Report: Maple Leafs to Trying to Sign Auston Matthews to 8-Year Deal
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly met with Auston Matthews and now are focused on trying to convince the player to sign for the maximum term.
Would Auston Matthews be open to signing an eight-year contract?
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, that’s what the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to get the player to agree to before July 1 when he can officially put pen to paper.
"I think Matthews, especially with the people around him, think there's two more big contracts in his future. I think the Maple Leafs are going to try to get a max-term deal out of this," Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast on Friday. " don't know what the likelihood is, but I think they're going to try."
Throughout the off-season, it was believed that Matthews was looking for something on the shorter end in terms of years. And that could still be the case.
Matthews expressed his desire to stay in Toronto publicly both before and at the end of the last season. His current contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 season and he can sign an extension as soon as July 1.
Toronto switched general managers in May. They dismissed Kyle Dubas and replaced him with former Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving on May 31.
Last week, Treliving hired long-time Coyotes player and executive Shane Doan to work as a special advisor to Treliving. Matthews, a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, said Doan was one of his idols growing up.
Friedman said it's not clear what role, if any, Doan has in the negotiation process. But he did say that there is recognition from both the team and the Matthews' camp to figure out something as soon as possible so Toronto can move on to other business to take care of.
Matthews scored 40 goals and had 45 assists in 74 games this season. It was considered a bit of a down year for the reigning Hart Trophy winner, who scored 60 goals in 2021-22. The 25-year-old had dealt with injuries all season long, including a hand ailment.
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