Why Should Auston Matthews Re-Sign With Toronto Maple Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs should 100 percent try to re-sign Auston Matthews on July 1st, but why should he sign a contract?

Auston Matthews can guarantee an eight-years versus a seven-year contract by signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason, but he’s not a player who desperately needs that security.

If Matthews was a third-liner or someone who just had a flash-in-the-pan few seasons, then that extra year on a contract is necessary. However he’s a generational talent and despite not even being half way through his career, he’s still arguably the best player in Leafs history.

As a result, Matthews may actually make more money if he signs a five-year deal instead of an eight-year deal if his career continues on the path we all expect. The salary-cap is bound to go up substantially over the next few years, so although team’s can project a number, they don’t know what that will be for sure, so Matthews could actually benefit from a smaller term contract.

Over the past seven years, Matthews has lived up to every expectation, except one. He’s won multiple Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies, a Calder Trophy and Hart Trophy and has been the face of the NHL, right beside Connor McDavid.

In terms of a marketable player, he’s on every commercial and is a walking advertisement who kids idolize. Although all of this is true, and Toronto may be one of only a handful of cities who can offer him this luxurious lifestyle, what have the Leafs done for him to make him want to re-sign in Toronto?

Matthews Would Be Smart To Wait to Re-Sign with Toronto Maple Leafs

Whether Matthews signs in Toronto or somewhere else, the money will always stay the same. In fact, he may actually have to take less money to stay with the Leafs, as compared to the open-market.

Matthews doesn’t owe Toronto anything, as he was just a circumstance of a ping-pong ball falling to the Leafs. I’m sure he likes playing here, but if you’re a kid from Arizona, wouldn’t you prefer the warm weather and playing for a team that isn’t cursed?

For whatever reason, the Leafs are a cursed franchise and that doesn’t seem to change. Even though they have Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander, that’s still not good enough, so wouldn’t Matthews be smarter to wait another year and then reevaluate his options?

A team like the LA Kings makes so much sense for Matthews right now. They have a strong mix of young and veteran talent and when Anze Kopitar’s $10M contract comes off the books next year, they’ll have money to spend on Matthews.

Kopitar could pull a Patrice Bergeron and sign for a smaller deal to help entice Matthews to come to LA, as they’re a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Not only are they good, but LA offers everything that Toronto would, except without the noise.

He can be close to his buddy Justin Bieber with the Kings, he can get the endorsement deals and can live a very luxurious lifestyle in much warmer weather.

Signing with the Kings is the absolute dream and Matthews would be silly to re-sign with the Leafs this offseason, until he figures out what his potential options should be.

Sorry to put a damper on you die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fans but in my opinion, there’s a zero percent chance Matthews signs an extension this offseason, and to be honest, he would be stupid if he did.