Auston Matthews reportedly about to pull unexpected move in Toronto!

One of the priorities in Toronto is to get Auston Matthews under contract as he can be signed to a new deal by the Maple Leafs as soon as July 1. New general manager Brad Treliving even traveled to Arizona earlier this month to meet with the star player to share his vision for the team’s future, and apparently no one should worry about Matthews : he wants to return to Toronto.

He reportedly wants to stay in Toronto so badly that insider Frank Seravalli reported on SN590 that Matthews “wants to allow enough money on the Leafs’ cap to build a team that has a chance to win. His next contract is not about setting a record, it’s not about getting 4x$15M.

"He wants to win and he needs to find a spot that pays him appropriately and gives the Leafs room to go out and make moves.”

While no official comments have been made by the Maple Leafs on the extension that could be offered to Matthews, it has been anticipated that an extension could result in Matthews having the highest cap hit in the league, possibly within the $13 million to $15 million range. Currently, Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon is at $12.6 million per season, while Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid earns $12.5 million.

However, with Seravalli’s latest reports, it sounds like Matthews is willing to pull this unexpected move to make Toronto a true contender moving forward.

While the Maple Leafs would prefer to secure a lengthy extension as soon as possible, there is still time as Matthews enters the last year remaining on his current contract, carrying an $11.64 million cap hit. On Wednesday morning, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman confirmed that the salary cap has been officially set at $83.5M with the floor is $61.7. And maximum salary is $16.7M. 

This is certainly encouraging news in Toronto to see that Matthews is willing to make huge sacrifices to stick around and win the Stanley Cup with a strong Maple Leafs’ roster.

We have to keep an eye on this!

Recommended articles:

• Matthews and Nylander get mixed into Maple Leafs’ trade interest for Karlsson
• Brad Treliving discloses plans for Auston Matthews and William Nylander
• Crazy Auston Matthews trade proposal sees him land in Alberta
• Morgan Reilly makes significant statement on Auston Matthews and William Nylander
• Ex-NHL GM has bad news for Auston Matthews