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

[MoneyManny]

I wonder what kind of leverage his agent had for the team to offer him an early extension for the highest AAV ever and no term after a disappointing season? That contract is so one sided it almost look like extortion.

If I was Auston I'd be embarassed to cross my boss at the office. He really didn't give his GM any face at all lmfao.

 

[mkatcherin00]

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.

Nah. Those two care about winning. They aren't going to bend Edmonton over like Toronto's core

If they do pull a Toronto core, it's ok. They perform. Edmonton knows what they arw getting. It's putting the final supporting pieces around them

 

[Blackjack]

I wonder what kind of leverage his agent had for the team to offer him an early extension for the highest AAV ever and no term after a disappointing season? That contract is so one sided it almost look like extortion.

If I was Auston I'd be embarassed to cross my boss at the office. He really didn't give his GM any face at all lmfao.

I'm sure it's only because Dubas is a pushover. Now to take a nice big sip of coffee and catch up on what's been going on with the Leafs front office this summer.

Seriously, he's one of the best players in the league so he gets one of the highest AAVs in the league? Why are people mystified by this?

 

[McVespa99]

I, along with several leaf posters were fairly vocal about getting 5 or 6 years ideally . With the durability /age factor in mind as you allude to above .

6 years at that cap hit would at least have a chance to be reasonable for the team if the cap goes up enough. Or even 8 years. Most of what makes Matthews good is his shot. I doubt that will drop off much before the age of 35.

 

[MoneyManny]

I'm sure it's only because Dubas is a pushover. Now to take a nice big sip of coffee and catch up on what's been going on with the Leafs front office this summer.

Seriously, he's one of the best players in the league so he gets one of the highest AAVs in the league? Why are people mystified by this?

The AAV is fine. It's normal to have salary inflation and he was the next man up.

I'd be sour about the term if I was a Leafs fan though... The team showed him plenty of sincerity many times and yet he can't seem to ever show any to them or to the fans at all.

 

[McVespa99]

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.

What exactly do you expect them to do? Soccer is popular because it is very cheap to play so everyone all over the world can afford to play.
Baseball is also pretty cheap.
Football is supported in the school system in the US to a very large degree.
Hockey is expensive. Arenas are expensive.
Most sports gain popularity from participation. You can put hockey on 1000 channels in the US and it will never reach the popularity of the other sports because most families cant really afford for their kids to play. Or if they can there are no arenas.
As you say people can relate to the players in the NBA and NFL. That is because a lot more people in the US played basketball or football at some level than played hockey.
I dont care what the Nhl does to market the game. Hockey can never reach the popularity of the other major sports due to the cost and arena limitations.
And if we are talking about growth it is not that long ago that the salary cap was 37 million. In the next 5 years it is expected to reach 100 million. That seems like growth to me since the cap is based on revenue.

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.

I dont know who that player is that you are referring to but we are talking about Matthews contract in this thread.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

It looks like this season might be he end of the line for the Leafs.

The season after, they will have over $35M tied up in just Matthews, Marner and Tavares. That's completely insane.

If Nylander knows what is good for him, he won't re-sign.

 

[Funk21]

He took a 1.6 million pay increase. All It means is you don't get a 2.5 depth guy who plays 8-13 mins a game and instead play a ELC guy.

No one thought Ovi and the Caps would win either.

Can't believe I am depending a team I hate. You do realize you could rebuild and end up with a Nolan Patrick, right? You should be happy as hell to have a guy capable of 60 goals a season. Those guys deserve big money.

You defending a move that no other team in the league would have made. Every other star in this league is signed for 8 years to their team. His social media #mapleleafsforever is an absolute joke.

If he wanted to be here and build a winner he would have signed for 8 years and he wouldn’t have taken much more than McKinnon. Stop defending a dumb move. He isn’t worth 13.25 now or next year when his contract kicks in. I can’t believe I have to explain this and I’m a TML fan or was one.

 

[Pestilence]

What? Malkin literally earns less now than he did during his 8 year deal - is that not a sign of a decline?

I'd say Tavares is not worth 11M today, neither is Karlsson.

Karlsson just hit 100 points for the first time in his career.

 

[Divine]

Karlsson just hit 100 points for the first time in his career.

And he still couldn’t find a team to take him at his cap hit without retention

What does that tell you?

There’s no chance he gets 11M if he’s a UFA this year unless you’d sign him to that?

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

would I put Matthews in the top 10 players in the league? not sure.

new AAV sure is top #1 though that is an eye-popping price tag

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

Well it pretty much cements the Leafs being in the playoffs for the next few years. Means it won’t be so magical for one of the teams in the east.

It doesn't really mean anything, though. Them keeping some barely missed the playoffs team from being eliminated early instead of them, same difference.

 

[HFpapi]

Dude's going to be rich AF with all of these short(er)-term deals.

Not great for my team but really smart for him personally. Going to be a free agent at age 29 with already close to 110 million in career earnings.

NVM I'm dumb. 31,, but still, can sign a hefty retirement contract.

 

[yzerman]

So he estimate it is going to take 3-4 years to build up a new arena/location in Arizona.

 

[Divine]

Dude's going to be rich AF with all of these short(er)-term deals.

Not great for my team but really smart for him personally. Going to be a free agent at age 29 with already close to 110 million in career earnings.

He's going to be 31 before his next season after this contract

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Dude's going to be rich AF with all of these short(er)-term deals.

Not great for my team but really smart for him personally. Going to be a free agent at age 29 with already close to 110 million in career earnings.

31 my guy . He is a Leaf for the next 5 years ( was still signed for this season in addition to the 4 year extension).

 

[Divine]

So he estimate it is going to take 3-4 years to build up a new arena/location in Arizona.

5 years, I think he's being generous though. Might have to sign again for another 8 waiting for Arizona

 

[HFpapi]

31 my guy . He is a Leaf for the next 5 years ( was still signed for this season in addition to the 4 year extension).

Ahh yeah true! It's 7:30 am for me and my brain isn't running full capacity at the best of times.

 

[keglu]

2021-2023 Matthews>2016-2017 McDavid. McDavid's contract looks good because he's improved a lot since the time of his signing, It was not by any means a good contract the day it was signed.

16/17 McDavid was Art/Hart/Linsday winner a his contract looked good by the time it started since he was already best player in the league
And you must change 2023 to 2022 to have any argument and (weak one i would say)

 

[Bowski]

Oh yeah!

Forever in a day Mean Gene!

 

[keglu]

Holy moly your reading comprehension is about as good as WestCoastOrca's. I am not arguing Matthews is better. I have not. have never and will never assert that. That is not what this discussion is about. He had one and a half seasons played and a Ross/Hart. Matthews was a pending UFA with a Hart/Ted Lindsey/2 Rockets and back to back Hart/Ted Lindsey Runner up or better seasons. McDavid also did not have playoff success when he signed his contract in 2017. He put up 9 points in 13 games in his only playoff appearance at the time.

Sorry how is Hart/Linsday/Rocket season followed by terrible season better than winning Hart/Linsday/Art in the year of signing. Do we jest forget that 2022/2023 happened?

 

[Shark Finn]

Yeah he's gonna cash in on the next deal

 

[pomx]

So he estimate it is going to take 3-4 years to build up a new arena/location in Arizona.

Absolutely correct

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Great! Kinda would like that “core” in Toronto to stay put and give us a few more years of what they’ve already been giving us. The hype machine, the let down, the TSN meltdown - it’s become part of my spring routine to follow this.

 

[serp]

This one is fine . Probably a bit of an overpayment and you really want more years with this money but its ok. Now it's going to be interesting what this means for Nylander / if this means anything at all.