Pour tous ceux qui pensent que les équipes vont se démener pour donner à Matthews, qui aurait 31 ans s’il rejoignait une autre équipe, un contrat de 7 ou 8×15+M, voici l’histoire des contrats de 7 ans et plus avec des joueurs de 31 ans et plus. Jaune = Retraite anticipée ou rachat. Vert = Actif. Blanc=Terminé. Ce n’est pas joli.
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JamesCurtis24
25 Comments
*Note: The age shown in the second columns refers to the age the deal begins.*
To be extremely clear, I’m not debating teams wanting to offer Matthews a contract at age 31.
I’m not even debating teams wanting to give Matthews 7 or 8 years at age 31.
To suggest teams wanting to give Matthews 7 or 8 years, and 15% of the cap, at age 31, is absolutely insane to me. It’s literally unprecedented. The highest was Chara at 11.64%.
I’m just not buying it. I think at most, Matthews extends after 5 years for the same cap hit.
Furthermore, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if the three active contracts do not end in buyout or early retirement. Burns looks to be the only one who has a shot at playing it out. And that means him playing to 40.
It’s entirely dependent on what the next CBA looks like. If it (for example) includes 100% buried buyouts (minus cap recapture) for 35+, then the market will evolve.
Little early for this type of discussion, don’t ya think? A lot of things can happen between now and then
In 5 years a 15m AAV won’t be 15% of the cap. For sure no team will give out a 7 year deal at 15% of cap to a 31 year old.
But depending on cap increases over the next give years 15m may end up being closer to 11%, so it’s not crazy to think a team would do it.
In any case, it’s 5 years away.
Find it funny that the fan base that thinks 32 year old John Tavares who is putting up a point per game is hurting the team because of his age and also was upset with the term giving to Morgan Rielly on his deal is also mad they ain’t paying a guy one of the highest cap hits in the league in till he is 35-36.
Obviously wish Tavares made less and Matthews had more term but I don’t think it is as bad as it seems.
Matthews will likely be looking for a 5 year deal with a raise because the cap will be so much higher. Then he’ll do a Marleau contract when he’s 35.
It’s all good for *him*, and bad for the team.
The other star players could do this as well. They just don’t. They come to a compromise that works well for them *as well as* the team. There’s at least a *semblance* of « for the team » and not just « Me me me ».
There’s a very toxic cultural problem among this core of players.
The only player on that list remotely close to Matthews in terms of ability is Pronger.
Players of Matthews ilk don’t make it to free agency so there isn’t really comparables. Aging curves are a real thing but you want to know which players routinely break them? The elites…
Matthews is in a different category than these guys. He’s a superstar franchise center. The people who bring up this point are trying to make his new contract more team friendly than it is. The reality is the Leafs lost the deal, and gave Matthews everything he wanted, which is fine, but don’t make the argument that the Leafs front office were geniuses for only signing Matthews to 4 more years. They wanted 8.
I think he is playing a dangerous game Matthews had a low point year with wrist pain I believe. If I were him I’d be worried how such a big body will fear over time. What are the odds 31 year old Matthews locks down a 8 year contract over 13.25 why is he counting on a third pay out? Toronto won I term but he won in salary
So he did the Leafs a favour because his next contract will be worth less. It also gives him the option to control where he signs if he hasn’t won a cup by then. A pile of money to the leafs to sign free agents. Idk I’m finding it hard to understand his management team and making this deal.
Obligatory *why you heff to be mehd?*
Quite frankly I don’t care what happens.
Win 10+ playoff series including at least 2 conference finals appearances and you give him a 7 year deal.
Fail to meet expectations and it would be better to start fresh imo.
However, it’s absolutely fucking wild that 11 playoff series wins is what the hopeful is for a team with 3 of the 9 highest paid players in the league (4 if we re-sign willy to 10+).
He’s more likely to sign another short term deal. Probably go 3-4 years again until he’s 35.
Here is my theory.
Matthews signed for 4 years not so that he could get a raise on his next contract. He did it so that we can sign an 8 year deal for the same, or maybe even slightly less, and ride off into the sunset.
Think of it this way. If Matthews signed a 7 year (the most term OTHER teams can offer him), 15M per deal as an UFA next year, that takes him to age 34 on his next deal. Maybe at 34 he convinces a team to give him 5 x 11M. That totals 171M.
That amounts to 600K less than if he takes his 13.2M x 4 now, and then signs 13.2M x 8 later.
If Matthews has an Ovy like career, scoring 50 goals at age 37, wonderful! We’ll be happy to be paying him 13.2M. If he breaks down and can’t play, he retires and it comes off the books.
He’s either hoping Arizona isn’t a complete joke by then so he can retire where he started or we’re gunna overpay to keep him once he’s got 2 more rockets
I don’t see gd big deal of the term tbh. 5 years is ways away. Cant even predict what NHL will look like then , might 1-2 more teams lol
That’s the thing though, NHL GMs will do it because they’re mostly swinging at the next 1-3 years, anything after that won’t be there problem if it doesn’t work out.
I understand the point of your post, but this almost proves that Matthews will absolutely get a monster deal at 31 years old. On one hand, yes the track record is bad for these deals. On the other hand, Matthews is miles better than anyone on this list. He’ll get an even bigger deal than anyone on here.
The only way he gets another huge deal is if he continues to be a top 5 player. And if he does, then hopefully it was great for us.
And if he doesn’t perform, then his next deal will be a pay cut.
You people and your point production. I remember one assist that your hero Mr. Marner got 2 years ago. He was tied up with an opposition defenseman. The puck bounced off his skate, which he didn’t see coming, Mathews rushed in picked up the puck and scored. Mitch got the first assist on that goal and didn’t even see it. Lucky bounce but, he gets an assist. Open up your eyes people…
That’s the whole point. So what are you going to do? Let him walk. Leafs put themselves in an unwinnable situation.
I like the deal for the Leafs.. lock up his prime years, get a 5 year window and blow it up if they can’t deliver. Perfectly ok not having him locked 32-35.
This is exactly why Leafs management and MLSE needs to ignore fans. Because of stupid takes like these. I hope they take a page out of the VGK. Where they don’t give two shits about what the fans thinks, what the media thinks, screw loyalty and sticks to the plan.
The narrative that Matthews will leave the Leafs has been way overblown for years, and if it wasn’t before it sure as hell is dead now. Move on.
Quite conceivable that a team that is close to winning would give Matthews a long contract with the idea of being that we’re going to get for a good four years out of him and the last three years is just the way it goes. It would be worth the risk for a top level contending team who can fit him in under the cap.