How Auston Matthews Landed on Term and Dollars in Four-Year, $53 Million Extention With Maple Leafs
'Balance' and 'Partnership' were how the principal parties described negotiations.
At the end of the day, Auston Matthews was the one who drove the bus when it came to getting a new contract done with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
The star forward signed a new four-year, $53 million extension with the club this week. It was never a question of him becoming the highest-paid player in the league on an average annual basis. That part seemed inevitable. But it was about what would work for both the player and a team he's very much committed to making better.
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"It was a lot of discussions with my family, my agent (Judd Moldaver), people closest to me and just kind of going through my process and I guess the conclusion was we found the right balance at four years and I'll be with the team for 12 years by the end of that contract," Matthews said in a Zoom call with reporters on Friday. "I take a lot of pride in that and have really enjoyed my time here. Getting it done, it’s obviously very exciting."
Matthews' four-year deal is different from what has been typical for players in the NHL, particularly of his caliber. Look no further than the contract the Scottsdale, Arizona native signed back in 2019 when a five-year, $58.17 seemed unprecedented. A deal that was both high in average annual value but seemed short, given that it had only bought one year of unrestricted free agency.
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In landing on his new contract, Matthews didn't set out to be unique in signing new deals, but aimed to find something that made sense.
"I don't think I've ever done things just to be different," he explained. "I just felt strongly in my situation and my position that it was the best deal for myself and the best deal for the team."
It was a bit of a whirlwind summer for Matthews, who watched from a distance as the team moved on from former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas and installed Brad Treliving as his replacement a couple of weeks later.
When introduced into the role, Treliving made it his top priority to meet with Matthews in Arizona to establish the relationship.
"What I've really learned through this process, is how smart he is," He takes in a lot of information. He's an independent thinker. He's very cerebral," Treliving said of Matthews. "For us it wasn't just a process of trying to go down and hammer out a contract, it was giving him an overview. With me coming, where do I see the team? The things that we'd like to try to do. Get his thoughts. But then, just have some general conversations about life and to get to know each other. That dovetails into the business side of working through a contract."
In the end, it was Matthews who made it happen. And why wouldn't it be? The deal is about him. But as the Maple Leafs deal with a tight salary cap squeeze and core players who are due for raises, Matthews held a lot of leverage.
"The bottom line is...You are talking about one of the world's best talents. In the situation he was in, he could come in and demand a whole lot more than what he got. That's just the reality," Treliving acknowledged. "It gets done because Auston says he wants to get it done. I want it to be a non-issue. I want the focus to be where it needs to be and that's on winning and putting all of our energies on the ice. And that's why it's done. At the end of the day, it's a sign of leadership. We could all want certain things but until the player wants to get it done and that's why it gets done."
Treliving characterized the talks as a "partnership" and not a negotiation. In the three months since Treliving has taken on the job, he's put his No. 1 priority to rest for the time being. There is still lots to do. William Nylander is eligible for a contract extension. But getting this done lets the Maple Leafs breathe for a bit.
"It's nice to get it done and get it over with and now (focus on) what lies ahead and my future," Matthews said. "This is obviously where I want to be."
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