Auston Matthews believes his contract is as good for him as it is for the Leafs

Auston Matthews pleased some Maple Leafs fans with his new contract, while others winced when they saw the length of it. I’m in the latter category, because it tells me that not only is he going to be expensive for the next five years, but the Maple Leafs will have to win, because otherwise he’ll be able to break the bank elsewhere.

To get closer to the Stanley Cup, he’s going to have to raise his game in the playoffs, and take his team with him.

Several analyses can be made of this new contract: my colleague Félix Forget spoke of the repercussions on Mitch Marner and Marc-Olivier Cook of those on the Oilers. That left Auston Matthews to comment in detail on his contract, having announced that he was staying in Toronto for longer on X.

He told the media that it was the offer that made the most sense for him and the organization. The four years didn’t happen by magic, as there was a long period of reflection that led to the final decision. He’s happy to be staying in Toronto.

“When this deal closes, I’ll have been with the organization for 12 years (…) It’s an honor for me to be a part of it.” -Auston Matthews

Brad Trievling, the Maple Leafs’ new general manager, is obviously delighted to have signed his star player. He said that, with his talent, he could have asked for even more and that he was very happy with the deal.

The salary is one thing, the duration is another. I find it hard not to believe that this is an expiration date for Matthews. He’s already talking about the number of years he’ll have given to the Leafs, which gives you an idea.

On top of that, his contract, which comes into effect as early as 2024-2025, will be a huge burden on the payroll and limit his general manager’s options.

In short, I think it’s a contract that favors the player, not the team. We’ll see if the future proves me wrong.

In gusto

– Difficult in Toronto.

– Baseball news.

– What a hatch.

– It’s quite difficult for the Quebecer.