I guess it's better than no UFA years, but it's still not good.

7 years in the NHL until you become a UFA. Matthews played 3 years on ELC + 5 years on this deal. Dubas bought 1 year of UFA.

"Any player whose contract has expired can declare himself an unrestricted free agent if he is at least 27 years old or has at least seven years playing as an NHL player."
Link: https://www.thoughtco.com/nhl-free-agents-explained-2778995

Also, 93% will be paid in signing Bonuses.... Damn is MLSE flexing here....

as per bobby mac:
SB----Salary
15.2-700k
15.2-700k
9.7-750k
7.2-750k
7.2-750k

Then this is a risky contract. He might pull a Tavares. I don't think he will, but you never know. Maybe he'll do what JT did and sign with Arizona in 2024.

As a percentage of the cap hit, it's pretty comparable to what Crosby or Malkin signed when they signed their initial 5 year deals. It only buys 1 year of UFA, but I don't think it's awful.

But I am really against the recent trend of signing every 22 year old RFA to an 8 year deal. It's obvious that getting Matthews for 8 years would have been crippling for the Leafs for the next couple of years. The term makes sense to try to give the Leafs as much cap flexibility as they can.

If they win a Cup in the next 6 years it will be worth it

he Will be a UFA

I think you guys are forgetting that UFA years cost a lot more and how tight Leafs salary cap is. If they wanted to push the term up 7 to 8 years, they wouldn't be able to fit Marner and Kapanen. Buying 1 UFA year gives them a little more flexibility with the other RFAs.

That's actually not true. He would have been a UFA after a 4 year contract. You are a UFA after age 27 or 7 NHL seasons. 3 ELC years + 5 years from this contract = 8 NHL seasons.

In my simulations i was giving him
5 x 10,5M
6 x 11,4M
7 x 12M

...so kinda disappointed he got McDavids money for 3 years less and no trophies in his closet to show off on top of two 60+ seasons......

Pasternak

Beat me to it...

They still won't fit Marner and Kapanen.

My goodness. They've done it.

I think Bergeron's is better. Either way, it's insane that the Bruins have so many quality contracts. Marchand is a steal at $6.125M also.

They actually did buy 1

1 year of ufa bought, 4 years brings mathews to ufa.

Yea, this just seems way too high for the term. Kane & Toews signed 5-year deals after their ELC's and CH% was 11.09.
If Cap is $83.5mm, Matthews comes in at 13.9%

Suck on that Arizona. If there's an offer sheet now, you can only dream that it is Matthews buying the Coyotes as he is now personally wealthier than Barroway and the Coyotes combined


As for the price, it is what it is. 5 years = 1 year of UFA.
We better be getting the most out of our other assets inside this window. No cup is a failure, 1 is expected, 2 will be great.

Now Arizona can get him for free at 27 instead of giving up 4 draft picks. I'm sure they are happy.

Leafs do have way better management then Islanders. If he wanted to go to free agency, Leafs management would definitely trade him before letting him walk for nothing.

thats actually better becuase we dont give up any first round picks and get a good crack at him in 2024 and anything can happen between now and then

Like letting JVR/Bozak and now Gardiner walk. Yeah, great management right there.

Matthews says..."Hey Big Willie, Thanks for wearing him down! I got exactly what I wanted!

Lockout proof

There's nothing more exclusive than Stanley Cup success. It's why JT came home.

By the time Matthews is UFA, the Coyotes will probably be playing in Houston anyways