Toronto Maple Leafs extend Auston Matthews for five years

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that star centre Auston Matthews has signed a new five-year contract extension with the team.

Toronto Maple Leafs‘ general manager Kyle Dubas spoke confidently before the season, stating his belief that the team would lock up its young stars, using the now famous phrase “We can, and we will.”

First, the team locked up William Nylander to a new six-year deal and now they have their best young player, Auston Matthews, extended for another five years.

Matthews’ new deal holds an average annual value of around $11.63 million – with $54.5 million of the deal being paid in bonuses alone.

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The 21-year-old American has been a revelation since being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs first overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

In 182 regular season games with Toronto, Matthews has registered 178 total points – good for 97 goals and 81 assists.

The three-time NHL All-Star also has five goals and seven total points in 13 playoff appearances for the Canadian club.

This season alone, Matthews has 46 points (23 goals and 23 assists) in just 37 games, having missed time due to injury.

The young centre has become a crucial part of Mike Babcock’s offence, with the summer addition of John Tavares giving the Leafs a legitimate one-two punch through the middle that the team hasn’t had for many years.

While some fans on social media are disappointed that Matthews has not been extended for the maximum eight-year term, the deal will see the team hold onto their young star for another five years and avoid any potential offer sheets that may have been coming their way this off-season.

The deal now sees Matthews become the highest-paid player on the team and makes the Toronto Maple Leafs’ cap situation a little clearer next season.

If the cap rises to around $83 million, the Leafs will have just over $10 million available to lock up Mitch Marner and their remaining free agents  – which include the likes of Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson.

This could see some players moved, but for the time being the team will be satisfied knowing that their main young star’s immediate future is secured.

What do you think of the news Leafs Nation? Are you pleased to see this deal get done? Are you concerned about the team’s cap situation next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.