Pheonix Copley’s new three-year, $3.3 million deal from Monday is looking rather diminutive.
Tuesday afternoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they’d locked up generational center Auston Matthews on a five-year, $58.17 million deal.
Rumors of the impending deal were first reported by Pierre LeBrun.
The Auston Matthews contract extension is done. Should be announced today. Five-year deal. The AAV I believe is somewhere between $11.5 million and $11.7 million…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 5, 2019
The deal is made up for by front-loading nearly $15 million in signing bonuses, and Matthews’ actual salary will be more in the neighborhood of $700,000.
The Auston Matthews contract extension is done. Should be announced today. Five-year deal. The AAV I believe is somewhere between $11.5 million and $11.7 million…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 5, 2019
Additionally, Matthews will be the second highest paid player starting next season, right behind Connor McDavid. Currently, Matthews’ teammate John Tavares has that honor.
With over $71 million locked up in 14 players, signing Mitch Marner this off-season becomes the new priority.
With Toronto signing forward Auston Matthews to a 5 year extension at an AAV of $11.634M, the #Leafs now have a projected cap hit of $71,909,699 for the 2019-20 season with 14 of the current 22 man active roster (8F/5D/1G) under contract.https://t.co/BPt2vFET34 pic.twitter.com/sfwZfSBK6m
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) February 5, 2019
The Leafs will address the signing with a press conference at 4 pm.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Auston Matthews on a five-year contract extension. The average annual value of the contract is $11.634 million.
Matthews, 21, has appeared in 38 games for the Maple Leafs this season and registered 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points. He skated in 62 regular season games for the Maple Leafs in 2017-18 and registered 63 points (34 goals, 29 assists), while adding a goal and an assist in seven Stanley Cup playoff games. In 182 career NHL regular season games, he has recorded 178 points (97 goals, 81 assists), while registering seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in 13 career Stanley Cup playoff games. In 2016-17, Matthews captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team after establishing Maple Leaf rookie records for goals (40) and points (69) in a season, which led all NHL rookies in both categories. In his NHL debut on October 12, 2016 at Ottawa, he set a new NHL record for goals scored in an NHL debut with four. The Scottsdale, Arizona native has also represented Toronto at the NHL All-Star Game in three consecutive seasons (2016, 2017, 2018).
Internationally, Matthews has represented the United States at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and registered nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in 10 games to earn a Top 3 Player on Team recognition. He has also represented the United States at two World Junior Championships (2015, 2016), capturing a bronze in 2016, two World U-18 Championships (2014, 2015), capturing gold at both, and the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He took part in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto as a member of Team North America and registered three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in three games.
Matthews was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the first round (1st overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
