Toronto Maple Leafs Rumors: Matthews, Nylander contract extensions not 'a priority'

In the recent episode of The Chris Johnston Show, host Chris Johnston delved into the intriguing dynamics surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Both are key players for the Toronto Maple Leafs Organisation. The discussion revolved around their contract situations and how their performances might impact the team's pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

Johnston began by discussing Auston Matthews, acknowledging that while he might not directly voice it, one could make the argument. The way his contract situation unfolded wasn't the most ideal for a team aiming to take significant steps toward winning a Stanley Cup. However, he emphasized that, given the timing in the offseason, addressing contract matters hasn't been the foremost priority for the organization.

Chris Johnston said:

"You might argue and I'm not saying that Auston Matthews will argue, but you might argue that's not the ideal way to start the season if you're trying to win a Stanley Cup and take a step forward as an organization. But I just at this point in the summer, I don't think it's been a priority."

Turning the spotlight to Nylander, Johnston opined that the 27-year-old might reflect on the past contract negotiations and realize that the perceived gap in terms of valuation should not have been as wide. This introspection may contribute to Nylander's current stance of not being in a hurry to commit to his next contract.

Chris Johnston said:

"I think that Nylander probably looks back in history and says the gap in his eyes or his agent's eyes, shouldn't have been that wide. And so I don't know that he's in a rush to be the next guy to commit to his next contract first. And so I think that he's quite comfortable waiting it out."

---

Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthew and William Nylander stats and contract

Auston Matthews, a formidable force on the ice, accumulated an impressive 85 points (40 goals and 45 assists) over 74 games in the 2022-23 season. Meanwhile, William Nylander shows his excellence with an impressive 87 points (40 goals and 47 assists) across 82 games during the same season.

Despite Nylander's higher point total, there's a noteworthy difference in their respective earnings. Matthews boasts a substantial salary of $7,975,000, but his cap hit is even more significant at $11,640,250 for the upcoming season.

On the other hand, Maple Leafs' William Nylander's salary for the 2023-24 season is set at $6,000,000, his cap hit is slightly lower at $6,962,366. This might seem intriguing considering his higher point tally during the previous season.