Rumor: Numbers leaked from Matthews’ next deal

All eyes were on Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid as he negotiated a long-term contract with the team earlier this offseason. Oilers fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when the massive eight year, $100 million extension with an average annual salary of $12.5 million was announced on July 5th. Next offseason, it’ll be Toronto Maple Leafs fans holding their breath for good news.

Emerging superstar Auston Matthews is eligible for a contract extension next summer and one Leafs insider, James Mirtle of The Athletic, has a pretty good idea of what the Leafs will have to spend in order to secure Matthews’ services long term. Speaking with TSN’s Toronto 1050 radio station Mirtle speculated that the new deal could pay Matthews as much as $11 million annually. 

“I think that where Connor McDavid came in, that sets a ceiling for everyone else in the NHL. I think what that’s going to do is put Matthews in the $11 million range on his contract when they finally get it done.”

How do you feel about this Leafs fans? $11 million is a whopping number. Keep in mind that Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby earns only $8.7 million annually. I suppose if it comes to be, it will have meant that Matthews had another outstanding season and have earned such a contract, so that can be seen as a positive. But still… $11 million, that’s a lot of dough.