AM34 Contract

[Midnight Judges]

For that kind of money you need 100 points or 50 goals.

 

[Divine]

Like I said, even if you don't like the Nash comparison (I think that's going to be Matthews' role in the NHL), my main point is that he's a great goal scorer who isn't one of the best players in the league. He isn't a tier below McDavid and Kucherov.

Which is dumb because it took Kucherov 7 years to even get to Matthews level. So, to assume Matthews hit his peak is premature if you accept Kucherov as a superstar. I don't think you would be saying that about Kucherov in 2016-2017, and he was drafted in 2011.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Which is dumb because it took Kucherov 7 years to even get to Matthews level. So, to assume Matthews hit his peak is premature if you accept Kucherov as a superstar. I don't think you would be saying that about Kucherov in 2016-2017, and he was drafted in 2011.

Agreed. But it’s also dumb to assume that Matthews will ever hit Kucherov’s level. Kuch did not have a typical career path.

 

[sessiroth]

That dude's gotta get the playoff monkey off his back.

The guy's been a dud in the playoffs; he has to prove he can do damage out there; and be one of the main reasons the Leafs move a round or two.

Then he's got to be one of the best 5 players on the planet next year; he's paid as the second best player on the planet; he's clearly not. He has to play 75-80 games next season and score near that 100 point mark; and legit be a 1C. Not just a dude who scores a bunch of goals, but a guy who makes playing him nightly a chore. You watch him out there and you forget he's on the ice 80% of the game until he rips a shot into the back of the net. Like, you know when McDavid's on the ice, because the Dmen are ****ting themselves. You know when Patrick Kane's on the ice, you know when Sidney's on the ice... Matthews doesn't do that yet; it's yet to be seen if he has that gear, but you ****ing hope so if he's being paid that handsomely.

I dont know where this nonsense comes from. Matthews was the best player on either team 2 years ago against washington. He had a poor playoff series last year against boston now all of the sudden hes a dud?

I love how everyone conventionality forgets the washington series and assumes matthews hasent produce post season.

 

[Belzebob]

I dont know where this nonsense comes from. Matthews was the best player on either team 2 years ago against washington. He had a poor playoff series last year against boston now all of the sudden hes a dud?

I love how everyone conventionality forgets the washington series and assumes matthews hasent produce post season.

that is not really the discussion.

it is very hard to say that Matthews is worth his salary at the present time.

he is paid as the second best player in the league which he is currently not.

he has upside and potential, but that is the same as the on pace argument.

it may, or it may not happen

that short of a contract for that money was a mistake.

 

[sessiroth]

Till he hits 70 he not a 70 pt player.

LMAO Matthews is pretty much a career point per game player. theres a large enough sample size.

198 points in 202 career games played. Injuries doesn't change the fact that when he is healthy and playing he's gonna put up points. As much as haters like yourself are gonna try to diminish it.

Has he been injured, yes but that doesnt change his career totals. nice try

 

[sessiroth]

that is not really the discussion.

it is very hard to say that Matthews is worth his salary at the present time.

he is paid as the second best player in the league which he is currently not.

he has upside and potential, but that is the same as the on pace argument.

it may, or it may not happen

that short of a contract for that money was a mistake.

what nonsense are you spewing now? I directly quoted one topic of discussion and you posted a bunch of nonsense. We get it, your a leaf hater and your view points in this thread are laughable at best.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

LMAO Matthews is pretty much a career point per game player. theres a large enough sample size.

198 points in 202 career games played. Injuries doesn't change the fact that when he is healthy and playing he's gonna put up points. As much as haters like yourself are gonna try to diminish it.

Has he been injured, yes but that doesnt change his career totals. nice try

This is HF. People will argue semantics to try sounding smart and/or to try pushing a point and/or to avoid "being" wrong.

 

[Belzebob]

LMAO Matthews is pretty much a career point per game player. theres a large enough sample size.

198 points in 202 career games played. Injuries doesn't change the fact that when he is healthy and playing he's gonna put up points. As much as haters like yourself are gonna try to diminish it.

Has he been injured, yes but that doesnt change his career totals. nice try

actually it is just under a ppg. nitpicking aside.....

there is the fact that he has missed a good number of games.

for a player who is not know for a physical side of his game.....

he gets injured too much.

for a hockey forward, I would think after a knee, the shoulders and back may be tied for second in the places you do not want to get hurt

 

[sessiroth]

actually it is just under a ppg. nitpicking aside.....

there is the fact that he has missed a good number of games.

for a player who is not know for a physical side of his game.....

he gets injured too much.

for a hockey forward, I would think after a knee, the shoulders and back may be tied for second in the places you do not want to get hurt

I agree he has been injury riddled this season and last but theres 200+ games played now to know what kind of player he can be/is.

If he plays a 82 game season at any part of his career in the next 10 years and doesn't crack 70 points it would be a HUGE disappointment and leaf fans wold be out for blood.

We cut him some slack due to injuries but going forward the expectations are there and the numbers now show he can achieve them.

 

[Belzebob]

what nonsense are you spewing now? I directly quoted one topic of discussion and you posted a bunch of nonsense. We get it, your a leaf hater and your view points in this thread are laughable at best.

the thread is about what Matthews has to do to be worth his contract.

what he did 2 years ago in 1 playoff round has little to do with this discussion.

are you really trying to say he is the second best player in the league now?

he is paid like it.

he has talent and potential, that does not mean he will ever be the 2nd best in this league

 

[DFC]

Which is dumb because it took Kucherov 7 years to even get to Matthews level. So, to assume Matthews hit his peak is premature if you accept Kucherov as a superstar. I don't think you would be saying that about Kucherov in 2016-2017, and he was drafted in 2011.

It took Kuch 7 years to get waaaaaaaay beyond Matthews' level

 

[OilCanada92]

Which is dumb because it took Kucherov 7 years to even get to Matthews level. So, to assume Matthews hit his peak is premature if you accept Kucherov as a superstar. I don't think you would be saying that about Kucherov in 2016-2017, and he was drafted in 2011.

It also took Kucherov playing at an elite level for 3 seasons before the majority of people came around and started giving him the credit it deserved. Matthews has 7 good games and Leafs fans are comparing him to McDavid.

I don't know if Matthews has peaked. I'm just calling him what he is at the moment. He's a good goal scorer who outside of 7 games to start the season has been a point per game player. This season, that makes him about a top 25-35 point producer. He's not the second best player in the world. He's not a top 10 player in the world. If he played anywhere other than Toronto, this wouldn't even be a discussion.

 

[Belzebob]

imo, the biggest problem that the leafs have is the team's culture.

I have witnessed it happen many times in this league.

talented teams that are ran over in the playoffs by teams that play for each other.

there are unmeasurable qualities about the way teams will lay it on the line for each other that will beat talent

has the coach lost the room? is it the wrong mix of players?

there is something wrong when they are still in a race for home ice advantage and they lose to a basically ahl team..

I do not believe auston can fix it

 

[CanadienShark]

Which is dumb because it took Kucherov 7 years to even get to Matthews level. So, to assume Matthews hit his peak is premature if you accept Kucherov as a superstar. I don't think you would be saying that about Kucherov in 2016-2017, and he was drafted in 2011.

To be fair, development isn't linear. Matthews was basically a surefire star, with superstar potential. He was NHL ready day one, and had the body for it. Kucherov had star (or superstar) potential, but wasn't a lock. He's a bit of an anomaly. I don't know if Matthews has the potential to hit what Kucherov currently is. Yeah, you can't discount him, but I don't see it likely. Kucherov is arguably the best player in the world. I don't see that level from Matthews, but to be fair, I didn't see this level from Kucherov until he did it.

 

[Nyx]

imo, the biggest problem that the leafs have is the team's culture.

I have witnessed it happen many times in this league.

talented teams that are ran over in the playoffs by teams that play for each other.

there are unmeasurable qualities about the way teams will lay it on the line for each other that will beat talent

has the coach lost the room? is it the wrong mix of players?

there is something wrong when they are still in a race for home ice advantage and they lose to a basically ahl team..

I do not believe auston can fix it

Bad games happen. To every team. It's not big deal.

 

[Belzebob]

Bad games happen. To every team. It's not big deal.

hmmm.

23 goals against. fighting for playoff home ice advantage in a series?

I agree that stuff happens.

but at this time of year, and with the lack of pushback.....it could be a serious issue

the next 10 games will give you a better idea

 

[Finn16]

It also took Kucherov playing at an elite level for 3 seasons before the majority of people came around and started giving him the credit it deserved. Matthews has 7 good games and Leafs fans are comparing him to McDavid.

I don't know if Matthews has peaked. I'm just calling him what he is at the moment. He's a good goal scorer who outside of 7 games to start the season has been a point per game player. This season, that makes him about a top 25-35 point producer. He's not the second best player in the world. He's not a top 10 player in the world. If he played anywhere other than Toronto, this wouldn't even be a discussion.

A good goal scorer?? You might want to check those numbers again 108 goals in 202 games played and hes only 21 and has some some injury issues, at the moment he seems to be one of the best goal scorers in the game going off those numbers does he not?

 

[Erndog]

For that kind of money you need 100 points or 50 goals.

Consistently. Like.... 3 out of the 5 years, at least.

 

[Erndog]

Bad games happen. To every team. It's not big deal.

What about bad 3 months? Does that happen to every team? Or just the bad/overrated ones? Since Jan 1, they've paced 89 pts over a season. That's pretty awful.

18 wins in 35 games. They are smoke and mirrors this year sadly.

 

[Finn16]

hmmm.

23 goals against. fighting for playoff home ice advantage in a series?

I agree that stuff happens.

but at this time of year, and with the lack of pushback.....it could be a serious issue

the next 10 games will give you a better idea

Of course, why wouldn't it? the Leafs are locked into a playoff spot fighting for home ice advantage is small potatoes. You will see teams fall apart right in the midst of fighting for their playoff lives.

And you know the other part about they have 2 of their top 4 d-man out with injuries probably doesn't help.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Kuch did not have a typical career path.

That's a very good point.

He did not take the typical, born in California, raised in Arizona, pretend to be Ukrainian and eventually play in Europe (instead NCAA/CHL) that is the norm for most NHL'ers.

 

[Finn16]

The term being low is the issue, because with such a short term being 11.5, a 8-year term contract would be ~13mil

Without ever hitting 70 points in a season, Matthews shouldn't have the ability to ask for such a contract considering that he doesn't have any negotiation high ground. That's how RFA works, and that's why RFA years can be bought for cheaper.

That's changing though...Eichel had a career high 57 points and 24 goals when he signed his 10 million$ contract and at that point it put him as one of the highest paid players.

Players and agents are looking at a lot of different factors now, they definitely were not focusing on his season high and more on his career numbers and other contracts around the league.

 

[BlueBaron]

Nash won a Richard at 19 years old. He was a big kid who scored a ton of goals but didn't have elite point totals.

You keep going on about a Richard he won with 41 goals, 1 more than Matthew's rookie season. You are taking petty desperation to a new level.

 

[Sky04]

You keep going on about a Richard he won with 41 goals, 1 more than Matthew's rookie season. You are taking petty desperation to a new level.

In 2004...I'm sure you know how much harder it was to score then. Matthews wouldn't even hit his usual 60 points a season playing back then.