Auston Matthews contract: the Oilers must be gnashing their teeth

Earlier this week, Auston Matthews pleased the Leafs organization and fans.

He signed a four-year contract extension that will pay him an average of $13.25 million per season. He will thus become the highest paid player in the National League.

That said, the signing of his new contract could really affect the Leafs. Mitch Marner will be eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1 (his contract expires at the end of the 24-25 season)… And he’s expected to command a salary approaching $13 million a year.

After all… With his teammate’s new salary, he too will want to be paid commensurate with his talent, and that could become a problem in Toronto, as my colleague Félix Forget explained just last night :

However, the Leafs could find a way to save themselves in light of John Tavares’ contract expiring in two years’ time, the same time as Marner’s.

The consensus is that the team captain won’t command an $11 million salary on his next pact… And that could help Brad Treliving get creative.

But in the end, the signing of Matthews’ new contract also has an impact in Edmonton. But why?

Because Leon Draisaitl will be as free as a bird in the summer of 2025, and Connor McDavid will be as free as a bird in the summer of 2026.

The German must be salivating right now after seeing how much Auston Matthews is getting, given his current salary of $8.5 million per season…

Currently, Draisaitl ($8.5 M per year) and McDavid ($12.5 M per year) account for $21 million of the Oilers’ payroll.

Draisaitl could sign for around $15 million a season, and the following year, McDavid signs a deal that will pay him more than his teammate (because that’s what’s going to happen)…

The two players will have a combined salary of over $30 million. As much as I believe that the salary cap will rise, and as much as I believe that this could help the Oilers…

But Ken Holland (GM) will have to work hard to “fit” all his players on his payroll. It’s not a problem right now… But it could become one in two or three years.

In Brief

– HUGE win for Canada this morning at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

O CANADA. 🇨🇦#FIBAWC | @CanBball pic.twitter.com/tI7iYXjWxJ

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 25, 2023

– That’s the Lionel Messi effect.

Throwback to Ovi and Kuzy meeting Messi and seeming a little starstruck. 😂🐐

(🎥: @Capitals) pic.twitter.com/XCYDTw9ot0

– BarDown (@BarDown) August 25, 2023

– He really looks like a damn fine jack, Martin St-Louis.

– I’m so surprised… #Not