I can tell you is they have almost 30 million in cap space and that's without any trades.

I don't know what the moves are.

But I know they have money to spend.

 

[Fatass]

Matthews has a full NMC. If he agreed to a trade it would cost a lot for that one club. Likely the equivalent of four firsts.

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

I have no doubt changes are coming I just don't think Matthews will be the change.

What I can tell you is they have almost 30 million in cap space and that's without any trades.

I don't know what the moves are.

But I know they have money to spend.

A lot of teams have a lot of money to spend

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

A lot of teams have a lot of money to spend

Yes but not every team can go to the cap.

 

[captainpaxil]

If the leafs were to move Matthews I think it would be imperative to retain marner and Tavares. So getting a cost controlled player would have to be part of the deal but given the length of his current contract I don't know if a team is going to go as high in value as Toronto would like. The cap is going up but it still exists

 

[Pinkfloyd]

It doesn’t. That’s wishful thinking. If he only wants 1 team that won’t give up anything then you keep him.

If he wants out you work with him. But if not you are happy to keep him. This isn’t a JT miller/peterson situation.

No, it’s reality. Players with clauses limit their suitors and it hampers their return value. You can ignore it if you wish but you’ll certainly be disappointed by the return if it goes down. Even when you work with a player in this instance, you get maybe a handful of teams and they don’t all have the same level of interest and they all have their limits on what they will give up. That’s just how this aspect of things tend to work.

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

It doesn’t. That’s wishful thinking. If he only wants 1 team that won’t give up anything then you keep him.

And have him continue to eat away at the culture by throwing his teammates under the bus for his chronic playoff failures?

This is a toxic relationship for both sides now and only a trade can fix it. The Leafs will lose that trade in the short-term, yes, but it’s worth it if Toronto ever wants to win more than respect in the handshake line.

If the Blues were to offer Schenn, Buchnevich and Bolduc for Matthews and Kampf as an example, Berube would finally have some reliable horses to run with come playoff time. No, they aren’t going to get him 70 goals in the regular season, but it would be a much more balanced roster with cap space to fill holes as needed.

Knies-Nylander-Buchnevich
Schenn-Tavares-Robertson
McMann-Domi-Bolduc
Laughton-Holmberg-Jarnkrok
Lorentz, Reaves

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-Carlo
McCabe-Benoit
Myers

Stolarz
Woll


+Between 6 and 8 million in cap depending on what JT and the RFAs extend for. They can either spend that this summer for a more reliable winger than Robertson or see if he can produce in the top six and fill that hole at the deadline if need be.

 

[Heldig]

Matthews has a full NMC. If he agreed to a trade it would cost a lot for that one club. Likely the equivalent of four firsts.

3 years left at 13.5 million...chronic wrist injury...4 1sts ( or the equivalent) is steep. Although Barrett Hayton was a 1st as was Lawson Crouse and Jusso Vaalimaki. So that makes 3...

 

[CupsOverCash]

If you trade him you are likely starting over. There's not a trade out there that likely gets you similar player back unless its a first overall. I think they will try to fix their roster another way.

 

[Fatass]

3 years left at 13.5 million...chronic wrist injury...4 1sts ( or the equivalent) is steep. Although Barrett Hayton was a 1st as was Lawson Crouse and Jusso Vaalimaki. So that makes 3...

Yup. Equivalent of four firsts. Picks + prospects + roster players.

 

[Nucklehead Supreme]

I could see only a few NHL teams could be interested in Matthews.

The main goal of contending team to win NHL title, but Mathews proved once again that he is not a good playoff performer/winner.

I understand that Leafs fans do not like what they see in Matthews anymore, but fans of other teams are not blind either.

I do not think that Toronto can expect to receive best top prospects for him.

P.S. His contract does not help his value either.

I hate the leafs as much as the next person, but this is honestly one of the dumbest posts I have ever seen on HF (and that's saying something) if Mathews was made available every team would be trying to get him, he's a multiple 50 goal scorer and has 59 points in 68 playoff games, no he hasn't been spectacular in the post season, but those things aren't just gonna be ignored either.

Also I can't make this clear enough, fans don't make trades GM's do, and no GM in the league is gonna say I don't want Mathews because the fanbase doesn't like him.

This is just as dumb as the people that thought the Caps should trade Ovi because he was a"playoff loser"

 

[nbwingsfan]

Such a tough trade to make.

He’s obviously one of the best players in the regular season, but is anti clutch and not someone you can rely on being your best player in the postseason

Which it’s hard to not make him the focal point when he’s paid so much money

Maybe a team with another highly paid player who can’t get over the hump?

Winnipeg? Schiefele?

Kaprizov if he won’t sign? Toronto takes the risk?

Barzal + + ??

I genuinely don’t know

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Utah, Seattle, Columbus or Detroit (maybe even Philly too) would take him just to sell regular season tickets and increase their chances of making the playoffs.

The 155 tickets Detroit failed to sell, per game, would have to sell at $3,200+ apiece just to break even on Matthews' salary next season...

 

[Nucklehead Supreme]

Ain’t nobody selling the farm in this situation. There’s no leverage for that. Either Toronto wants to keep him or they accept a trade to just move on like the Sharks did to move Karlsson.

You think the two things are the same, lol man people on this site are clueless.

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Matthews is waiting for the Arizona expansion team.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

You think the two things are the same, lol man people on this site are clueless.

In the sense of taking the best that's available if you decide to move on, yes. In the sense that it'd be the same exact trade? No and it's pretty stupid to interpret that post as such.

 

[Heldig]

Utah, Seattle, Columbus or Detroit (maybe even Philly too) would take him just to sell regular season tickets and increase their chances of making the playoffs.

Could see Utah making a big splash this summer. That would certainly qualify.

Of course, no idea if 1 - Matthews would waive to go to Utah and 2 - If Utah could pay the cost without gutting their depth.