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

[TheKrebsCycle]

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

The two players aren't in the same stratosphere.

That’s true of every player … Mcdavid is in his own tier ..

 

[MikeK]

Crazy good deal for Matthews. He's setting himself up to be one of the highest career earners ever in the NHL. Barring serious injury, his next contract is likely where he goes after term along with AAV.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Pretty much no one was saying he was going to sign for 8 years. But sure believe whatever you want.
He didn’t leave after his current contract like so many of you said he would he probably won’t after the next one either.
Also it’s 5 years not 4 before he could leave. He still has 1 year left on his last deal, will Arizona even have a team in 5 years?

Because in 4 years you’ll need to go through this again, you’re not going to let his contract run out , without a trade or extension by waiting 5 years.

 

[gritdash60]

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.

"especially when the cap will have gone up" I believe it when i see it.

 

[cyris]

don’t worry about it…. I’m done with leaf fans they arnt so bad

Montreal Canadian fans are the real issue now

Careful you might accidentally befriend a bunch of Leafs fans that way

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Are you prepared to lose Marner for nothing? He also has a NMC and doesn't sound like he wants to be traded. So... either Toronto gives him what he wants, tries to convince to waive (and deal with whatever destination he picks, deprecating his value) or he walks for absolutely nothing in two years.

It's not Marner who's f***ed in this scenario, it's Toronto.

If he wants 13.5 million a year? Yes.

 

[RRhoads]

As a Wings fan, I love this contract

 

[Muffin]

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

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

Long term contracts are dumb for middle of the line up players you overpay in UFA. You sign your franchsie player to long term deals. No one questioned MacKinnon signing for 8 years.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

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

They have him for the next 5 years ( including this one ). Takes him to 30 I believe . So bit past but I agree most wanted 5 or 6 (I was one who was on the 5 year train due to injury concerns ) .

 

[Divine]

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


Okay.

Matthews has more individual accomplishments than MacKinnon. MacKinnon won a Calder and Lady Byng in his career and he's older.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

The series of short deals cements him as a “money before winning” kind of guy.

 

[shortfuze]

It's more likely that Matthews wins multiple Rocket trophies in his 30s than for him to not even make it to 30.

It's more likely that Matthews wins multiple Rocket trophies in his 30s than for him to not even make it to 30.

it’s quite possible. It’s also quite possible he doesn’t. I was referring to his wrist still being elite at 30. With his history of wrist injuries I’m not confident it will be there into his 30’s.

 

[Smif]

Love it. All leafs fans “8 years guaranteed, book it”

4 short years and he’ll be coming home.

That's 5 years from now, when he's 33 he's all yours.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

That’s true of every player … Mcdavid is in his own tier ..

Right, so why was the narrative "Matthews should set the new bar for AAV"?

Pastrnak was a much better comparable, and he just signed for $11.25M. $11.5M would have been fair for Matthews on a 4-year deal, considering the much shorter term (but factoring in him playing the premium position).

$13.25M is bad.

 

[Dirty Dog]

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

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

I don’t think this is true. I think we can go to any team’s thread on signing a star player to 8 year deals and there will be mainly praise

People critisize long term deals to older UFAs. I haven’t seen anyone do that for superstars in their mid 20s.

Unless you had an example?

 

[Mr Positive]

I guess this is better than the 13.5M/3yr that was rumored, but yeesh.

I wonder if that was leaked just to make the eventual actual deal seem good.

"Look Nylander! Matthews gave an extra year and lowered the AAV!"

 

[thefutures]

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

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

The best part is that 4 years in pretty much any other sport is long term. 8 year deals are pretty insane tbh, rarely ever work so the whole narrative is kinda funny. HF really is Twitter lite.

 

[tp71]

I think the length actually benefits the Leafs more than hurts. Gives them an out before the decline.

The risk is on him to stay healthy and produce.

 

[Dirty Dog]

That's 5 years from now, when he's 33 he's all yours.

He is 25? He’ll be 31

 

[Mrfenn92]

Going the short deal route maximizes his earnings

 

[Go Wings]

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

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

Nobody anywhere says they are the dumbest thing for a 25 year old superstar. Nice try though.

 

[My3Sons]

This contract is fine for Toronto. It's the next one that will be the long term problem. Realistically, Matthews can extend for 8 years after this and get paid until he's 38 at tip top dollar. At 30 absent some sort of freak injury he's almost certainly still a top player.

 

[wintersej]

I wouldn't really want anyone past 31 at that cap hit anyway, so I think I'm ok with 4 years?

Yes but you have to be willing to walk away in four years or hope Matthews signs a team friendly deal…because someone will be willing to give him a bad deal when this is up.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

A lot of money and little term for a guy to pad his stats.

Dubas' influence is still flowing through to the Leafs (Pens are in for a world of hurt with him when the core ages out) even on this deal so I give Treliving somewhat of a pass on this as his hands were tied to an extent.

Really makes that Tavares contract age more and more like milk; such an uninspiring captain with an NTC contract which means Nylander has to be the one that gets traded out if the Leafs want actual defense depth and at least justify paying Mathews.

Then again this is Toronto.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Kings are gonna snap up Matthews and Draisaitl in a few years lol

5 years is a few years?

I like this extension because Matthews might be doing us a favor if he continues to have wrist and back problems.

Not saying he's injury prone but he seems like he could become that.

I'm just happy to have him for another 5 years, he's a blast to watch.