McDavid signed for 16.68% of the cap.
Giving Matthews a bit over 15% of an 83M would result in a 12.5M cap. That is real math. He hasn't won an Art Ross, Hart, Ted Lindsay, Rocket or even a playoff round. So I feel pretty justified in reiterating that again, 12.5M x 8 years was a very fair contract. Giving the 2nd highest cap hit in the league and only getting 5 years of term in control is a massive failure on Dubas's part.
Connecting bold 1 and bold 2 is hyperbole that ignores "real math".
If you lock in at 12.5 x 8 his current contract values those 3 extra years at 13.94 million, or 15% of a 92.9 million dollar cap. Perhaps a little low given expansion and the new tv deal, but not unreasonable.
At 11 x 5 it values the 3 UFA years 15 million a piece, 15% of a 100m cap.
At 10.634 x 5 it values the 3 UFA years at 15.6, 15% of a 104 million dollar cap.
Calling it a massive failure would require one to believe that either/ both:
-the cap is going to materially exceed 100 million in the next 4-5 years
- over the next 5 years Matthews is going to establish himself as McDavid's equal and slot into the ~17% range rather than the 15% on his next contract.
We should have gotten a 6th year or paid .6- to 1 million less, I don't think anyone can argue that. but in the scope of a player of this calibre kvetching about .6-1 million is losing sight of the forest for the trees. Not getting the 6th year to match Tavares term is more concerning