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

[authentic]

4 years? Why doesn't he want to commit long term in Toronto?

MacKinnon, Pastrnak, Aho all signed long term....

Not good for the Leafs.

Not good for the Leafs to have a generational goal scorer and two-way beast from age 19-31. He must not want to be here playing the entirety of his prime seasons in Toronto.

 

[McVespa99]

the NHL is to blame, how long should the owners and GARY SHITMAN get away with pinching pennies and enforcing this hard cap. I said it on the Leafs board. Matthews is looking at NBA players and going, why are their superstars signing short term deals and maximizing their earnings and us NHL superstars are happy with being told it's team first always? It's bullshit, NHL guys deserve to be paid better. I don't blame Matthews for saying you know what, it's great everyone else is okay with being underpaid but I've worked hard, I'm one of the best in the NHL, I'm going to get my full value. The MacKinnon deal is a f***ing joke. He signed way under market value and just because he did that doesn't mean that everyone else should. The system has to change, there has to be flexibility and we need more players to sign contracts like these. Would make the NHL way more entertaining and drive up overall revenue.

haha Gilbert Arenas said it best in a recent interview, there are a ton of athletes that rather have lots of money, compared to less money and ring. He even mentioned you even have pro athletes selling their rings because they don't have enough money LOL. He said the cost of taking less to win a ring in the grand scheme of things for the athlete is probably not worth it. I found that really funny.

Maybe take a look at the difference between the revenue the Nba makes and the Nhl makes. Do you think players in less popular sports should make as much as say an Nfl quarterback? Or Lebron?

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Any word on it being NTC/NMC for the entirety of the contract?

 

[nhlfan9191]

No they aren't. They were practically begging for him to leave to Arizona/LA at any price and are now spinning the signing to try and make themselves feel better.

This isn’t true at all. As long as the Leafs are handing out blank cheques, it hurts them as a team. People aren’t envious of that.

 

[Maplebeasts]

This contract is better than him leaving to Arizona for them.

It's not great but the alternatives were worse. You either trade him for less than he's worth and enter a rebuild or he walks for nothing and you enter a rebuild.

 

[francis246]

Maybe take a look at the difference between the revenue the Nba makes and the Nhl makes. Do you think players in less popular sports should make as much as say an Nfl quarterback? Or Lebron?

I’m not saying they need to make as much but what is the NHL doing to increase popularity? Nothing. Every other league has been doing things to help increase revenue, the NHL has not. That’s the whole point.

The NBA and NFL make more because people can relate to those players. They are marketed way better. The NHL has the ability to do things that can help increase exposure but they always choose not to. It’s baffling.

 

[Divine]

This isn’t true at all. As long as the Leafs are handing out blank cheques, it hurts them as a team. People aren’t envious of that.

The Leafs are a better team with Matthews than losing him for nothing.

Leafs haters will spin it anyway they can though. They're now arguing Matthews making less than league min. over McDavid/MacKinnon is going to handicap the Leafs more than losing Matthews for nothing somehow.

 

[authentic]

All I know,

I wouldn’t trade:
Matthews (4x13.25)
For
2 Hagels (8x13)

Blows my mind how many people don't realize it's the players making in the 4-7 million range that are generally overpaid

 

[WetcoastOrca]

if

Yes but people still said he was paid too much at that time. Same with Malkin. Go back and look at the threads, the 'team was going to fold with all that tied into 2 players".

Didn't turn out too bad 3 cups and a great run.

Yes Matthews isn't that caliber of player but he's a great player and was going to get paid for the current times. Just should have been a little longer termto squeeze out as much good years and continue to build around him. He's still going to be good for some years after the term is up

No one eversaid Crosby was paid too much. Nor would anyone say McDavid was paid too much. Generational players who both left a lot of money on the table to help build a stronger team around them.

 

[Maplebeasts]

This isn’t true at all. As long as the Leafs are handing out blank cheques, it hurts them as a team. People aren’t envious of that.

They've been a better team than 80+% of the league for years and will remain a favourite to win the division while Matthews is under contract. The contract is not the best but they had zero leverage.

 

[La Bamba]

Auston knows how to get paid. Good for him

 

[The Expert]

50+ goal scorer

*1 out of 7 seasons.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Brutal.

 

[Divine]

*1 out of 7 seasons.

And still won 2 rockets in the last 3 years, crazy

 

[VaporTrail]

Team-friendly deal, eh ?

 

[BayStBullies]

I guess he wasn't going to Arizona, but I'm sure the haters here are on to the next thing to bitch about.

 

[Maplebeasts]

if
No one eversaid Crosby was paid too much. Nor would anyone say McDavid was paid too much. Generational players who both left a lot of money on the table to help build a stronger team around them.

McDavid was the highest cap hit in the league when he re-signed by a considerable amount. Crosby by percentage of the salary cap took 13.5%. The cap is expected to jump up massively by the time this extension kicks in. Even if the Salary Cap does not go up for 2024-2025 (not happening) Matthews will take up only 2% more of the cap than Crosby did. The moment the cap goes up by 1.6 million or more he makes a smaller percentage. This narrative is a lie.

 

[Gruyeriev]

 

[WetcoastOrca]

McDavid was the highest cap hit in the league when he re-signed by a considerable amount. Crosby by percentage of the salary cap took 13.5%. The cap is expected to jump up massively by the time this extension kicks in. Even if the Salary Cap does not go up for 2024-2025 (not happening) Matthews will take up only 2% more of the cap than Crosby did. The moment the cap goes up by 1.6 million or more he makes a smaller percentage. This narrative is a lie.

A lie?
Crosby and McDavid are a big tier above Matthews.
Take off the homer goggles.

 

[Divine]

A lie?
Crosby and McDavid are a big tier above Matthews.
Take off the homer goggles.

And Matthews is paid less than both of them - what's the argument?

McDavid's contract now is based on what he did in his first 1 & a half NHL seasons. It's not his UFA contract.

 

[Maplebeasts]

A lie?
Crosby and McDavid are a big tier above Matthews.
Take off the homer goggles.

I didn't say they aren't better players. Or can you not read? I'm saying they did not take team friendly contracts. Keep in mind Crosby took a large percentage of the cap at a time when the hockey world thought he was one concussion away from being done and McDavid's contract was signed after his first full season.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I didn't say they aren't better players. Or can you not read? I'm saying they did not take team friendly contracts.

I can read just fine. The team friendly deal takes into account the superior quality of player. Are you dense?
On to my ignore list with you.

 

[AcerComputer]

*1 out of 7 seasons.

He is averaging .62 GPG over his career so far, which = 51 goals a season/over 82 games. The last 4 seasons his is avg .70 GPG, which = 57 goals per season. You can debate his health and if there will be more covid shortened seasons in the near future, but not his ability to score at a 50+ goal clip.

 

[Devonator]

I don't think this is that bad for the Leafs....it keeps Matthews for his prime years and it does keep their Cup window open....

 

[34]

Not good for the Leafs to have a generational goal scorer and two-way beast from age 19-31. He must not want to be here playing the entirety of his prime seasons in Toronto.

Exactly, Toronto has Matthews for his prime years! Sure, 8 year contract would have been better but the Leafs still get his best prime years.

not to mention, Matthews will attract other star players. I think Matthews and McDavid are going to make a nice 1-2 punch down the middle for Toronto in a few years. Book it. Matthews staying in Toronto is huge. This speaks loud across the league.