Auston Matthews Reacts to Connor McDavid's $25-Million Extension: 'It's All About Winning'
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Connor McDavid's contract might be a wild underpayment considering his talent but for Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, he can see the reason why he took less.
When news broke of Connor McDavid's contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers, it sent shockwaves through the entire league. Not for its massive length or absurd salary hit; it was the opposite actually.
McDavid signed a modest two-year, $25-million contract to stick with the Oilers until 2028, and while many could argue he's giving them an ultimatum to win now, there's no denying he took a massive discount to do so.
Matthews Praises McDavid's Mindset After 'Modest' Deal
One person who seemed to understand McDavid's reasoning was fellow superstar Auston Matthews, who was asked after practice about his thoughts on the situation.
The captain wasn't too poetic, however explained he can certainly see why McDavid made his decision, because it's never been about financial gain but winning it all:
"For him it's all about winning and setting himself up for the best opportunity to do that. In my time around him that's the main thing he wants to do. It's what everybody wants to do is to win and he's as committed as anybody.
It's clear the McDavid wants to win in Edmonton however the timeframe given does offer a bit of intrigue, also considering the fact that both men are going to be free agents at the same time.
He's committed sure, just like Matthews is to Toronto. But money talks, and a skyrocketing salary cap can certainly start a new conversation with both men.
Matthews Compares Situations and Salary-Cap Realities
But Matthews wasn't shy either about perhaps his own contract situation, and alluded to the fact that there has to be a sweet spot that benefits both the team and the player; whatever that ends up being:
Everybody's situation's different. Every team's situation's different. Cap's going up. It's tough to envision what the landscape's going to look like, but in the end you always want to try and find a happy medium.
Looking at how the cap is supposed to go (potentially nearly $104-million next year) and projected to go even higher by the time both men need a contract; there's two possible scenarios.
First, Matthews and McDavid both stick to their guns and take a potential discount to stay with their respective teams. You could argue that both men making $15 to $16-million per season is still a bargain considering the Kirill Kaprizov deal.
Or you see a change of heart, where they decided to follow the money trail right to a team willing to give them $20-million or higher per season.
Does that equate to success? Maybe, as some teams could certainly use a superstar in their ranks.
But it also alienates an entire fanbase, and ruin a reputation you spent half your career to cultivate.
For Auston Matthews, loyalty and winning seem to be just as important as it is to Connor McDavid, and that means good news for Toronto's future hopes of keeping their captain.
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