When Brad Treliving stepped in as the general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of May, he made it clear that locking up Auston Matthews was priority No. 1 heading into the off-season.
About a month out from the start of training camp, Treliving can check that off the to-do list.
It has been a scary time for Leafs nation — one look at the Maple Leafs’ CapFriendly page can explain the fears. But the league-high $13.25 million AAV for a superstar centre feels much more manageable than the $15 million that’s been circling, or seeing him walk away for nothing.
“You’re getting the best part of his career,” Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne said on a special episode of Real Kyper & Bourne on Wednesday. “If he gets you 50 a year… Contracts are going up in all sports! This, to me, is a pretty reasonable deal for the Leafs.”
With numerous scoring accolades under his belt too, Leafs fans can be sure that Matthews will continue to be one of the best in the game going forward, even if last season was an outlier.
But, as Nick Kypreos pointed out on the show, why did the Maple Leafs not sign Matthews for the maximum term?
“He’s the guy who’s doing it right,” Bourne countered. “This guy has committed to 13 years as a Toronto Maple Leaf at this point. Anyone who is questioning what he committed to this team, like how much do you want the guy to give?
“Are we sure it’s a bad thing, for the Leafs? That it’s just five more seasons? You didn’t love how last year went, he has had some injuries, he’s a big body. Is it the worst thing to re-assess at age 30 and figure out what you have, or even where the team’s going? Maybe by that point, you’re selling again and the team’s tearing it down.”
A win-win: Matthews gets his raise and the Leafs get stellar seasons through the prime of his career.
You can listen to the full episode of Real Kyper & Bourne in the audio player below or wherever you get your podcasts.
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