Maple Leafs sign Auston Matthews to historic 4-year, $53M US extension
Auston Matthews has put pen to paper on a deal that is set to make him the NHL's highest-paid player.
And the Toronto Maple Leafs — and their fans — can finally exhale.
The star centre signed a four-year, $53-million US extension on Wednesday that ties him to the team that selected him first overall at the 2016 NHL draft through the 2027-28 season.
The deal carries an average annual value of $13.25 million, which will make Matthews the league's highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, surpassing Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon's $12.6 AAV.
Matthews has one season left on his current contract — a five-year, $58.2-million pact signed in February 2019 — that could have walked him into unrestricted free agency next summer.
I feel fortunate to continue this journey as a Maple Leaf in front of the best fans in hockey! I will do everything I can to help get us to the top of the mountain. GLG! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a>
Matthews won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2021-22 thanks to a league-best 60 goals that also propelled him to a second consecutive Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy.
The 25-year-old from The Scottsdale, Ariz., dipped slightly in 2022-23, but still found the back of the net 40 times as part of an 85-point campaign over 74 games.
Matthews added five goals and six assists in 11 playoff contests, helping Toronto advance in the post-season for the first time since 2004.
The future of the Leafs' best player dominated social media and talk radio after their season ended. Matthews saw his full no-movement clause kick in July 1, meaning he had significant control of his future in contract talks.
Another wrinkle was the uncertainty both in Toronto's
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