Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] F Auston Matthews signs extension with the Maple Leafs (4 years, $13.25M AAV)

[Rude Dog]

So much non sense in this thread. I will continue to enjoy penciling Mathews in as our first line centre for the next several years after so many of you couldn’t wait for the news he wouldn’t resign. it’s great knowing that so many of you wouldn’t want hIm. i will happily take him.

Now more than half of you can go back to enjoy watching your team not even make the playoffs. Winters are tough north of the border especially if you have to spend it watching your team blow for 82 games.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

others teams fans are so annoying. these are the type of players that should get paid. yeah maybe it should be 8. but this could actually work out better for the team but maybe an 8 year would be worse. I understand over the 8 years the % of the cap gets lower. but what if in 5 years he's no longer the type of player that deserves 13.25m

I mean the superstars are the ones who should get paid. all the bottom 6 type players/depth players are the ones that should make less. the Matthews, MacKinnons, Draisaitls, McDavids, Pastrnaks and so on are the ones that deserve to make this kinda coin

as for the playoffs issues.... so what the answer is to let Matthews walk? im sure that'll help. might as well keep trying players like Matthews dont just grow on trees

 

[The90]

It takes more then just luck to win multiple 7 game series to go on a run. Even the worst teams that have went deep in the playoffs have had qualities to their team that helped them win important games. Something the Leafs have lacked longer then most of their fans have been watching hockey.

Yes it takes a hot goalie to make the team look much better than it is. Accurate in both cases and about a team every other year.

And yes I realize some players were pretty decent too. But 80% goaltending and luck can take you a long way.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Correct, Matthews should not be compared to Eichel. Eichel has proven he is a winner, he has won a cup in his first playoffs while leading his team in scoring with 26 points in their Cup run, he already is just 18 pts behind Matthews lacklustre career 44 career playoff points in 50 . And before I hear that Eichel played on a stacked team, that stacked team missed the playoffs only a year ago, while Matthews was playing on a Leafs team that was seting regular season points records. He also has played with arguably just as strong a supporting cast of Marner, Nylander, O'Reilly, Hyman, Kadri, Tavares, Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, ect...during his career. Inventing excuses to find reasons to justify Matthews being paid virtually on par with McDavid when you factor in 13.64 x 5 + 13.25 x 3(4)) = 12.30 Cap hit during McDavid's 12.5 x 8 duration is inexcusable the way I see it. The facts are Matthews and his agent were clinical in negotiations, taking every last cent from the a franchise(the Leafs), no long term commitment, no team discount, from the optics of his last 2 deals, it is money first, money second, team third. Let's see if he can improve on this record. The bottom is all that matters.

Eichel first playoffs, 22 GP, 26 points, won a Stanley Cup.
McDavid 49GP, 75 points. 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Mackinnon 77GP, 100 points, Stanley Cup
Draisaitl 49GP, 77 points 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Matthews 50GP, 44 points, 1 series win

No one should be compared to Eichel. "Eichel has proven he is a winner, he has won a cup in his first playoffs while leading his team in scoring with 26 points in their Cup run....."

 

[MCR74]

No one should be compared to Eichel. "Eichel has proven he is a winner, he has won a cup in his first playoffs while leading his team in scoring with 26 points in their Cup run....."

Eichel couldn't lead the Sabres out of the basement, but put him on a stacked team and he's a proven winner. HF logic at its finest.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Eichel couldn't lead the Sabres out of the basement, but put him on a stacked team and he's a proven winner. HF logic at its finest.

Exactly this . Eichel is a perpetual underachiever/bad leader his whole career to now being a “ proven winner “ as a result of being the 3 rd or 4 th ( 6 th in post season goals , 1 ahead of such offensive stalwarts Howden and Amadio ) most important forward in a cup run. Like respect, but doesn’t erase the past .

 

[malcb33]

Eichel couldn't lead the Sabres out of the basement, but put him on a stacked team and he's a proven winner. HF logic at its finest.

I agree with you here! The context of the situation DOES matter, however, the HF echo chamber will hold onto the "fact" he has a ring, so therefore he now has a winning pedigree.

I'll give him credit though he did play well during that finals run!

 

[The Winter Soldier]

No one should be compared to Eichel. "Eichel has proven he is a winner, he has won a cup in his first playoffs while leading his team in scoring with 26 points in their Cup run....."

Those are facts. What we can conclude is this, when Eichel was finally surrounded by a team that was not a tire fire that Bufflao was, he showed he could elevate his game in the playoffs by leading a team in scoring in their cup run. Unlikely Marchessault wins the Conn Smythe, from going 4, 3, and 6 to 13 playoffs goals without Eichel's influence and setting him up. Eichel has proven he can raise a teammate in the playoffs.

Matthews has yet to do this, he has been surrounded by talented rosters his entire career, of teams that made the playoffs with team records for points in some cases, but has not been able to elevate his game or make players around him better to move his team beyond the first rd, up until last season when they beat TB to finally win 1 rd, which in my opinion was more to do in to Vasilesky having a bad playoffs than Matthews play. Regardless, we will have to see if this trend continues. Eichel did it, he elevated his game, made his teammates better, and not so coincidentally won the cup. Matthews does not even have to win the Cup as Mackinnon and Eichel have. But for 13.25 per. It's not unreasonable to expect him to do what Draisaitl or McDavid do in the playoffs.

The stats do not lie.

Eichel first playoffs, 22 GP, 26 points, won a Stanley Cup.
McDavid 49GP, 75 points. 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Mackinnon 77GP, 100 points, Stanley Cup
Draisaitl 49GP, 77 points 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Matthews 50GP, 44 points, 1 series win

 

[Dr Pepper]

Yes it takes a hot goalie to make the team look much better than it is. Accurate in both cases and about a team every other year.

And yes I realize some players were pretty decent too. But 80% goaltending and luck can take you a long way.

On the contrary, "80%" goaltending won't get you very far at all......unless their goalie's even worse, that is.

 

[The90]

On the contrary, "80%" goaltending won't get you very far at all......unless their goalie's even worse, that is.

Haha. What about if it’s the 80’s and you have Wayner out front leading the charge?

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Everyone I know tries to get paid as much as they possibly can, everyone should.

This is a cap and league issue, not a player issue.

Yes he deserves 40 million a year for all the success he brings to the city/fans

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Those are facts. What we can conclude is this, when Eichel was finally surrounded by a team that was not a tire fire that Bufflao was, he showed he could elevate his game in the playoffs by leading a team in scoring in their cup run. Unlikely Marchessault wins the Conn Smythe, from going 4, 3, and 6 to 13 playoffs goals without Eichel's influence and setting him up. Eichel has proven he can raise a teammate in the playoffs.

Matthews has yet to do this, he has been surrounded by talented rosters his entire career, of teams that made the playoffs with team records for points in some cases, but has not been able to elevate his game or make players around him better to move his team beyond the first rd, up until last season when they beat TB to finally win 1 rd, which in my opinion was more to do in to Vasilesky having a bad playoffs than Matthews play. Regardless, we will have to see if this trend continues. Eichel did it, he elevated his game, made his teammates better, and not so coincidentally won the cup. Matthews does not even have to win the Cup as Mackinnon and Eichel have. But for 13.25 per. It's not unreasonable to expect him to do what Draisaitl or McDavid do in the playoffs.

The stats do not lie.

Eichel first playoffs, 22 GP, 26 points, won a Stanley Cup.
McDavid 49GP, 75 points. 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Mackinnon 77GP, 100 points, Stanley Cup
Draisaitl 49GP, 77 points 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Matthews 50GP, 44 points, 1 series win

6 th in goals . That’s hardly driving the bus. He’s vastly underachieved on an individual basis given the hype that was initially placed upon him( nearly Mcdavid equal lol ) . He’s a giant step below all the players you listed ; and quite honestly doesn’t belong with the above grouping ( based on career to this point ) . A cup win where he was mostly in a support role doesn’t change this ( or the calamity that his time in Buffalo was ) .

 

[Dr Pepper]

Haha. What about if it’s the 80’s and you have Wayner out front leading the charge?

Hey now, that kind of goaltending helped propel Grand Fuhr into the Hockey Hall of Fame!

 

[PB37]

One of the three best goals scorers in the game, above average at the dot, better than average defensive game, good size, entering his prime years. I think he deserves the contract.

But if he doesn't do something in the playoffs with his talent and the group surrounding him during this next contract window, he's going to start looking like Joe Thornton 2.0.

 

[japhi]

I would be fine with this deal as a Leafs fan. Logic being, if they don't win anything over the next 3-4 years with him at your core, it is probably never happening

I think this will become the new normal for superstar NHL contracts, similar to how NBA stars contract.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

I would be fine with this deal as a Leafs fan. Logic being, if they don't win anything over the next 3-4 years with him at your core, it is probably never happening

I think this will become the new normal for superstar NHL contracts, similar to how NBA stars contract.

They have him for the next 5 years . Basically his whole prime .

 

[MCR74]

6 th in goals . That’s hardly driving the bus. He’s vastly underachieved on an individual basis given the hype that was initially placed upon him( nearly Mcdavid equal lol ) . He’s a giant step below all the players you listed ; and quite honestly doesn’t belong with the above grouping ( based on career to this point ) . A cup win where he was mostly in a support role doesn’t change this ( or the calamity that his time in Buffalo was ) .

How many coaches / general managers were fired before Eichel was subsequently traded? Sure he performed, but the team factors into it a lot.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

6 th in goals . That’s hardly driving the bus. He’s vastly underachieved on an individual basis given the hype that was initially placed upon him( nearly Mcdavid equal lol ) . He’s a giant step below all the players you listed ; and quite honestly doesn’t belong with the above grouping ( based on career to this point ) . A cup win where he was mostly in a support role doesn’t change this ( or the calamity that his time in Buffalo was ) .

Not sure why goals is your qualifier? Why not points? Think you are being disingenuous here if you think Marchessault was always a Conn Smythe player without playing with a Center of Eichel's caliber. Regardless, this thread is about Matthews, the facts are he has not been able to raise a teammate to Conn Smythe level's of performance as Eichel has, which do support that Eichel was a major contributing factor in VGK cup win, a powerhouse team that you coined that missed the playoffs last year. Leafs set records in points, they have a stacked roster. Yet the level you have Matthews at, he has yet to match the production of players I listed given that he is paid more than, or set to be paid more than. What's the reason for this or his lack of success in the playoffs? I am curious if this Eichel angle of 6th in goals is your only argument you have in this Matthews underperforming in the playoffs you have? We are discussing the highest paid player in the NHL next year and a player that is paid on par with McDavid for the duration of McDavid's contract,

 

[Golden_Jet]

They have him for the next 5 years . Basically his whole prime .

4 years for sure, they likely won’t go into fifth season having him unsigned, but it is possible.

 

[The90]

One of the three best goals scorers in the game, above average at the dot, better than average defensive game, good size, entering his prime years. I think he deserves the contract.

But if he doesn't do something in the playoffs with his talent and the group surrounding him during this next contract window, he's going to start looking like Joe Thornton 2.0.

Hard to disagree with any of that. Bonus in that situation is you have the ability to trade him just the same as Boston did with Jumbo. Makes it easier with a shorter contract too.

 

[jiitu]

Eichel couldn't lead the Sabres out of the basement, but put him on a stacked team and he's a proven winner. HF logi ooc at its finest.

This only is another tic to simple fact: its a team sport and now more than ever.

Eichel is the first 10+ M caphit player ever to win cup with exactly 10 M. With percentages over that 12 %, there are only few cases from past years. I expect that no 13+% caphit player will win a cup in next few decades.

AM is simply overpaid if you are looking for a cup. But so are some others. The trend for top heavy cap profile seems to come a bit and will maybe continue some years but those who has fallen into that will sion realize it. Or if not, those other teams will continue to win.

 

[34]

Matthews is a Leaf until he is 31 now. Brilliant.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Those are facts. What we can conclude is this, when Eichel was finally surrounded by a team that was not a tire fire that Bufflao was, he showed he could elevate his game in the playoffs by leading a team in scoring in their cup run. Unlikely Marchessault wins the Conn Smythe, from going 4, 3, and 6 to 13 playoffs goals without Eichel's influence and setting him up. Eichel has proven he can raise a teammate in the playoffs.

Matthews has yet to do this, he has been surrounded by talented rosters his entire career, of teams that made the playoffs with team records for points in some cases, but has not been able to elevate his game or make players around him better to move his team beyond the first rd, up until last season when they beat TB to finally win 1 rd, which in my opinion was more to do in to Vasilesky having a bad playoffs than Matthews play. Regardless, we will have to see if this trend continues. Eichel did it, he elevated his game, made his teammates better, and not so coincidentally won the cup. Matthews does not even have to win the Cup as Mackinnon and Eichel have. But for 13.25 per. It's not unreasonable to expect him to do what Draisaitl or McDavid do in the playoffs.

The stats do not lie.

Eichel first playoffs, 22 GP, 26 points, won a Stanley Cup.
McDavid 49GP, 75 points. 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Mackinnon 77GP, 100 points, Stanley Cup
Draisaitl 49GP, 77 points 4 playoff series wins, 1 Conference final.
Matthews 50GP, 44 points, 1 series win

Yes, quoted you with the numbers. No one should be compared with Echiel. Then you gave me a bunch of other lnumbers to try and compare other players of whom none have accomplished what Echiel did. Gretzky only got 3 points in his first NHL playoffs. Lemieoux only had 19. Stats as you say, don't lie.

 

[MCR74]

Yes, quoted you with the numbers. No one should be compared with Echiel. Then you gave me a bunch of other l numbers to try and compare other players of whom none have accomplished what Echiel did. Gretzky only got 3 points in his first NHL playoffs. Lemieoux only had 19. Stats as you say, don't lie.

We keep hearing about how great his playoff stats were with Vegas, like he carried the team or something. Now show me the stats with the team that drafted him.

 

[Leaf Fans]

We keep hearing about how great his playoff stats were with Vegas, like he carried the team or something. Now show me the stats with the team that drafted him.

Those numbers don't matter. In those cases, Getting to the playoffs and winning the Cup is a team accomplishment.