Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] F Auston Matthews signs extension with the Maple Leafs (4 years, $13.25M AAV)

[Karl Eriksson]

Not shocked he didn’t want to commit to the franchise. This lets him play for Coyotes before he’s too old.

 

[Peat]

A pretty meh deal for Toronto, where the main consolations are "it could have been worse" and "we're worried enough about his injuries that four years is fine".

edit: And it will of course get worse when Nylander and Marner walk into the room with that as their comparable and the GM can't spin "hey, at this org, we expect guys to leave a little on the table so we all do better".

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I guess this shows where Matthews' priorities are.

 

[Rob Brown]

Not shocked he didn’t want to commit to the franchise. This lets him play for Coyotes before he’s too old.

He literally just signed. That is committing. You're one of the main guys that constantly tried to tell us he'd leave next year as a UFA so anything you say should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[thefutures]

Leafs were played like a chump organization. Marner on deck for next year with same NTC. Thanks Dubas.

Lol dubas still being blamed like some boogeyman, how many moves does Tree have to make before that card is all used up

 

[JadedLeaf]

I feel like some of the people complaining about it only being 4 years are the same people that would have been in here talking shit if the Leafs had signed him for 8 years telling us he's going to be on decline the last 4 years of it.

 

[Favster]

the same board that calls Tavares washed thinks the Leafs are screwed for not locking up a guy into his mid-30's

Matthews has already reached the age where max term isn't necessarily a great thing

You think Leafs brass didn't want to sign him to max term?

Anyway, I think this is a culture issue with Leafs. Your franchise player should be willing to sign max term, especially as the highest paid player in the league.

Good for Leafs for locking him up but if it was my team, I would be dissapointed with this deal.

 

[Pile]

Term and AAV don't align at all, but who's actually surprised?


I can't blame him for maxing out his career earnings, but the guy isn't focused on winning at all.

 

[Rob Brown]

I guess this shows where Matthews' priorities are.

He got a pretty modest raise after having a few big seasons and winning a bunch of hardware. The problem is his last deal was just too big, so the modest raise puts him into this territory. We can blame your new boy Kyle for that.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Meh deal.

Nor bad or great imo

 

[Albz]

If we can't win with him in the next 5 seasons, he can walk free I wouldn't care. This is a perfect term

 

[gritdash60]

I guess this shows where Matthews' priorities are.

In Toronto?

 

[Karl Eriksson]

He literally just signed. That is committing. You're one of the main guys that constantly tried to tell us he'd leave next year as a UFA so anything you say should be taken with a grain of salt.

4 is a lot less than 8. My guess is he figures he cashes in now, then takes a discount with a contender or goes home.

 

[Nylanderthal]

They have to wait until Trelivings fired before they can say anything bad about him. As of now its a brilliant move.

In all seriousness top 3 player in the game right now staying is good. Toronto just wishes it was longer

Frankly im not snd I doubt the team is worried about that. If they don’t get something done in the next 3 years it’s a retool/blow it up situation anyway. 4 year extension with 1 year remaining means 5 hockey seasons.
That’s an eternity

 

[6ix]

Drai and McDavid probably re sign for 13.5 x 8

That would be an absolute disaster signing Draisaitl when he’s 30 to an 8 year deal.

McDavid just switched to the same Agent as Matthews. He’s not taking anything under 16 mill a year especially when the cap will have gone up.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Sets himself up nicely to become the highest paid player in the league after McDavid signs his next contract.

 

[thefutures]

Not shocked he didn’t want to commit to the franchise. This lets him play for Coyotes before he’s too old.

If he wanted to go home it would have been easy for him like debrincat did. He actually had more leverage than debricat with the NMC. He's just maximizing earnings.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

But, But But But I thought players didn't want to play in Canada.

The reality is It's not Canada, It's Calgary and Winnipeg.

You don't see players leaving Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver or Montreal, hell even Ottawa landed Tarasenko.

And if players d do leave those places, somebody is always willing to come in and replace them.

Case in point Bertuzzi, Domi, Brown, Hyman, Tarasenko etc.

The narrative the players don't want to play in Canada isn't true and never has been, they don't want to be in Calgary and Winnipeg.

both need to fix their issues

 

[Dirty Dog]

And as funny as this is as an outsider, and despite this being an unprecedented player-friendly deal where the star player took complete advantage of his leverage….it doesn’t mean it’s a bad deal! Or that he’s not worth it. Or that this will impact the Leafs ability to win. He’s still a beast

 

[Rob Brown]

4 is a lot less than 8. My guess is he figures he cashes in now, then takes a discount with a contender or goes home.

Sure, you also said that he was going to leave next summer, and here we are.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Why do people keep mentioning McDavid when talking about Matthews' value?

The two players aren't in the same stratosphere.

Matthews is comparable to Pastrnak. Why did he so easily get $2M more?

 

[Xirik]

You pay Mackinnon money and don't even get a player as good at Mackinnon.


Okay.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Top 5? Yikes

I mean he scored 60 goals year before last , won the mvp and paced for 60 plus the 2 years prior . It’s not that far fetched . Did he play up to that this past season ? No , but doesn’t mean he isn’t in that area most years… specifically the coming ones .

 

[VivaLasVegas]

HFBoards: Long-term contracts are the dumbest thing that GMs can do!

Also HFBoards: Ha ha, only a four year contract!

 

[Muffin]

I feel like some of the people complaining about it only being 4 years are the same people that would have been in here talking shit if the Leafs had signed him for 8 years telling us he's going to be on decline the last 4 years of it.

Lmao no they won't he's 25...4 years takes him right to his prime for a huge payday.