Experts Project Auston Matthews' Next Contract and You Won't Believe the Number

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Julien Trekker
June 21, 2023 (11:03)

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Auston Matthews will be a free agent next summer and all eyes are turned to Brad Treliving.

The new GM has the delicate job to keep both his star player and his boss happy. This won't be an easy task: Matthews could ask for the biggest contract ever seen in NHL history.

He's also hoping to deal with this quickly, as Matthews' NMC kicks in on July 1st.

Contract Projection

In a recent paper published on The Athletic, Dom Luszczyszyn gave an estimation for Matthews' next contract and the numbers are almost frightening.

Prior precedent would also suggest something relatively close to $12.5 million - like the deal MacKinnon just signed, right next to McDavid's - but Matthews shouldn't be held to that outdated figure either. Players should be paid based on their worth relative to the salary cap which is about to boom, not to an artificial ceiling based on a contract signed six years ago.

Over the next five years, Matthews is projected to be worth between 17-to-19 percent of the salary cap. The same as Crosby and Ovechkin back in the day.

In 2023-24 terms, that's $14.2 million to $15.9 million per year.
In 2024-25 terms, when Matthews' new contract would kick in, that's $14.9 million to $16.6 million per year.
In 2025-26 terms, that's $15.6 million to $17.5 million per year.

Since Matthew's contract will start in 2024, experts think he'll be worth between $14.9M to $16.6M, surpassing every other NHL players.

With those numbers, the Leafs will expect nothing less from Matthews that he brings a Stanley Cup in Toronto.

Do you think Matthews will sign a contract before July 1st?