Auston Matthews May Have Just Changed Everything for Leon Draisaitl and Other Stars
As you know, Auston Matthews has finally signed a contract extension with Toronto.
Starting in the 2024-25 season, he'll play four years with the Leafs for $53M.
Now, what does this mean for other NHL stars?
The Impact of Matthews' Contract on the NHL
Many star players will become free agents in the upcoming seasons.
One of the most notable is Leon Draisaitl, who has only two years left on his cap-friendly $8.5M AAV contract.
When it expires, he'll seek a well-deserved raise.
We're curious about how much it'll be, especially considering Matthews' $13.5M AAV deal.
Draisaitl vs. Matthews
Both players compete alongside great linemates; however, there's a significant difference in their statistics.
Last season, Draisaitl scored 128 points, including 52 goals. This marks the second consecutive year he's scored 50 goals or more and the third time in his career.
Matthews, on the other hand, scored 85 points in 74 games, with 40 goals. That's significantly fewer than Draisaitl.
As the highest-paid player in the NHL, Matthews will undoubtedly face criticism if he doesn't perform up to expectations.
We're eager to see if he can handle the pressure and lead his team to the Stanley Cup.
As seen on NHL Trade Talk - Matthews' Extension Ignites Draisaitl's Next Contract Talks
| POLL | ||
AOÛT 24 | 159 ANSWERS Auston Matthews May Have Just Changed Everything for Leon Draisaitl and Other Stars Who do you think will score more points next season? | ||
| Matthews | 43 | 27 % |
| Draisaitl | 116 | 73 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Zachary Werenski | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Sean Monahan | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jesper Bratt | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Frederick Gaudreau | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Jack Hughes | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikita Kucherov | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Kent Johnson | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Alexander Wennberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Mitchell Chaffee | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matthew Coronato | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Marcus Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Nick Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Conor Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Stefan Noesen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Corey Perry | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Igor Sharangovich | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dmitry Voronkov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 18 | 14 | 4 | - | 28 | |
Capitals | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 27 | |
Wild | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 27 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Devils | 21 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 25 | |
Stars | 18 | 12 | 6 | - | 24 | |
Golden Knights | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 24 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||