Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign F Auston Matthews to extension (4 years, $13.25M AAV)

[TheTotalPackage]

I would agree you should probably get out of that mindset. And I'm sorry (might come across as insensitive) but honestly no one cares what you do as a regular working person. You can't compare your living to these guys. It's not the same conversation. Athletes and their salaries are not comparable to the average person. So I'm sorry you feel that way, but honestly what you go through and what they go through aren't the same and can't be measured up. Not saying one life is better than the other or more important, but I'm pretty sure you ain't helping a company rack in billions of dollars of revenue a year individually.

I was not comparing them to me, nor do I care to. They are the top of the top in the world. They live a completely different lifestyle that I will never comprehend. I'm a regular Joe Blow like everyone else.

But why is it that I should be pro-player and be cheering them on to make as much money as possible in their life?

 

[francis246]

I was not comparing them to me, nor do I care to. They are the top of the top in the world. They live a completely different lifestyle that I will never comprehend. I'm a regular Joe Blow like everyone else.

But why is it that I should be pro-player and be cheering them on to make as much money as possible in their life?

you don't have to be. I am because I've been in his shoes, i played a few years of pro (not in hockey), and granted I wasn't a superstar like Matthews, more of a role player and the sport I played did not have a salary cap. I've seen the penny pinching organizations do, how they disregard you as an athlete when they feel you have no use to them anymore. So I understand dedicating your entire life to something and wanting to be compensated because nothing in life is guaranteed. I understand my perspective is unique, so I'm not expecting others to understand from Matthews perspective.

My only thing I rather see players who actually lay it on the line day in and day out make their bread than see those greedy owners cash in. But I get in a tight cap world it's not realistic to want your top guys to make as much money as possible.

 

[Dekes For Days]

But why is it that I should be pro-player and be cheering them on to make as much money as possible in their life?

One doesn't need to cheer them on making as much money as possible, and one doesn't need to berate them for not taking the massive unrealistic discount one wants.
How about just accepting the fair contract and enjoying having one of the best players in the world on your team?

 

[Twine Tickler]

Yeah - under RFA contracts.

Treliving was screwed from day 1 due to the precedent he had to walk into and negotiate against.

Kind of like the RFA deals Brad signed Johnny Hockey and Matthew Tkachcuk to? those seemed to work out pretty decent right?

Again, this is not meant as knock on Brad. This was the number to retain Auston. He held all the cards. My point was that no one is taking a deal to be the focal point of the Maple Leafs. It is a widely consumed narrative that NHL'ers would much rather play on the beach, in front of a fanbase who knows nothing about them, and pay little to no tax for their services over playing in the pressure cooker that is TOR.

Brad, similarly to Kyle years before signed the deal that ensured the return of their superstar player. We don't have to like it, it just is what it is.

for years we bitched and moaned about not having a player like Auston. Now we do. I am not going to belly ache over 750k-1M overpayment, or the term. I am just going to appreciate the greatness we get to witness for however long he decides to lace em' up for us. Which by the way I believe will be beyond the terms of this newest extension as well. This is Auston's team, this is Auston's city. I believe after 5 more years of maturing, he will recognize the significance of his legacy over the sum of his bank account.

 

[notdoneyet]

I don't understand why anybody would hate this deal, he's under contract for the next 5 years, he's very likely committed his entire prime to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

And make no mistake about it he took a discount.

Do not think for ONE second that he wouldn't have gotten between 14-15 million in free agency because he 100% would have

He may have gotten more money in free agency but what contending team can afford that cap hit. So to sign him you would be a bottom of the pack team and then how do you pay the support players behind him just like the leafs try to do after each of the greedy contacts are signed.

You can pay a player whatever you want but you still have to put a contending team on the ice.
I’m sure there would be teams that would give mcdavid
20 million a year but they would never win a cup and for leaf fans a cup is the only prize.

 

[TMLeafer]

Not too worried about what the next contract will look like. That's half a decade down the road. The cap could be drastically different, JT will be off the books, etc etc. We got the guy through his peak years and have a chance to ditch if he's broken when he enters his 30s. If he's still in a position to cash in at the time of next contract then it means he's had more good years on the ice for the Leafs.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Outside of Cbus or Winnipeg, NYR / LAK / BOS all the big teams are tied on their cap. Does he want to be a Hab? Enjoy.

Personally think the AAV is a joke, MacKinnon, a superior player is gonna be in year 2 of a 12.6M aav contract compared to Matthews at 13.25M, you'll never be able to surround these guys with anything.

Usual pigeons will cheer for it

 

[TIGERCOOL]

the problem I have with this contract is Matthews went from being a 60 goal guy to a 40 goal guy with a nagging wrist injury. Anyone thinking matthews reverts back to 60 goal matthews is out to lunch. While we’re paying our 40 goal center 13.25 million, New Jersey will be paying 8 million for theirs…

you tell me whose got a better shot at the cup, math isn’t hard

From an outsider perspective it's natural that his health and relative performance last season are a major concern. That said - no one has more information about Matthews health than the team and more importantly Matthews himself. The team just committed 13.25 million of cap to him for four years. Matthews took a truncated contract; that comes with significant risk for his next contract if his new normal is 40 goals/80 points due to a chronic injury.

Matthews betting on himself with a shorter term deal is probably the best indication that last season was an anomaly. If he's wrong and this is his new normal we'll all be grateful that we're not paying him 13 million in his 32-35 year old seasons.

 

[Gary Nylund]

for years we bitched and moaned about not having a player like Auston. Now we do. I am not going to belly ache over 750k-1M overpayment, or the term. I am just going to appreciate the greatness we get to witness for however long he decides to lace em' up for us. Which by the way I believe will be beyond the terms of this newest extension as well. This is Auston's team, this is Auston's city. I believe after 5 more years of maturing, he will recognize the significance of his legacy over the sum of his bank account.

Right. He doesn't recognize it yet, after all these years, but just give him 5 more years and then he'll get it, Color me skeptical.

And of course our stars will all be past their primes by then but whatever.

 

[notDatsyuk]

With the new US TV contracts coming soon, the Cap ceiling inevitably going up as a result, Leon's propensity to score and his value to Edmonton, I absolutely think Connor and Leon will both sign north of Matty.

Auston has been in the league for 7 seasons, in that time he's scored 299 goals, the most from any player over that time. Over the same period Leon has scored 285, granted Leon has played 48 more games.

With inflation of contracts and added HHRR Leon will make more than Matty on his next contract.

Auston's career G/60 is 1.904, no player is in or above the 1.8's, crazy just how elite Auston is at goal scoring.

If Matty continues at his G per game rate, and plays the same number of games as Wayne, Matty will score 924 goals in his career, 28 more goals than Wayne's career all time goal scoring record. For those that doubt the value of this contract, chew on the fact Matthews is scoring at a pace better than the all time record.

That's really off.

First, assuming he will never slow down, the way everyone else has.

Second, there was no 'time on ice' stat kept when Gretzky played.

How about this: at roughly the same age, and roughly the same number of games played, let's compare Matthews and Gretzky.

Matthews: 481 games, 299 goals.
Gretzky: 473 games, 429 goals.

Who was on a better pace?

 

[Gary Nylund]

Like O-dog said on overdrive. This kid from Arizona just committed to spending 12 years of his career with us. He is the greatest Leaf of all time, already. Given what we've seen from other American born players in Canadian markets recently, I am more than ok with the cost of retention here. I am just happy we get to see him in blue and white for 5 more seasons.

That's an insult to many players who played their hearts out while leading the team to deep playoff runs and even a number of cups.

 

[IPS]

Refusing to go over 4 years doesn't say "I love it here" to me
It says, I want to max out and the team be damned

I don't ever wanna hear Matthews go on about "how much he loves it here" and all that garbage.

You're here because it's where you'll get the most money - nothing more, nothing less. Save us the sanctimonious garbage.

One doesn't need to cheer them on making as much money as possible, and one doesn't need to berate them for not taking the massive unrealistic discount one wants.
How about just accepting the fair contract and enjoying having one of the best players in the world on your team?

Agreed.

The true mark of a real fan is acting as quasi-agent on an internet forum to justify your own players being wildly overpaid. That's what we all need to strive to be.

 

[81Leafs50]

Great day! Great deal!

Leafs have Matthews from 26-31. ALL THE PRIME YEARS. If the Leafs don't win in the next 5 years, and he leaves no one will care since he will start to decline. Matthews on 4 years guards Leafs against any injuries that might make him a lesser player for his 30's. 8 years takes him to 35 at $13.25M. I don't like that deal.

 

[francis246]

That's an insult to many players who played their hearts out while leading the team to deep playoff runs and even a number of cups.

lol come on Gary, the last time the leafs won the cup how many teams were in the league? He is by far the most naturally gifted leaf and will be the best leaf when it's all said and done statistically.

 

[leafs in five]

Isn't he sweet? Top endorsements, contending team, access to the best facilities and trainers, but give me every penny - and now the other 2 will want the same. If you can cheer for that, good for you

so we're a contending team now

 

[al secord]

Isn't he sweet? Top endorsements, contending team, access to the best facilities and trainers, but give me every penny - and now the other 2 will want the same. If you can cheer for that, good for you

You had me at contending team.

 

[leafs in five]

I don't ever wanna hear Matthews go on about "how much he loves it here" and all that garbage.

You're here because it's where you'll get the most money - nothing more, nothing less. Save us the sanctimonious garbage

it is incredibly easy to avoid listening to what hockey players have to say about anything

 

[Gallagbi]

If you don't think a player's current pay structure relative to the team doesn't matter for their future negotiations then keep simping for Dubas.

Imagine thinking a GM is bound to one single past contract instead of a decade plus of comparables. Not only that, its not even the same person negotiating.

 

[WTFMAN99]

so we're a contending team now

Contending for what?

 

[Gary Nylund]

lol come on Gary, the last time the leafs won the cup how many teams were in the league? He is by far the most naturally gifted leaf and will be the best leaf when it's all said and done statistically.

Yeah I'm old enough to have seen a number of players play who won cups with us, guys like Keon, Baun and many more. Then there were guys like Sittler, Salming and Gilmour who didn't win cups, but still played their hearts out in the playoffs for us.

Matthews may be perhaps the most gifted, and if he plays here long enough he will have complied nice stats, but he's got to do more in the playoffs before I can agree with calling him the greatest Leaf of all-time, lots more.

That's JMHO of course, if you think he's done enough to be the GOAT, you're entitled to that opinion, agree to disagree.

 

[Gallagbi]

He may have gotten more money in free agency but what contending team can afford that cap hit. So to sign him you would be a bottom of the pack team and then how do you pay the support players behind him just like the leafs try to do after each of the greedy contacts are signed.

You can pay a player whatever you want but you still have to put a contending team on the ice.
I’m sure there would be teams that would give mcdavid
20 million a year but they would never win a cup and for leaf fans a cup is the only prize.

Isnt the narrative here that Matthews is all about the money and doesnt care about winning?

 

[Twine Tickler]

That's an insult to many players who played their hearts out while leading the team to deep playoff runs and even a number of cups.

It's a different era that we live in nowadays. We haven't won a cup since there were more than 6 teams in the league. And all of the players who wore the jersey before him, despite having long playoff runs, still did not win shit.

Auston is very clearly the most talented Maple Leaf of all time. He will shatter all Leaf records by the end of this extension, and he will only be 31 by the end of it. I do not think calling him the greatest Leaf of all time is hyperbolic or disrespectful to any one who wore the jersey before him. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this. It is completely subjective

Right. He doesn't recognize it yet, after all these years, but just give him 5 more years and then he'll get it, Color me skeptical.

And of course our stars will all be past their primes by then but whatever.

It may be fair to be skeptical, but that just seems to be the age we all seem to come to our senses and realize what is ultimately the most important. Maybe at that time he will find it most important to return home and establish a legacy in the states. That very well could happen. But the longer he stays with us, the more he will come to value his legacy as the greatest player to ever play for one of the most historic franchises in the NHL. I expect he will wear the C during this time, and he will really start to understand the value of being a career Leaf. I am by no means suggesting he will take a sweetheart deal in 5 years, but I do believe his priority will be to be a career Leaf. Which is all I can ask for as a fan TBH.

color me naïve, but I find it extremely encouraging that he decided to resign with us when he had every right to leave. He wants to be a Leaf. Which has not been the narrative that surrounded him for the last 5 seasons. For as long as he has been on this current deal, he was always set to bounce at the conclusion. He put that narrative to bed almost as soon as he was able to. That means something

 

[The Management]

Having given it more thought, I don't hate it, but I still don't love it either.

I think the AAV is objectively reasonable, in the sense that Matthews is a top five center in the league, is still young, has a number of individual accomplishments to his name, and if the cap goes up (as expected), then the cap % will put him in essentially the same territory as Nathan MacKinnon. Even if you accept MacKinnon is the better player, they're both in the same ballpark and these types of talents are rare enough that you can't really get hung up on matching pennies to value. You just pay and move on.

I think, more than anything, I was sick of hearing about the contracts for these four players. It has become such a talking point among fans, on podcasts, here, around the water cooler, everywhere. It would have been nice to have a lower AAV, and some added cap flexibility to build around Matthews. Or alternatively to have more term, and a commitment from our franchise player that he wants to see this through to the end. Coming off another stinging playoff disappointment, it's hard to muster any jubilation for another big "but fair" contract.

Which is not to say I cannot appreciate the points others have made. In five years, Matthews is on the other side of thirty and if we're still spinning our tires, it's probably time for a rebuild anyway. Just would've been nice to reverse the narrative on the contract situation for once.

 

[Mess]

Connor McDavid is coming off a season where he scored 64 goals 153 points & has 5 X Art Ross (league scoring leader) 4 X Ted Lindsay (league MVP) + 3 X Hart trophies + 1 X Rocket Richard .

Leafs were put in a position to pay Auston Matthews more than McDavid (the best player on the planet) or let him walk away, because off the past actions of a now fired GM.

Auston AAV of $13.25 mil > McDavid $12.5 mil & his Cap % of 15.87 % > McDavid of 14.28 CH% beginning in 2024-25.

Only in Toronto would Matthews be viewed as more valuable and therefor more costly than McDavid.

The more you overpay your players the harder it is to win the Stanley Cup in a Salary Cap World.

 

[ACC1224]

Matthews took 4 years so that after the big cap rises happen the next few seasons he can ask for more money. All about maximizing career earning potential

Wrong. Walking as a UFA next season would maximize his earnings.

It's amazing that people who know nothing of the player personally are so convinced they know how he thinks and what his motivations are.

NTC?
NMC?

Anyone know???

Why would anyone not expect full NMC for the duration?
This is pretty standard stuff for a player of his stature.