LabattBlue Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 I see Austin Matthews is under contract for only two more years. Does he re-up with the Leafs after next season, or bolt out west?
SDS Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 4 minutes ago, LabattBlue said: I see Austin Matthews is under contract for only two more years. Does he re-up with the Leafs after next season, or bolt out west? I don’t sense any discontent from him.
LabattBlue Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 11 minutes ago, SDS said: I don’t sense any discontent from him. Don’t follow him close enough to even guess, but I would find it hysterical if he left them via F/A. 1
Ducky Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 I can see Matthews going home to AZ if their team is good enough. I only seeing him staying in TO if he thinks they stand a chance of winning. The questioin is, what is his next contract going to look like?
French Collection Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 I used to think he would go to Arizona 100%. Their arena scenario makes that tougher now. If he were to sign a long term deal there that would accelerate the arena process and more money would flow to AZ to make things happen. In my opinion he is all about the money. He passes on NCAA and CHL in his draft year to go to Switzerland and make $400K. Good for him but unconventional for a N.Am. kid. He got McJesus like money from the Leafs without having proven much, but made the deal get him to UFA fairly early. Imagine the crying in Toronto if he goes to UFA and they can’t match because of their cap issues. 2
mjd1001 Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 (edited) 31 minutes ago, French Collection said: I used to think he would go to Arizona 100%. Their arena scenario makes that tougher now. If he were to sign a long term deal there that would accelerate the arena process and more money would flow to AZ to make things happen. In my opinion he is all about the money. He passes on NCAA and CHL in his draft year to go to Switzerland and make $400K. Good for him but unconventional for a N.Am. kid. He got McJesus like money from the Leafs without having proven much, but made the deal get him to UFA fairly early. Imagine the crying in Toronto if he goes to UFA and they can’t match because of their cap issues. I still think there is a strong chance he goes to AZ.... My info may be outdated, but I do remember last summer or the summer before hearing how he spent all of it in Arizona...absolutely loves being there, has a lot of friends there that he spends a lot of time with. Again, this was from last year or the year before but when I heard that (I THINK it was a discussion on 590 out of Toronto), I thought to myself he has to be signing there when his deal in Toronto is done. They have a couple years until his deal is up to get better, but between them losing a couple high draft picks and the Awful picks the Coyotes have made, who knows how long it will take them to get viable young talent on that team. Coyotes have been an awful drafting team. The last time they drafted a player who would have a season of at least 30 goals in the NHL with ANY team...to my knowledge was the 2nd player they ever drafted back in 1996...Danielle Briere. (Unless I'm missing someone but I don't think so) Edited May 15, 2022 by mjd1001
SDS Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 4 minutes ago, Norcal said: I think Matthews leaves the leafs But is there any evidence to make you believe this?
Norcal Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 3 minutes ago, SDS said: But is there any evidence to make you believe this? I just think it. He's close to his mother and proud of his Arizona roots. Like others have mentioned there are stories out there regarding these things and others which lead me to believe he will leave. That and as others said, the money. Get paid and live in Arizona year round close to mom. Win and win.
SDS Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 Just now, Norcal said: I just think it. He's close to his mother and proud of his Arizona roots. Like others have mentioned there are stories out there regarding these things and others which lead me to believe he will leave. That and as others said, the money. Get paid and live in Arizona year round close to mom. Win and win. So his desire to win is less than others? Jack left because he said he was tired if losing. Same as Sam. Each moved the farthest away from their homes. Matthews is going to do the opposite? Move closer to home, to play in front of nobody for more losing? I am skeptical. 1
French Collection Posted May 15, 2022 Report Posted May 15, 2022 Leafs don’t want to have him leave for nothing, they may have to trade him in 24-25.
Curt Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Norcal said: I just think it. He's close to his mother and proud of his Arizona roots. Like others have mentioned there are stories out there regarding these things and others which lead me to believe he will leave. That and as others said, the money. Get paid and live in Arizona year round close to mom. Win and win. 19 minutes ago, SDS said: So his desire to win is less than others? Jack left because he said he was tired if losing. Same as Sam. Each moved the farthest away from their homes. Matthews is going to do the opposite? Move closer to home, to play in front of nobody for more losing? I am skeptical. I have no idea what he will do. But I’ll add to the convo that if he wants to be closer to home, there are a lot of option apart from the armpit Arizona franchise. Vegas, LA, and Anaheim are all a reasonable driving distance (<6 hr) from his hometown. Then there are several other western teams that are probably very quick flights away. Edited May 16, 2022 by Curt
Norcal Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 32 minutes ago, SDS said: So his desire to win is less than others? Jack left because he said he was tired if losing. Same as Sam. Each moved the farthest away from their homes. Matthews is going to do the opposite? Move closer to home, to play in front of nobody for more losing? I am skeptical. I can't speak to his desire to win but he is a unique personality who beats to his own drum.
French Collection Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 10 minutes ago, Norcal said: I can't speak to his desire to win but he is a unique personality who beats to his own drum. My take on him is “he who has the most money wins”. Why else would he carry a purse? 1
Norcal Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 15 minutes ago, French Collection said: My take on him is “he who has the most money wins”. Why else would he carry a purse? To fill it up
Marvin Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 Just wondering. How much longer does the flattish cap last?
sweetlou Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 Arizona has seven picks in the first two rounds of this years draft, they will have some good young talent in a couple of years. Matthews will be in Arizona in a couple of years as they will throw $15million a year at him because they know what a draw he would be for that franchise. Between jersey sales and helping solidify getting a new arena, I see Matthews saving Arizona like Gretzky did with LA and California teams.
pastajoe Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 42 minutes ago, sweetlou said: Arizona has seven picks in the first two rounds of this years draft, they will have some good young talent in a couple of years. Matthews will be in Arizona in a couple of years as they will throw $15million a year at him because they know what a draw he would be for that franchise. Between jersey sales and helping solidify getting a new arena, I see Matthews saving Arizona like Gretzky did with LA and California teams. He’s not going to leave Toronto to play in a 5,000 seat arena. https://www.thespec.com/sports/hockey/opinion/2022/04/20/nhl-arizona-coyotes-sun-devils-arena.html
Taro T Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 Just now, pastajoe said: He’s not going to leave Toronto to play in a 5,000 seat arena. https://www.thespec.com/sports/hockey/opinion/2022/04/20/nhl-arizona-coyotes-sun-devils-arena.html They aren't going to be in a 5,000 seat arena forever. And having a name like Matthews attached to the franchise would go a long way towards making hockey in the AZ desert viable. The Kings were pretty much a joke of a franchise prior to some kid from Brantford getting traded there. 5 seasons later they were in the Finals. 3
JoeSchmoe Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 Every year after the Leafs get knocked out, I celebrate by rereading this article from the Toronto Sun. Such a finely written piece that so succinctly sums up everything I hate about the Leafs and why I love watching them crash and burn. https://torontosun.com/2017/09/11/simmons-vaulted-by-big-3-this-maple-leafs-team-is-a-champion-in-waiting 1
Marvin Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 4 hours ago, Taro T said: They aren't going to be in a 5,000 seat arena forever. And having a name like Matthews attached to the franchise would go a long way towards making hockey in the AZ desert viable. The Kings were pretty much a joke of a franchise prior to some kid from Brantford getting traded there. 5 seasons later they were in the Finals. Your last paragraph may sound ridiculous to younger fans, but you are absolutely correct. A lot of the growth of hockey in the Sun Belt is because Wayne turned LA into a real hockey market. Anaheim does not exist without him, for instance. Phoenix, Dallas, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Florida might not even exist had he not been traded to LA. 1
Doohicksie Posted May 16, 2022 Author Report Posted May 16, 2022 21 hours ago, SDS said: So his desire to win is less than others? Jack left because he said he was tired if losing. Same as Sam. Each moved the farthest away from their homes. Matthews is going to do the opposite? Move closer to home, to play in front of nobody for more losing? I am skeptical. Eh. Yotes have two years to gussy themselves up for him. 1 1
Taro T Posted May 16, 2022 Report Posted May 16, 2022 22 minutes ago, Doohickie said: Eh. Yotes have two years to gussy themselves up for him. And they'll have the proverbial truckload of shiny new toys (all of whom will be on cheap contracts) to surround him with. If he is as partial to the area he grew up in as people have claimed, there might be something very enticing for him to come back & be their savior. He can always include some sort of tacit agreement w/ management that if the team doesn't wind up in Tempe or Phoenix to let him work out a trade to elsewhere. Nobody believes Alex Tuch doesn't want to win, but he's happier than the proverbial pig in you know what to be playing for his favorite team. Winning is sweet. Winning & being a big part of it where you want to be is even sweeter.
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