Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] Matthews extended (5 years, $11.63M AAV)

[Perratrooper]

interesting:

If he didn't want to cripple them he could simply ask for less...

 

[member 157595]

Oh piss off with this BS. You can support multiple teams I am a Leaf fan first and foremost been one my entire life and my family has been Leaf fans. It's a **** contract no matter how you put it.

This Leaf fan agrees with you 100%.

 

[KidLine93]

For getting 0 UFA years I would have expected it to be under 10M AAV. Leafs got bent over here...

 

[Mugzy97]

Happy to have Matthews around for 5.5 more years!

 

[Sheppy]

Au$ton Matthew$

Auston Ca$$hews

 

[TS Quint]

I love this has gone from:

• Matthews will be offer sheeted

to

• Matthews will get 13-14M and is over paid

to

• Matthews will be offer sheeted

to

• Matthews is over paid at 11.634M

No matter what so many people were trying to find a bad angle and not matter what this wouldn't be good for the Leafs. Spin away Leafs haters, spin away!

I love how this has gone from:

Matthews will sign 8 years 8-9 million

To

5 years 11.634, told you we would get a good deal.

And what exactly does a 8 year contract look like? That 13-14 million dollar mark isn’t far off. Keep those rose colored glasses on.

Are you also a believer in McKenzie’s dumb idea of a 20 man roster next year?

 

[Finn16]

Did you guys expect an RFA to magically go to Arizona while the Leafs have full control over him? Everyone who said they expect him to go to Arizona after his contract is up and the fact that he only signed a 5 year deal straight to UFA could mean that. Imagine if Mcdavid had signed a 5 year deal you guys would all be pencilling him into your rosters by the end of the 5th year.

Why would be sign though??? Arizona was going to be putting in an offer sheet in the offseason, You would think if all he had to do was wait till the offseason to sign his deal for a chance to go and play for his home team he would right? Worst case scenario Leafs match Arizonas offer and Matthews gets paid more money..make no sense.

 

[6ix]

And he's also better than Nylander, who got $1M more. Ouch.

Nylander is like our 5th best player who can be traded at any point if they feel like it. Who cares.

 

[Rob Brown]

Bingo.

Good stuff.

 

[CupofOil]

They should have gone higher on the AAV and maxed out the term. This does nothing to alleviate their upcoming cap crunch and only buys 1 UFA year. They would have been better served to go 12.5M or so on an 8 year deal. I'm sure this raises Marner's price now too, should be 10M minimum.

The Leafs are still going to a good to great team for a long time to state the obvious but man, this makes things TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT.

 

[Whileee]

What is everyone talking about saying that this takes him to UFA?

I thought UFA was after his 3rd contract for hitting age 27.

This contract does neither of those.

7years to UFA. This bought only 1 year of UFA. He'll be a UFA at the end of this contract.

 

[Del Preston]

Yeah, that $2 million difference would really limit the Leafs ability to keep their core

I really don't get the spin angle from Canadian media that this was a good decision to go this route. It doesn't even have to do with being a Leaf fan or a Leaf hater or anything like that, I just really don't get why the media seems to think that this was better than the alternative.

It's damage control.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

When does Horton and Marleau come off the books that’s should help I would think.

I also, I have a feel they trade Nylander

I doubt they trade Nylander, trading him now would have let them sign Matthews for 8 years. The whole point is they want to keep the team together.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The big problem was next year. They could not have afforded to keep a similar roster with such a caphit.

I would have made the necessary trades to make it work for Matthews getting an 8 year deal. If that means trading Kapanen or someone like that, so be it. Getting your star players locked up for as long as possible is the most important thing when it comes to team building IMO.

 

[Killer Orcas]

On what planet is Marner a better player than Matthews?

The one where Marner actually outscores him already. Mathews gets the goals but Marner is the better play maker.

 

[bukwas]

What's the record time for a thread to hit 1000?
Whatever it was, it's about to be shattered.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

No, Matthews is UFA after 5 years.


Eichel is signed and locked, Matthews just wanted the quick buck and he is out town in 5 years.
Why would he be UFA after the 5 years if he wanted to stay in Toronto ?

Because Toronto's cap hit would have been too high to keep the team together. If we didn't get Tavares, this deal 100% would have been 8 years.

As much as some people want to fantasize about Toronto's players hating us as much as you guys do...

 

[oXo Cube]

This is his agent’s camp spinning it as him taking a discount so fans don’t turn on him.

It really doesn't even spin it like that though.

It actually straight up says that Matthews didn't take a discount in any way.

 

[Martin Skoula]

It is an awful comparison anyway. Crosby and Malkin are on a different tier than Matthews. As is Andersen to Murray.

So you're just going to keep moving the goalposts because you realize your original post was hilariously stupid?

Andersen > Matthews

 

[CupInSIX]

Good signing. I like this kid. They would have been stupid to bridge him.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I guess the Leafs thought the offersheet threat was real and wanted him done before than. Agreed on your second point.

It wasn't us who thought it was real.

It's funny how the same people who hoped for offersheets at huge AAV....to handcuff our cap. Now snicker about him signing at less than their handcuffing assumption.

 

[BBB24]

Anyone still doubting a lockout?

Not sure why some people believe bonuses will be a problem with the lock out. The player gains no extra money, all still counts against the cap. Remember it is the owners who are signing off on this, they some must be ok with it. I am sure some owners don’t like it but just the same, they have to agree when it comes to the CBA.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Last 3 seasons

82 GP 30G 70A 100pts
82 GP 41G 67A 108pts
51 GP (so far) 31G 45A 76pts

------

82GP 40G 29A 69pts
62GP 34G 29A 63pts
38GP (so far) 23G 23A 46pts


One of these is a franchise player because his production makes it so. The other is a "franchise player" simply because his fanbase says he is.

not a leafs fan, matthews is a franchise player. He's not the best player in the world, but he's close and he's 21.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

So how long until leafs get rid of horton’s contract? Going to guess they will try to trade that off their books before next season...

 

[Bonin21]

The maximum a player can get paid in a single year (salary + bonus) is currently $15.9 million. He gets that the next two years.

The maximum a player could get last year was $15 million. McDavid got that in just the first year of his contract.