[Signing] Leafs sign Auston Matthews to contract extension (5 yrs, $11.634 mil AAV)

[Locke]

Thats a brilliant contract for Matthews.

Hes setting himself up to be a majorly paid player on the next contract after this.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by JackIsBack

I'm just going put this out there:


I think that the players and their agents are being shortsighted by trying to grab every penny from the team they can. Look at Crosby's contract - that's a team friendly contract that has helped make the Penguins a very competitive cap era team.



Not all players can take advantage of this, but players like Crosby, McDavid, and Matthews should consider taking less money to help make their teams more competitive and help them win Stanley Cups - I just think that Crosby is making more on sponsorships (McDonald's, Tim Horton's, etc.) because of his championships and smart contract - I think in the long run - Crosby is gong to make more money - greed doesn't always pay off.

Crosby's contract as a percentage of cap when signed: 13.53%
Matthew's contract as a percentage of cap when signed: 14.63%

Less than 1% difference.

Crosby's also has 3 years tacked on to the end with a low value as it was signed back when that was allowed.

[sureLoss]

Chris Johnston @reporterchris
The Auston Matthews ask on an eight-year extension was in the range of Connor McDavid's 16.67% of cap hit. So a ~$13.8M AAV based on projected $83M cap.

The #leafs delayed more than $2M AAV per for five seasons, but will have to negotiate again with Matthews at age 26 to do it.

[powderjunkie]

I understand the 5 yr term from both sides, but the AAV seems at least a million too high for that term...

Does escrow apply to signing bonuses the same as salary? If not, I'd imagine his entire salary would be withheld for escrow?

Seems like the league might have shot themselves further in the foot by asking teams stopping lockout protection contracts...now it's just full signing bonus every single year instead of just that one year.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Just don't see much discount. Even if you add two more years at $15m per year - the cap hit goes to $12.475m - seems worth it to cover two more years.

They are going to have to unload some cap space to get Marner and Kapenen signed let alone fill the rest of the roster so I guess every penny counts.

That's what I don't get.

At this point they would have just been better off doing the McDavid contract and paying him $12.5M.

Smart by Matthews though.

This is the contract McDavid should have signed. He had no reason to go the full 8 with the Oilers and should have been steadfast on 5 years.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I was looking for 8x12. This, to me, is not a great signing. He's essentially got a better contract than McDavid.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by JackIsBack

I'm just going put this out there:


I think that the players and their agents are being shortsighted by trying to grab every penny from the team they can. Look at Crosby's contract - that's a team friendly contract that has helped make the Penguins a very competitive cap era team.

It's an agents job to maximize his clients earnings...full stop. Now if the client instructs him he wants to be in a specific place and in doing so its less than it could be elsewhere, then sure he will take that to the team and hope they can agree to the number.

As for Crosby, sure gets paid through endorsements but those opportunities are limited to him and a couple others only at this point and his deal was signed 6 years ago when the cap was WAY lower. If he was to sign today you can bet it would start with 12 or even 13 million+ a season.

Not all players can take advantage of this, but players like Crosby, McDavid, and Matthews should consider taking less money to help make their teams more competitive and help them win Stanley Cups -

A case can be made they all DID take less than they could have gotten.

I just think that Crosby is making more on sponsorships (McDonald's, Tim Horton's, etc.) because of his championships and smart contract - I think in the long run - Crosby is gong to make more money - greed doesn't always pay off.

I see...so now they are "greedy" for making the best deal for themselves they can.

It's business man, nothing personal.

[Lanny_McDonald]

This is the type of Deal that McBroken should have pushed for. Frankly, his representation dropped the ball so badly on that contract. They should have stood firm at 20% of cap and no more than a five year contract. No negotiation, just a firm stance that the contract would be structured that way - take it or leave it. If Edmonton didn't want to play ball, 30 other teams would have lined up to pay that contract to have five years of McDougieHowser. Bad representation IMO, and it will cost McDoofus a good chunk of money and real chances to win a cup.

[sureLoss]

Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
Next up: Mitch Marner. It will be fascinating. No doubt in my mind that Marner’s camp will be looking to get close to what Matthews got. That is $11M+ AAV. No doubt in my mind that TOR will be looking to get Marner on a single digit AAV, in the 9’s. Big gap.

[Erick Estrada]

They are going to have over $30 million tied into 3 forwards. I know they promised Nylander they wouldn't trade him but I don't know how they can pay that much for their forwards. Good luck trying to retain Kapanen.

[CaptainCrunch]

So heading into next year they're at 71.9 million and if the cap goes to 81 or 82 it leaves then with between 9.5 to 9.5 million with 14 players under contract.


Their RFA's are


Mitch Marner 20 goals and 63 points in 52 games
Kapanan 15 goals and 30 points in 52 games
Johanson 10 goals and 13 points in 21 games.


Gardinar and Hainsey are both UFAs.


Marners pushing for 9, Kapanan is 6 or more.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
Next up: Mitch Marner. It will be fascinating. No doubt in my mind that Marner’s camp will be looking to get close to what Matthews got. That is $11M+ AAV. No doubt in my mind that TOR will be looking to get Marner on a single digit AAV, in the 9’s. Big gap.

What is the pick compensation to sign Marner to an offer sheet in the $11 million dollar deal?

Last year it was:

Over $8,118,641 to $10,148,302 (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd picks
Over $10,148,302 (4) 1st picks

[Bunk]

I honestly wouldn’t mind doing something similar with tkachuk. Our realistic window is not going to last more than 5-6 years tops. So trading off term for a more manageable cap hit might make sense.

[Nufy]

I know the Leafs can afford it, but if he gets injured is only the 700K salary insurable ?

What about cap relief in the same situation...

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

So heading into next year they're at 71.9 million and if the cap goes to 81 or 82 it leaves then with between 9.5 to 9.5 million with 14 players under contract.


Their RFA's are


Mitch Marner 20 goals and 63 points in 52 games
Kapanan 15 goals and 30 points in 52 games
Johanson 10 goals and 13 points in 21 games.


Gardinar and Hainsey are both UFAs.


Marners pushing for 9, Kapanan is 6 or more.

They should trade Kapanen and Marner this summer. The return on a 22 year old Mitch Marner will be astronomical. Kapanen gets you something good too. You'll still have Matthews Tavares and Nylander +++.

[Fire]

Terrible deal by the Leafs. The only reason I could see why they would do that is if they were terrified of offer sheets. On a 5 year deal where it only buys one UFA season, the AAV should be under $10 million imo. I guess RFA years being cheaper doesn't exist anymore in Leafs land. Not that I really blame him but Matthews didn't appear to want to give the Leafs a discount like Tavares did in order to win a championship.

Hopefully Tkachuk looks at the Giordano, Gaudreau and Monahan contracts as examples and not the Matthews contract.

[Coach]

Every new contract makes Treliving look better and better.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by nobles_point

What is the pick compensation to sign Marner to an offer sheet in the $11 million dollar deal?

Last year it was:

Over $8,118,641 to $10,148,302 (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd picks
Over $10,148,302 (4) 1st picks

It will be the same this year.

4 1st rd picks.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

They are going to have over $30 million tied into 3 forwards. I know they promised Nylander they wouldn't trade him but I don't know how they can pay that much for their forwards. Good luck trying to retain Kapanen.

I suppose they can always waive Nylander

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Coach

Every new contract makes Treliving look better and better.

Tree’s two big deals (Johnny and Sean) were re-signed prior to McDavid, Draisatl, and now Matthews.

Tkachuk will a significant change on that front, especially if we go for a 6-8 year deal. Anything in that range I would think will have to be north of 8M now. Not that he doesn’t deserve it, but yeah - I’m not going to be surprised to see Tkachuk’s AAV closer to 9M than 8M.