AM34 Contract

[Divine]

Sure, except we're not talking about Ekblad. Why do people think everything has to be parallel? My point is Matthews's upward trajectory isn't as steep as some other players. He's closer to a finished product. Ekblad was the ultimate finished product. He looked 32 on the draft floor. But the steps Matthews has taken have been pretty tiny.

If your contract is only comparable to McDavid's, you're gonna get compared to McDavid. And the gap between those two is massive, and filled with a lot of players who've proven more than Matthews already. If scoring remains up, he's going to need a big step forward to justify the money, and I'm not so sure he has that big jump forward in him.

Well, you've obviously not been watching him play. Seeing him twice a year doesn't do it justice. He hasn't been the same after the injury, at times he looks like he's been avoiding contact possibly due to being afraid to injure his shoulder again.

I think Matthews should step his game up in the playoffs, and surely by next season when he feels comfortable in taking hits and his shoulder not getting injured. There's always that mental barrier that needs to be overcome when returning from an injury.

When Matthews put up 16 points in the first 7 games of the season, he was dominating. Anyway, his contract begins next year, so let's at least wait until then to see if 'he lives up to it'. Right now, on his ELC, he's one of the biggest bargains in the league.

 

[DFC]

Well, you've obviously not been watching him play. Seeing him twice a year doesn't do it justice. He hasn't been the same after the injury, at times he looks like he's been avoiding contact possibly due to being afraid to injure his shoulder again.

I think Matthews should step his game up in the playoffs, and surely by next season when he feels comfortable in taking hits and his shoulder not getting injured. There's always that mental barrier that needs to be overcome when returning from an injury.

When Matthews put up 16 points in the first 7 games of the season, he was dominating. Anyway, his contract begins next year, so let's at least wait until then to see if 'he lives up to it'. Right now, on his ELC, he's one of the biggest bargains in the league.

I've watched him quite often. I live in Canada. You can't avoid him here.

The thing is, "16 points in 7 games," is really not all that impressive (wasn't it 6 games?). At least not when you're talking about a guy who needs to be one of the best players in the world to justify his contract. If he'd done that 5 or 6 times? Okay. Because there are guys out there who've done that.

 

[Divine]

I've watched him quite often. I live in Canada. You can't avoid him here.

The thing is, "16 points in 7 games," is really not all that impressive (wasn't it 6 games?). At least not when you're talking about a guy who needs to be one of the best players in the world to justify his contract. If he'd done that 5 or 6 times? Okay. Because there are guys out there who've done that.

So let's wait until his contract starts before judging him by it?

 

[DFC]

So let's wait until his contract starts before judging him by it?

Sure. But it's the second biggest cap hit in the league, for a guy who's not showing signs of being anywhere close to the second best player.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

+/-, the stat that nobody likes, for good reasons, especially if it's used to compare players playing on different teams.

But it's still remarkable that on a team that is +42 as I write this, Matthews is -7, the worst number for the Leafs forwards.

 

[Sky04]

Sure. But it's the second biggest cap hit in the league, for a guy who's not showing signs of being anywhere close to the second best player.

You forgot the first 6 games of the season!

 

[joe dirte]

The second best goal scorer in the league, and one if the most dominant young centres in the league. Its really all that needs to be said.

Of course hes gonna get paid.

I just wish theyd locked him up longer. Its really all that needs saying.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

The second best goal scorer in the league, and one if the most dominant young centres in the league. Its really all that needs to be said.

Of course hes gonna get paid.

I just wish theyd locked him up longer. Its really all that needs saying.

But this is the key point.

$11.634M AAV should buy more than one UFA year.

 

[NOLAPensFan]

The second best goal scorer in the league, and one if the most dominant young centres in the league. Its really all that needs to be said.

Of course hes gonna get paid.

I just wish theyd locked him up longer. Its really all that needs saying.

The guy who's gonna make the 2nd highest AAV needs to be the second best overall player in the league, not just the second best goal scorer.

 

[NOLAPensFan]

Though what you’re suggesting, isn’t based on anything other than pure guesswork on your part. We know, based on a fair amount of historical data, that players tend to have (particularly with the skill set of a guy like Matthews) a fairly vertical orientated development path, and there’s no reason to just he won’t considerably develop further as he entered his scoring prime in that 23-29 period.

Ok I'll bite.

Who are the comparable players? Since you refer to a "particular set of skills" we're talking about a shoot first center or Liam Neeson.

I can't think of any all-star calibre centers that were shoot first types, at least not in the last two decades (or is your comparable Malkin, who isn't even a shoot first guy).

Fairly vertical oriented development path? As others have said his improvement so far in his first three seasons has been incremental, baby steps. Where is the big leap forward?

Look at it this way: if ELC Crosby had had Matthews' numbers in the same time frame he would be absolutely roasted. Any Pens fan defending that kind of production for superstar money would be laughed out of the room.

 

[LightningStrikes]

B + with the 2nd highest cap hit in the league, he has the be the guy on his team, not just one of many very good players. Stay healthy and play 80+ games per season, be in the Rocket race every season and finish top-3 in goals scored, be a difference maker every shift.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The second best goal scorer in the league, and one if the most dominant young centres in the league. Its really all that needs to be said.

Of course hes gonna get paid.

I just wish theyd locked him up longer. Its really all that needs saying.

16th in goals this year , but if you wish to use the Leafs narrative of g/gp he is 5th

 

[Belzebob]

The second best goal scorer in the league, and one if the most dominant young centres in the league. Its really all that needs to be said.

Of course hes gonna get paid.

I just wish theyd locked him up longer. Its really all that needs saying.

are you completely insane?

matthews has a lot of trouble playing a full season.

he is a large man who seems to have no interest in the physical side of hockey.

he is closer to eric Lindros than he will ever be to McDavid.

you do not hand out that short of a contract at top dollar to a player that has not proven he is worth anywhere near the salary

unless dubas figures it will take the fans 2 years to drive Matthews to Arizona, and then he will have some cap space

 

[Belzebob]

16th in goals this year , but if you wish to use the Leafs narrative of g/gp he is 5th

it is getting far to out there for even the most uninformed, or new fan.

the on pace argument is the shallowest stat to try and pump up a player.

I seem to remember sid getting 4 goals in the first game of a season

no one expected him to get 4 x 80 = 32o goals for the year.

but nostrils is the second coming even though he has missed 40 games in his first 3 years

 

[Eternal Leaf]

16th in goals this year , but if you wish to use the Leafs narrative of g/gp he is 5th

Last 3 seasons (combined), AM is 2nd in g/gp behind Ovechkin.

That's a massive sample size.

 

[Belzebob]

Last 3 seasons (combined), AM is 2nd in g/gp behind Ovechkin.

That's a massive sample size.

but he has missed 40 freaking games in his first 3 seasons.

how many has Ovechkin missed in his 30's

you need to be durable to play a contact sport

Matthews has not shown that and so is not worth that kind of money

 

[libertarian]

Bad contract for the Leafs that they will regret. A good argument can be made that Marner might be better. Marner's camp will definitely want Matthews type money to resign which will make the Leaf's the only team with 3 - $11m+ players on the same team. To pay for this they will have to kill their depth. Unless the Leafs win the cup this year I don't see any championship seasons with this core because of the massive over payment the Leafs made to Matthews.

 

[FourRings]

Matthews is an elite goal scorer. He just needs to stay on the friggin' ice.

 

[GoBuds14]

Don't get me wrong, with that contract he MUST perform against the Bruins, there is no way around it. That being said, people have short memories around here, 2 years ago Matthews was very good in the playoffs against Caps. His first 2 years in the league he's had mixed results in the playoffs as a 20 and 21 year old, I wouldn't really label him a playoff choker at this point. Lots of great players had early struggles. If he no-shows this year there may be some merit to the narratives on HF

 

[Placid Perspicuity]

he is a large man who seems to have no interest in the physical side of hockey.

he is closer to eric Lindros than he will ever be to McDavid.

Maybe you never saw Lindros play?

 

[Duffalufagus]

The terms makes it a bad deal. He can't return value on that contract. No UFA years was inexcusable.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Maybe you never saw Lindros play?

I know this has nothing to do with this thread but......

I've been watching hockey for a long time. There is literally no one, and I mean no one, that I saw dominate a rink from a physicality and pure skill stand point than Eric Lindros. I had the distinct pleasure of watching him play live on a few occasions and the you could hear him skate. His strides, his skating, combined with his size and power..... it echoed in the arena if you were close to the ice. He was, in my opinion, the single most dominant force the league has ever seen. At his peak, healthy, he was literally unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Placid Perspicuity]

I know this has nothing to do with this thread but......

I've watching hockey for a long time. There is literally no one, and I mean no one, that I saw dominate a rink from a physicality and pure skill stand point than Eric Lindros. I had the distinct pleasure of watching him play live on a few occasions and the you could hear him skate. His strides, his skating, combined with his size and power..... it echoed in the arena if you were close to the ice. He was, in my opinion, the single most dominant force the league has ever seen. At his peak, healthy, he was literally unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with.

I agree. Not only was he physically dominant, but he seemed to be able to pick corners at will. He may be the closest thing to LeBron I’ve ever seen in hockey. There’s a reason he was hyped as much as he was, and he was a new type of player that had very few peers, if any. That’s why I was confused by Belzebob’s reference. I’m sure he meant it as a dig at Matthews, then references a monster that snapped Samuelsson’s collarbone with a check. It’s likely that Belzebob is just clueless. I love Matthews, but if he suddenly transformed into a Lindros clone, I wouldn’t complain one bit.

 

[Belzebob]

I agree. Not only was he physically dominant, but he seemed to be able to pick corners at will. He may be the closest thing to LeBron I’ve ever seen in hockey. There’s a reason he was hyped as much as he was, and he was a new type of player that had very few peers, if any. That’s why I was confused by Belzebob’s reference. I’m sure he meant it as a dig at Matthews, then references a monster that snapped Samuelsson’s collarbone with a check. It’s likely that Belzebob is just clueless. I love Matthews, but if he suddenly transformed into a Lindros clone, I wouldn’t complain one bit.

I was referring to his injury history.

he did not play many full seasons and his last 3 were only about half a season.

another large player that was very injury prone

 

[Belzebob]

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Scoring	Goals	Assists	Shots	Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	EV	PP	SH	S	S%	TOI	ATOI	Awards
1992-93	19	PHI	NHL	61	41	34	75	28	147	32	8	1	5	24	10	0	180	22.8			Calder-4,Hart-9
1993-94	20	PHI	NHL	65	44	53	97	16	103	29	13	2	9	38	14	1	197	22.3			AS-7
1994-95	21	PHI	NHL	46	29	41	70	27	60	22	7	0	4	24	17	0	144	20.1			AS-1,Hart-1,Pearson-1
1995-96	22	PHI	NHL	73	47	68	115	26	163	32	15	0	4	43	24	1	294	16.0			AS-2,Hart-3,Selke-20
1996-97	23	PHI	NHL	52	32	47	79	31	136	23	9	0	7	33	14	0	198	16.2			AS-5,Hart-9,Selke-15
1997-98	24	PHI	NHL	63	30	41	71	14	134	19	10	1	4	27	14	0	202	14.9			AS-9
1998-99	25	PHI	NHL	71	40	53	93	35	120	29	10	1	2	36	17	0	242	16.5	1628	22:56	AS-3,Hart-6,Selke-14
1999-00	26	PHI	NHL	55	27	32	59	11	83	16	10	1	2	21	11	0	187	14.4	1212	22:02
2001-02	28	NYR	NHL	72	37	36	73	19	138	24	12	1	4	33	3	0	196	18.9	1516	21:03
2002-03	29	NYR	NHL	81	19	34	53	5	141	10	9	0	3	23	11	0	235	8.1	1640	20:15
2003-04	30	NYR	NHL	39	10	22	32	7	60	7	3	0	0	16	6	0	83	12.0	623	15:59
2005-06	32	TOR	NHL	33	11	11	22	-3	43	7	4	0	2	7	4	0	59	18.6	574	17:24
2006-07	33	DAL	NHL	49	5	21	26	-1	70	4	1	0	0	14	7	0	95	5.3	718	14:39

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

look at the games played per season