Speculation: Why hasn't Auston Matthews signed yet?

[The Thin White Duke]

You're absolutely fooling yourself if you think Lou Lamoriello doesn't have some sort of autonomy here. There's no GM in the league that would agreed to work with a president of hockey operations overruling and second-guessing their decisions.

This front office worked fine before him and will continue to do so after him. There's absolutely zero chance Lou could make any move as significant as trading Matthews without getting approval from Shanahan first. Even past that, Hunter has more of a say on prospects than Lou most likely and the in house analytics and legal team probably does more of the groundwork on contract management. Like Babcock said, this isn't Detroit and this isn't New Jersey. Old habits don't have to carry over.

 

[Strangelove]

Although, Lou refused to give Marner Schedule B bonuses (potentially $2M).

In fact, Lou has never given a single player “Schedule B†bonuses.

Schedule Bonuses were introduced after the lockout.

Since then the only players drafted Top 5 that did NOT receive the full bonus schedule are Larsson + Marner.

(both contracts negotiated by Lou)

Except that's incredibly incorrect. Just last year Hanifin got the exact same as Marner. All the A bonuses, none of the B.

And pretty much all the other contracts apply as well. The full bonus is 2.85, the only players to get the max are all the 1st overalls and Eichel.

Most of the rest got in the 2-2.5 range, but not the full bonus.

My apologizes, I did mean to say Top 4 (Hanifin was #5 OA)

And yes, my post was overall... well sloppy.

Another stab at it:

Lou has never given a single player “Schedule B†bonuses.

Since 2008 the only players drafted Top 4 that did not receive any Schedule B bonuses at all are Larsson + Marner.

(Larsson didn't receive Schedule A bonuses either)

(Lou is on record granting Marner Sched A because he was brought in while negotiations were in progress)


2008 - 2015 Top 4 OA ELC bonuses:

Larsson $0
Marner $850,000

Strome $2,475,000
Ekblad $2,850,000
S. Reinhart $2,650,000
Draisaitl $2,475,000
Bennett $2,300,000
MacKinnon $2,850,000
Barkov $2,650,000
Drouin $2,300,000
Jones $2,300,000
Yakupov $2,850,000
Murray $2,600,000
Galchenyuk $2,300,000
G. Reinhart $2,350,000
Nugent-Hopkins $2,850,000
Landeskog $2,650,000
Huberdeau $2,300,000
Hall $2,850,000
Seguin $2,650,000
Gudbranson $2,300,000
Johansen $1,075,000
Tavares $2,850,000
Hedman $2,600,000
Duchene $2,300,000
E. Kane $2,200,000
Stamkos $2,850,000
Doughty $2,600,000
Bogosian $2,500,000
Pietrangelo $2,350,000


Just trying to make a point about Lou's "philosophies" being a problem as per the OP.

Hopefully all the numbers are correct, just a hurried cut-n-paste job...

 

[AINEC*]

Woah. If you just change the A to a B you get:

Buston Matthews.

Lou knows something we don't.

 

[Semantics]

I would have to have my team's GM do that to future stars/core players.

He did that because the Devils had no cap space for the bonuses, so Larsson would have had likely started in the AHL otherwise. Larsson was nowhere near as good as Matthews as a rookie.

 

[Semantics]

Woah. If you just change the A to a B you get:

Buston Matthews.

Lou knows something we don't.

Or if you add the B in front of it you get Bauston Matthews. Sween'd.

 

[karnige]

Where has there been any shred of evidence that Lou is playing "hardball"? I get that it's a convenient narrative to push if you're hoping Matthews leaves as soon as possible but there's nothing backing it up. Lou is no longer the top dog in the organization, he can get overruled. New Jersey Lou doesn't really apply here.

Lou is cheap as ****. he tried to make the leafs broadcasters watch a tape and call it from the toronto stufios instead of flying to the visiting arenas. owners had to step in and put a stop to it. so yah Lou is probably being a penny pinching pos. because its who he always has been.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Lou is cheap as ****. he tried to make the leafs broadcasters watch a tape and call it from the toronto stufios instead of flying to the visiting arenas. owners had to step in and put a stop to it. so yah Lou is probably being a penny pinching pos. because its who he always has been.

You got a source for that? I don't recall that happening at all.

 

[kudymen]

Because it is not a race

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Lou is cheap as ****. he tried to make the leafs broadcasters watch a tape and call it from the toronto stufios instead of flying to the visiting arenas. owners had to step in and put a stop to it. so yah Lou is probably being a penny pinching pos. because its who he always has been.

Cool but do you have any actual evidence that hes playing hardball with Matthews or no?

Also LOL af the idea of MLSE needing to pinch pennies. He told the media to charter their own flights because why would you pay for someone to be a headache and cause problems for the team?

 

[Mr Positive]

Do the Leafs have more RFAs? Maybe they just want to give them the shaft on bonuses, which is harder if you just opened up the wallet to Matthews.

There's no risk in the Matthews situation. He will be on the NHL roster day 1 of camp. If Lou doesn't like it someone over his head will write up the deal.

 

[CorgisPer60]

This front office worked fine before him and will continue to do so after him. There's absolutely zero chance Lou could make any move as significant as trading Matthews without getting approval from Shanahan first. Even past that, Hunter has more of a say on prospects than Lou most likely and the in house analytics and legal team probably does more of the groundwork on contract management. Like Babcock said, this isn't Detroit and this isn't New Jersey. Old habits don't have to carry over.

No one even said trading Matthews in earnest. Anyone who has is trolling. What we're talking about is Lou's hatred of performance bonuses. That's what this hangup is about.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

No one even said trading Matthews in earnest. Anyone who has is trolling. What we're talking about is Lou's hatred of performance bonuses. That's what this hangup is about.

If he can't trade Matthews he's not fully autonomous. The conversation then turns to what degree of autonomy does he have. Matthews is bigger than Lou, he understands this. I fully expect him to be flexible on this matter, and in the off chance he refuses to be, he will be overruled. Lou isn't worth ruining relations with the most talented prospect in team history. This entire thread is about a nonissue.

 

[capfit9]

Mitch Marner signed on July 28th, don't understand the panic, maybe waiting for arbitration for their RFA's to get a complete picture of their cap.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Because people in Canada and the northern United States basically check out for about 2 solid months in the summer to enjoy the brief period of perfect weather.


I worked for a law firm in Grand Forks ND for 2 years. The staff basically worked 3 and a half days a week for the best part of the summer...showing up late on Mondays and not working Fridays.

When you have limited perfect weather time and work a job that requires focus during the winter months up till mid july, you basically check out for most of the second half of July and Aug.

 

[Major Happy*]

Mitch Marner signed on July 28th, don't understand the panic, maybe waiting for arbitration for their RFA's to get a complete picture of their cap.

Nope, hes KHL bound.

 

[Not Sure]

He got out of his seat so your only half right

My God, he was just a massive human being. I don't think we will ever see that type of size and skill in one package again. Players are getting bigger every year, but they still have a baby face in their draft year. Well except Chychrun, I still want to see his birth certificate I swear he's pushing 30.

 

[CorgisPer60]

My God, he was just a massive human being. I don't think we will ever see that type of size and skill in one package again. Players are getting bigger every year, but they still have a baby face in their draft year. Well except Chychrun, I still want to see his birth certificate I swear he's pushing 30.

Ekblad also looks very mature for his age.

 

[XO]

Leafs are going to flip Matthews to Edmonton for McDavid and a first because Chia likes his big centres.

Leafs adding a lot

 

[snipes]

If players like McDavid, Ekblad, Laine had no issues signing with unknown markets like Edmonton, Florida or a city like Winnipeg then Matthews should have no problems signing with Toronto where even if doesn't perform he'll still get paid like a King

The Edmonton Oilers produced arguably the greatest NHL dynasty in modern history and have one of the largest and most passionate fan bases in the NHL.

I agree Matthews will be paid handsomely, but your "unknown markets like Edmonton" comment is objectively ignorant to the history of our sport.

 

[sxvnert]

Wasn't this thread shut down earlier this week? EDIT: sorry that was on the Leafs board.

Realities:

Leafs currently have $3.5M left under the cap this year (remember no LTIR cushion in the summer so Horton counts against the cap)

Teams are allowed to go over by 10% in the summer.

 

[CorgisPer60]

Teams are allowed to go over by 10% in the summer.

Plus the schedule A and B bonuses don't count towards this year's cap hit; they slide to next year.

 

[sxvnert]

Plus the schedule A and B bonuses don't count towards this year's cap hit; they slide to next year.

Yep. Cap space isn't the issue. This is nothing more than posturing on Lous part.

If the date read Aug 16, then I'm worried.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

If he can't trade Matthews he's not fully autonomous. The conversation then turns to what degree of autonomy does he have. Matthews is bigger than Lou, he understands this. I fully expect him to be flexible on this matter, and in the off chance he refuses to be, he will be overruled. Lou isn't worth ruining relations with the most talented prospect in team history. This entire thread is about a nonissue.

I mean I get being excited, but good lord

 

[snipes]

I mean I get being excited, but good lord

Wendel Clark and Lanny McDonald weren't too bad .

I agree with you, it's a little early for "most talented ever" talk.


Edit: Matthew is special, no doubt. But I'm not sure he passes Clark or McDonald with ease or without discussion.

 

[Pyromaniac]

I mean I get being excited, but good lord

He is the most talented prospect in team history. Was Clark more talented? I know injury issues plagued his career.