Does Matthews leave for the US after his contract expires?

[thadd]

There seems to be this cliche players in hockey hate attention. I don't think this is true of Matthews at all and many hockey players. No one makes that argument in any other sport.
Matthews LOVES the attention. It's obvious.

Just that you like to dress up and answer questions for the media doesn't mean you want every single person in the city metro area of 6M people to know you.

 

[NoTeeth]

Just that you like to dress up and answer questions for the media doesn't mean you want every single person in the city metro area of 6M people to know you.

I am pretty confidant based on his demeanor he likes it. Also, not sure why people only argue this with NHL players. Are players avoiding the Cowboys, Yankees due to attention?

 

[Holymakinaw]

Just that you like to dress up and answer questions for the media doesn't mean you want every single person in the city metro area of 6M people to know you.

Yeah players train hard their whole lives, and go through the draft, and sign fancy huge-money deals, and play in 20,000 seat arenas, and talk to the media every day, and sign autographs, and travel the world, appearing on the covers of magazines, newspapers and video game cases...........because what they REALLY want is some anonymity.

 

[Volica]

Yes. But.

I think if Toronto does a couple deep runs that end without bitter tastes (like makes it to the ECF, goes to 6/7 games with real close scores) then he may stay there a bit longer.

If it's first round and out, two more years, he'll be heading down to California I think. Arizona won't be good enough, but he'll enjoy the next best thing. It'd align with Anaheim and LA's window really opening up for contention too.

 

[Voight]

Everyone should have realized he was leaving after he signed that deal.

The pressure cooker that is Toronto destroys a player's soul. The hysterical media. The lack of anonymity.

The Leafs' history of horrible choking is a perfect example of what comes out of the pressure cooker. It's known. Austin knows and he's already gone. Why would he subject himself to it?

Funny cause Kessel signed an 8 year deal and he was criticized way more than Matthews has ever been.

 

[Golden_Jet]

So they can’t sign him before July 1, but can’t trade him after July 1,
Kind of a tough situation to be in, if you don’t have any ideas which way he is leaning beforehand.

 

[PaulD]

Stop stating all those facts that don't skew things in a negative light for Toronto. The fact that they will have more money to offer Matthews than any other team out there, and have the biggest Hockey market in the NHL, and have one of the top contending teams in the league, filled with all AM's best friends, and with some of the most lucrative endorsement deals everywhere you turn........is all irrelevant.

He'll leave because some non-Leaf fans say he will. Just accept it.

Stamps had all that laid at his door step by Toronto too. And said no thanks. It happens.

Toronto will make a huge offer. Dubass has too. But its no secret pro hockey players prefer the US over Canada when given the choice.

I predict (guess) AM goes home to the USA

 

[StreetHawk]

Stamps had all that laid at his door step by Toronto too. And said no thanks. It happens.

Toronto will make a huge offer. Dubass has too. But its no secret pro hockey players prefer the US over Canada when given the choice.

I predict (guess) AM goes home to the USA

I doubt Toronto let’s him walk. Without an extension before the 2023 draft I figure the Leafs trade him before any trade protection activates. So, it’s a key year for the Leafs to convince Mathews to stay long term.

If they can’t then they trade him. No choice.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The awesome thing about pretty much every U.S. market is you get the best of both worlds.

Team is in contention for the Stanley Cup? Rabid fanbase, lots of positive attention, you're the coolest guy in town.

Team is rebuilding? Not much attention. You can go about your business and quietly just play and collect your checks. Don't have the local sports media jumping down your throat as to why you're not Gretzky-reborn.

 

[NoTeeth]

Stamps had all that laid at his door step by Toronto too. And said no thanks. It happens.

Toronto will make a huge offer. Dubass has too. But its no secret pro hockey players prefer the US over Canada when given the choice.

I predict (guess) AM goes home to the USA

Nope. The offer was only 5 years reportedly. And when Tavares was offered a usual 7 million deal he said yes. No surprise, Lou struggles to lure top UFAs

 

[EdJovanovski]

"Pressure" is a politically correct excuse players use instead of insulting Canada by calling it a boring place to live (especially for young multi-millionaires) with bad weather, high taxes, etc. These guys were groomed their whole lives to be star NHL players, lots of players love the spotlight (especially Matthews). They wouldn't make it to the NHL if they couldn't handle pressure. We don't have this same issue in other sports, the cities with the most media pressure often land the biggest stars in other sports when all the teams are American. The common denominator is the country, not the media pressure.

 

[me2]

Nope. The offer was only 5 years reportedly. And when Tavares was offered a usual 7 million deal he said yes. No surprise, Lou struggles to lure top UFAs

Not winning the Tavares bidding war seems like the smarter move.

 

[WarriorofTime]

"Pressure" is a politically correct excuse players use instead of insulting Canada by calling it a boring place to live (especially for young multi-millionaires) with bad weather, high taxes, etc. These guys were groomed their whole lives to be star NHL players, lots of players love the spotlight (especially Matthews). They wouldn't make it to the NHL if they couldn't handle pressure. We don't have this same issue in other sports, the cities with the most media pressure often land the biggest stars in other sports when all the teams are American. The common denominator is the country, not the media pressure.

Toronto is different than the other Canadian markets though. It's a pretty cool city.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I doubt Toronto let’s him walk. Without an extension before the 2023 draft I figure the Leafs trade him before any trade protection activates. So, it’s a key year for the Leafs to convince Mathews to stay long term.

If they can’t then they trade him. No choice.

Can he sign an extension before July 1?

 

[Dion TheFluff]

Just that you like to dress up and answer questions for the media doesn't mean you want every single person in the city metro area of 6M people to know you.

I don't think he would have agreed to be EA's NHL cover athlete twice in 3 years if he didn't like attention

 

[Leaf Fans]

If he chooses to become a free agent, he can go anywhere he wants. Since there are more American based teams, there is a higher chance that he chooses one of them.

 

[snag]

"Pressure" is a politically correct excuse players use instead of insulting Canada by calling it a boring place to live (especially for young multi-millionaires) with bad weather, high taxes, etc. These guys were groomed their whole lives to be star NHL players, lots of players love the spotlight (especially Matthews). They wouldn't make it to the NHL if they couldn't handle pressure. We don't have this same issue in other sports, the cities with the most media pressure often land the biggest stars in other sports when all the teams are American. The common denominator is the country, not the media .

what players have actually cited "pressure" as an excuse? Most of those who would feel that pressure likely failed to produce and brought it on themselves.

 

[thadd]

I don't think he would have agreed to be EA's NHL cover athlete twice in 3 years if he didn't like attention

???
I already answered this.
I'm not repeating myself.

Yeah players train hard their whole lives, and go through the draft, and sign fancy huge-money deals, and play in 20,000 seat arenas, and talk to the media every day, and sign autographs, and travel the world, appearing on the covers of magazines, newspapers and video game cases...........because what they REALLY want is some anonymity.

I'm sure some do.
But there are many reasons for wanting attention.

I am pretty confidant based on his demeanor he likes it. Also, not sure why people only argue this with NHL players. Are players avoiding the Cowboys, Yankees due to attention?

Sorry, I don't follow.

 

[NoTeeth]

What player wanted out of Toronto ever? I recall Versteeg asked for a trade, but not sure it was wise as he just bounced around the NHL so much after that.
Muskoka 5 anyone?

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Curious - is there a history of players leaving Toronto when money/opportunity is there? Even when the team was awful, players have seemingly loved it there and wanted to stay (Kessel, for example - an American player who got shit on by the media still wanted to stay in Toronto despite the team being bad).

Sundin left for his last year when the Leafs weren't good/chance to win.

If hes leaving for LA climate, fair enough. But the money will be best in Toronto, the team is very good (despite lack of playoff success), and the ego is best satisfied in the largest market in the league.

He'll sign an extension next summer (no chance he goes into the final year of his deal without a contract and wants to deal with the questions every single day at practice).

Sundin didn't leave he rejected trades because he wanted to retire as a Leaf.
However close to the Trade Deadline VAN offered him 2x10m which I mean who wouldnt take that he didnt even play his first game till like I swear March or April so 20m for less than 1.5 years

 

[Arthur Morgan]

What player wanted out of Toronto ever? I recall Versteeg asked for a trade, but not sure it was wise as he just bounced around the NHL so much after that.
Muskoka 5 anyone?

Sundin, McCabe, Kaberle, Tucker and who else is this list even right been so long I have a hard time remembering
Kubina?

 

[NoTeeth]

Sundin, McCabe, Kaberle, Tucker and who else is this list even right been so long I have a hard time remembering
Kubina?

Kubina ight be another one of them.I can't come up with a similar example in any sport where 5 players said no to leaving a non playoff team for a chance at a championship. Yet all I hear is people claiming everyone will leave LOL. I heard that about Kessel when he was UFA as well.

 

[Jumptheshark]

will be interesting to see how this unfolds

 

[Jumptheshark]

I think one thing to keep an eye on is teams like the Sharks, Ducks, stars and Kings--how wild they spend on UFA over the next little while--teams maybe willing to spend light to make sure they have cap space for a run at him

 

[Dave92]

Toronto has never had a problem resigning the players they want to keep when they have cap space. Matthews will sign the highest AAV in the league next summer, It won't be suspenseful at all.

Marner and Nylander will be much more interesting.