Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] Leafs sign Auston Matthews to ELC

[SenzZen]

Must have got it done while The Lou was watching Matlock...

 

[PhoenyX]

But Leafs fans told me that Lou doesn't give out bonuses?

 

[Lehner]

 

[Mad Brills*]

Leafs have what? 2 million left in cap space with cowen left to go?

 

[Eric Sachs]

If it was max, what was the delay. Obvious. Upper management saw pressure building, especially after Star piece, and told Lou to make the deal.

This could have been signed two weeks ago. There is nothing to negotiate. Clearly Leafs tried to chisel him down,.

If they were going to give him max bonuses, why didn't they just sign him right away? Stupid move by Lou who is an outdated GM in my opinion. They have already hurt their relationship with Matthews for no good reason.

because max bonuses doesn't mean anything.

it's the distribution that was likely under negotiations. Here's my post from last night on how bonuses are structured:



The 'A' bonus package (which is the one that usually is the hold-up in these contracts.. the 'B' package is for NHL awards/nominations and less contentious) doesn't work exactly like that.

There are some minimums (ex. 20 goals) but otherwise, here's how it works:

1) For any given category (ex. goals), there can be a max of $212.5k possible bonuses. This can be 212.5k for hitting the minimum 20 goals or 12k for 20 goals and the remaining 200k for 80 goals, etc.
2) For any given ELC year, the maximum bonuses that can be paid out is capped at 850k. So if a player hits bonuses that amount to 1M, he still only gets 850k and an 850k cap charge.

so there's actually a fair amount of leeway in bonus packages.

ex. the 'full/easy' package (all numbers are the minimums as per the CBA)

212.5k for being top 6 in TOI/G or aggregate TOI on his team
212.5k for 20 goals
212.5k for 35 assists
212.5k for 60 points
212.5k for .73 PPG
212.5k for top 3 in +/-
212.5k for NHL all-rookie team
212.5k for NHL all-star selection
212.5k for NHL all-star game MVP
= the maximum ~1.9M in bonuses but again, capped at 850k.

These are all the easiest bonuses to hit and get paid the full amount when they are hit, maximizing the chances a player earns the capped amount and takes home an extra 850k a year. This is the kind of bonus package top picks tend to get, see McDavid's contract below.

ex 2. more distribution, etc.
100k for 20 goals
50k for 25 goals
50k for 30 goals
100k for 60 points
100k for 70 points
200k for NHL all-rookie team
200k for NHL all-star selection
50k for NHL all-star MVP

so now if he hits every bonus, he will earn the capped amount of 850k but if he misses one.. he suddenly loses money compared to the first package. Less chances he takes home the extra 850k a year vs. package 1.

basically, packages that have easier to obtain bonuses and more bonuses are a big deal.. even though the end payout can be the same.

according to generalfanager, McDavid basically got the first package I described: http://www.generalfanager.com/players/2141

the max 212.5k for the bare minimum in every category.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Fire Lou!

Oh wait.....

No one wanted him fired just wanted this done.

 

[Hally BlackWood]

850k + performance bonuses. 3.7m AAV IIRC.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

EDIT: I was close, but not exact:

I'll take the difference.

 

[uncleben]

But Leafs fans told me that Lou doesn't give out bonuses?

Why would Leafs fan be telling you that?

 

[GAGLine]

If it was max, what was the delay.

There are still things to be negotiated, like what benchmarks he will have to hit to earn those bonuses. There are minimum levels spelled out in the CBA, but teams can negotiate higher thresholds or establish multiple thresholds within a single category.

 

[SprDaVE]

If they were going to give him max bonuses, why didn't they just sign him right away? Stupid move by Lou who is an outdated GM in my opinion. They have already hurt their relationship with Matthews for no good reason.

Plenty of top prospects/first overall players signed their ELC late July/early August. This isn't a shocking story by any means. Marner also signed his ELC late July last season.

Patrick Kane signed his ELC July 25, 2007. Steven Stamkos signed his ELC July 29, 2008. There are plenty of other examples.

I don't understand why anyone thinks there were any issues at all. It was all speculation that it was because of the bonuses.

 

[Juicy Pop]

Did the Toronto media do something good?

 

[Lehner]

leafs have what? 2 million left in cap space with cowen left to go?

 

[armani]

Congrats Leaf fans, I hope this is the new beginning of the Battle of Ontario - which has been one-legged men competing in an ass kicking contest in recent years.

 

[Nizdizzle]

But Leafs fans told me that Lou doesn't give out bonuses?

No, they didn't. That would be Devils fans and the Toronto Star.

For those claiming "they could have done this two weeks ago!!!1!" and babble like that, a poster on the Leafs board posted this (which I think addresses those comments very well):

...not all Rookie Contracts are the same. He got Max Bonuses, but which performance bonuses are worth more or even included can be negotiated.

Thus, it takes time. It's not "Max Bonuses? Done."

...

 

[lebdafor norris]

But Leafs fans told me that Lou doesn't give out bonuses?

Lou gave Nikita Zaitsev a bonus on his contract just a couple of months ago.

 

[lifeisruff]

Canada's long national nightmare is now over.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

But Leafs fans told me that Lou doesn't give out bonuses?

That's what Devils fans told us, maybe Shanny stepped in.

 

[topshelf15]

Damn it i had my table scraps and 2nd rounders all ready to make some proposal that looks good when i play nhl16 ,for him all ready

 

[Dampland]

Sign and trade

Without a doubt! I heard that Sweeney offered a 2019 5th rounder and David Backes

 

[Billerdzzz]

Oh damn they released the salary numbers to, not enough time for the Star or Sun to release another terrible article to get worked up about.

Going to have to find something different to talk about now..

Baseball and lawn bowling most likely.

Elderly man demands sunshine in lawn bowling league. Will make a mess of public washroom if it rains.

 

[shortfuze]

If it was max, what was the delay. Obvious. Upper management saw pressure building, especially after Star piece, and told Lou to make the deal.

This could have been signed two weeks ago. There is nothing to negotiate. Clearly Leafs tried to chisel him down,.

and it could also be signed the day before training camp. Who cares. If Austin Matthews and the leafs camp aren't worried about it why is anyone even complaining? Sometimes people just think they are to smart and look into things that just aren't there.

 

[Gsus]

Aren't you a Hawks fan? You guys don't know what doomsday is.

He's been in Laine threads, so he's a Leafs fan

 

[SeaOfBlue]

So there was this whole like 3+ week debacle where Lou didn't want to give Matthews full bonuses only to end up giving him full bonuses?

What?

 

[Faustus]

If they were going to give him max bonuses, why didn't they just sign him right away? Stupid move by Lou who is an outdated GM in my opinion. They have already hurt their relationship with Matthews for no good reason.

You understand that McGran's story was completely made up, right? That there wasn't even a kernel of truth to it?

 

[PhoenyX]

So there was this whole like 3+ week debacle where Lou didn't want to give Matthews full bonuses only to end up giving him full bonuses?

What?

I don't get it either.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark...