Leafs preparing to make Auston Matthews the highest paid player in the history of the game
As the Leafs continue to navigate their way through the offseason, slowly filling out their roster day by day, their intentions are becoming all the more clear. The buds are setting up to make Auston Matthews the highest paid player in the history of the game.
How can we be certain of this, you ask? Well, obviously scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in the NHL - and Matthews is the clear cut best goal scorer in the NHL. If that's not evidence enough for you, then you need only look at the Toronto Maple Leafs' CapFriendly page.
According to CapFriendly, the Leafs have just FOUR players on the roster at this time who are signed beyond 2023-24. Of course, it's no coincidence that that happens to be the final year of Matthews' mammoth 5-year, $58.195M contract. As for the players that the Leafs have under contract beyond 2024, only John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and the newly signed Calle Jarnkrok extend to the 2024-25 season or beyond.
The Leafs have given themselves an ENORMOUS amount of flexibility in not only the summer of 2024, but also the summer of 2025, when Marner and Tavares are due new deals as well. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean things will stay that way. Next summer, both Auston Matthews and William Nylander are eligible to sign contract extensions a full year before their UFA status would kick in. It's a very reasonable suggestion that the Leafs plan on offering deals to both Matthews and Nylander next summer to get in front of things before they're giving up all of the negotiating power to the players.
In terms of what Matthews' next deal might look like, well that's a little more difficult to predict, given the fact that we don't yet know what will happen with the salary cap. If it shoots up $6M-$8M as expected, It's almost certain that the Leafs will push for 8 years. From Matthews' perspective, if he loves the city and the Leafs are right there in terms of competing for a Stanley Cup, Matthews will have no issue with locking in a deal to remain in Toronto for the entire prime of his career. If this is the case, Matthews' new deal will start with a 13 or 14, which would make his new contract the richest one ever signed by an NHL player.
However, if Matthews is reluctant to extend a year before coming due, the ball will be entirely in his court. In that scenario, there could be several teams waiting for the countdown to begin to free agency 2024, where I'm sure a few teams will will prepare offers starting with a 14 or 15. The Leafs will still have an advantage then, as they'll be the only team who will be able to offer Matthews that 8th year, which could also help to keep his AAV lower than it would be if he went to free agency and had to settle for a 7-year deal. Honestly, I don't see him wanting to leave. Not even to go back to Arizona.
Matthews loves the spotlight. He lives for the big moments. He appreciates a challenge and he wants to go down as one of the best to ever play the game. Bringing a Stanley Cup to Toronto for the first time since 1967 will do that for him. Playing in front of 5,000 fans at ASU and sharing a rink with a University team for a year while the Tempe project is completed won't do anything for him.
What I'm suspecting is that Matthews will sign next summer, presumably on the first day of free agency, which is a story that will dominate the headlines, regardless of what else happens on that day and who ends up going where. Being the face of a franchise is one thing. Being the face of a franchise who is also the mecca of hockey is another thing entirely. Matthews might already be on the Mount Rushmore of Leafs. If he's not, he's certainly close. Re-signing with the Leafs will allow him to put a stamp on his legacy and have him remembered as the best player to ever play for one of the NHL's most historic and iconic franchises. He's already well on his way to taking over the franchise lead in both goals and points. While those things may not matter to some, I think they mean a little bit more in cities like Toronto.
Despite what some people would have you believe, the Leafs literally are RIGHT THERE in terms of challenging for a Stanley Cup. I think Matthews knows that. Leaving a situation that he knows and one that he has at least a small element of control over for a destination surrounded by question marks and unknowns - and in a much smaller market - I don't think that will appeal to a player like Auston Matthews.
There will be plenty of time for Matthews to play wherever he wants at the tail end of his career. I'd imagine that if he can stick with the team who drafted him, get the job done and become the highest paid player in history, that will be something that might excite him. And also, he might be the only player in the league not named Connor McDavid who may be worth $14M or even $15M per season.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 16 | 1201 ANSWERS Leafs preparing to make Auston Matthews the highest paid player in the history of the game What will Auston Matthews' AAV be on his next contract? | ||
| $12.5M | 117 | 9.7 % |
| $13M | 263 | 21.9 % |
| $14M | 465 | 38.7 % |
| $15M | 356 | 29.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
