Speculation: Why hasn't Auston Matthews signed yet?

[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)

There are 2 types of schedule B bonuses.

1) The bonuses paid by the league for awards

2) The bonuses paid by the team for individual accomplishments

He will get 1) but likely not get 2). It goes along with Lou and his philosophy of team first. Plus it helps keep potential cap overage down in future seasons too.

Yes but your #2 = $2M!

What's more important, Lou's rip-you-off "philosophy"

... or treating your franchise player fairly.

Now, I'm sure the higher-ups are going to step in and force Lou to change his "philosophy".

But no doubt some goodwill has been lost between Lou and the youth movement.

I wonder how happy Marner will be if he hits Sched B triggers... but no $2M.

No Facial Hair Lou needs to be put out to pasture in my very humble opinion.

 

[Rorschach]

Not enough Canadian Tire $$ IMO.

 

[Fooladelfia]

Cause he will be traded to Phoenix for Domi- Strome everybody know that.

 

[kunekune]

Lou got to give him Max bonuses.

You Guys are out of your mind if you think Leafs are in a Position where they can let him go to Europe.

 

[Ttownjets61]

Love how all the leafs fans are saying it's only the summer and have lots of time to sign him. Yet with trouba all leafs fans are stating whys it taking so long he's nothing special.

Hope the leafs sign him. It's only July and have lots of time just like the jets with trouba. Season doesn't start for a few months so why in such a hurry. People have family and want to enjoy the summer with them. Why must people sign immediately. It's a business and people want to figure out what's best for both sides. Not like it's dealing in chump change. We're talking millions. Sure any of us it that position should be taking our time as well

 

[TheDoldrums]

So he can play overseas for 4 years making big money and then be able to come back over and sign with Arizona, or he can sign with the Leafs, make much less money, be in the spotlight that comes with being a Leaf, and maybe in 7 years be able to go to Arizona.

I think he'll sign with Toronto, but if he REALLY wants to play in Arizona, I could see him going the 4 year route. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about now, but the longer this goes, the more worried I'd be.

He's also delaying NHL UFA in this scenario. That's not going to happen.

Also you know, he was at the development camp working with the team without a contract. Pretty sure a player intending to force a move wouldn't play with a franchise they didn't like for free.

 

[Whileee]

It seems that maybe Matthews doesn't see eye-to-eye with Lou and the Leafs on this "team first" concept. Maybe they'll need to trade him and bring in someone who's more on board with the LouLeafs philosophy.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Love how all the leafs fans are saying it's only the summer and have lots of time to sign him. Yet with trouba all leafs fans are stating whys it taking so long he's nothing special.

This feels like some random projection of other issues, but you know that a RFA and a newly drafted player are nothing similar in terms of negotiations right?

 

[Homesick]

He's also delaying NHL UFA by four years in this scenario. That's not going to happen.

Also you know, he was at the development camp working with the team without a contract. Pretty sure a player intending to force a move wouldn't play with a franchise they didn't like for free.

He'll be a UFA at age 27 regardless. So he'd be delaying it 2 years at the most. Plus he'd be re-drafted anyways

 

[Homesick]

This feels like some random projection of other issues, but you know that a RFA and a newly drafted player are nothing similar in terms of negotiations right?

Are they not both defined as RFA's? The only difference is that a recently drafted player has to sign an ELC with max earning potential. An RFA on his 2nd(+) contract can ask for the league limit

 

[Warden of the North]

Well if it is true that Lou refuses to give bonuses and 1st OA ELCs are always loaded with bonuses then that is evidence that there is some friction, and likely a significant amount, between Auston's camp and Lou.

It could be a minor bump in the road or it could build animosity from Auston's camp toward the organization a la the Johansen situation.

As we all know Johansen did eventually sign with the Blue Jackets but his desire to be in Columbus had clearly soured after that whole mess all because Jarmo was too stubborn to make an exception for his franchise player.

Lou isnt the boss in Toronto. Shanny is. Shanny himself said they all acknowledge there is a difference between how things were done in NJ and how things are being done in Toronto. he assured us that they didnt get stupid in the last two weeks and that the deal will get signed.

Finally, comparing Jarmo to Lou is laughable. One is a Hall of Famer and the other is likely getting fired in the next 12 months.

 

[Not Sure]

There are 2 types of schedule B bonuses.

1) The bonuses paid by the league for awards

2) The bonuses paid by the team for individual accomplishments

He will get 1) but likely not get 2). It goes along with Lou and his philosophy of team first. Plus it helps keep potential cap overage down in future seasons too.

The league paid bonuses are automatic, they are paid for things like top 10 in league scoring or winning a major trophy, they don't effect the cap and aren't negotiable. The bonuses that do effect the cap and are negotiated come in 2 sizes, A bonuses for things like playing time, minutes per game, points etc. and only make up $825k. These bonuses are usually negotiated for high picks as the easiest to hit, things like "play 42 games" and are automatic.

Schedule B team bonuses though account for $2 million, that's double what a player would make in salary + A bonuses combined. It ludicrous to think Matthews would just agree to forgo $2 million because of something Lou implemented in Jersey, and it's crazy to think that Lou would treat this situation the same as Larsson. So why is this a discussion, and why do people think that Lou has the power in Toronto to make a decision of this magnitude. In Jersey he had the pull because he had tenure that included cups, if he tried a power move like that in Toronto he'd be sent home with his severance package and a "have a nice day".

 

[Dampland]

Answer = Scrouie Louie Lamerello.


or possibly he has decided to go back and play in Switzerland for the next 4 years, to "prepare his game for NHL level", then re-enter the draft to go to Arizona. I heard that Vessey is his hero.

 

[Not Sure]

He's also delaying NHL UFA by four years in this scenario. That's not going to happen.

Also you know, he was at the development camp working with the team without a contract. Pretty sure a player intending to force a move wouldn't play with a franchise they didn't like for free.

UFA status only matters if you intend to use it. The only meaningful thing he'd extend is his ELC, and if he's having a fight over $2 million per year on his ELC he can just make that money back by over charging on his second deal.

 

[TheDoldrums]

UFA status only matters if you intend to use it.

Not at all. Teams pay more for locking up UFA years than RFA years. Even if you sign on July 1 a year before your deal expires, the team is paying a premium to keep you off the open market.

 

[kunekune]

Picks #2-4 already got their ELC with near max Bonus.

No matter what team you cheer for you got admit there ia something fishy here.

 

[Magic Man]

Probably going to trade him.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Are they not both defined as RFA's? The only difference is that a recently drafted player has to sign an ELC with max earning potential. An RFA on his 2nd(+) contract can ask for the league limit

Uh, no? A RFA can sign an offer sheet with another team and change franchises. How is Matthews in any way a NHL free agent?

 

[danielpalfredsson]

It is way too early to speculate, but I'll admit, it is fun to get excited about the possibility of a TOR/ARZ forced trade and Matthews becoming public enemy number one for the Maple Leafs.....

With that said, Lou not giving him signing bonuses would be absurd. Assuming this is the hold up, some Leafs fans might see it as Matthews being whiny and entitled, but I hardly see it that way. A player earns the "right" to those bonuses by being good enough to be the first overall pick. Every 1st overall pick has gotten them. In sports world terms, the NHL has a very reasonable and fixed salary for first overall picks. It is the cost of doing business, potential is worth something, and even if a player hasn't proven anything in the NHL, potential is something players can leverage to get more money. This is obviously seen with how higher draft picks get better ELCs or get their ELC contracts signed right away, and this can also be seen in some of the contracts payers get after their ELCs.

Matthews has the leverage here, because he can easily go back to Europe and earn a living. Maybe in a fantasy world KHL's China or England teams pay huge money to get him and he goes there. Again, this is just speculation, because as far as we know nothing could be wrong, and the hold up could just be that Lou can't find his eye glasses and the numbers on his fax machine are too small, but Matthews seems like the wrong player to dick around based on an archaic GMs principals. He's the first top NA prospect to say **** it and go make a living overseas before getting drafted. That would lead me to believe that even with how business like players business is handled today, Matthews might be more business oriented than the average player. Anyone with a brain on their head knows that there is a standard contract for first overall picks, and a first overall picked player would be stupid to take anything but that.

If this situation ends up being true, at least the Maple Leafs will finally get their guy from the 2016 draft in Dylan Strome.

 

[Rob Brown]

Ekblad signed his ELC in like September. People need to chill.

Most Leafs fans aren't concerned it all, it's people freaking out and exaggerating and assuming there are issues with Matthews/the Leafs just because.

 

[mouser]

If this situation ends up being true, at least the Maple Leafs will finally get their guy from the 2016 draft in Dylan Strome.

Lou wouldn't want Strome, he has close to max perf bonuses.

 

[Menzinger]

Picks #2-4 already got their ELC with near max Bonus.

No matter what team you cheer for you got admit there ia something fishy here.

Or different teams do things at different paces?

You realize that Crosby didn't sign until September.

 

[kxx]

If (and its a huge if) there is an issue concerning money Lou should just sign him. Dumb not to give the kid the full bonus etc its part of the culture / hype etc.

Maybe saving it for a nice news day etc, get the press going, etc.

Just more and more 'speculation' for hacks to write lol.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Matthews has the leverage here, because he can easily go back to Europe and earn a living. Maybe in a fantasy world KHL's China or England teams pay huge money to get him and he goes there. Again, this is just speculation, because as far as we know nothing could be wrong, and the hold up could just be that Lou can't find his eye glasses and the numbers on his fax machine are too small, but Matthews seems like the wrong player to dick around based on an archaic GMs principals. He's the first top NA prospect to say **** it and go make a living overseas before getting drafted. That would lead me to believe that even with how business like players business is handled today, Matthews might be more business oriented than the average player. Anyone with a brain on their head knows that there is a standard contract for first overall picks, and a first overall picked player would be stupid to take anything but that.

Do you know why he did that? To face better competition. Every interview with him is boring, but most of them feature him talking about how much he wants to compete against the best players in the world. The idea of playing in the KHL for the next few years is just inane.

 

[Knightnight]

The same way Larsson left NJ after his ELC ended?



There wasn't a single #4 who didn't have it either, until Larsson didn't get one, and then Marner. Larsson had no problem re-signing with the team. By the time the player is a UFA, he won't care that he got screwed out of bonuses his first 3 years. Stamkos was screwed (monetarily) on every single contract, and he still re-signed in TB for less (than other teams were offering) on his UFA contract.

A lot easier for a D man to pass on those performance bonuses because very hard to achieve as a D man. Also maybe a deal was struck to forgive bonuses and play as a rookie getting to the RFA contract quicker.