Is it too soon for Maple Leafs to talk about Auston Matthews extension?

"Now, there doesn't seem to be any sort of warning light on the dashboard signaling that Matthews could bolt. There hasn't been any sort of dilemma with Matthews as there was with Mitch Marner. In hindsight, it now makes sense why Matthews opted for a four-year deal instead of a max-term eight-year pact. His agent knew the cap would rise substantially by 2027. So, that timeline fits perfectly with Matthews's impending free agency in 2028."

"With that in mind, the Maple Leafs must be thinking several moves ahead. The club has to be wondering how much it will take to keep Matthews in Toronto. The cap will spike to $113.5 million ahead of the 2027-28 season. Right when Matthews would be eligible to sign an extension. Matthews will be 30 by then, and potentially looking at one final max-term deal. Per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), that would be a seven-year deal if he re-signs in Toronto."

"The most notable examples are Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov. They're seemingly keeping their respective clubs hostage with their rumored contract demands. McDavid and Kaprizov are the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Depending on what terms they get from their respective clubs, other major stars like Jack Eichel, Artemi Panarin, and Martin Necas, to a lesser extent, could reap the benefits of potentially record-setting deals."

Several NHL superstars are approaching contract zones that could reset market values, with Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov pushing rumored demands that pressure their clubs. Those outcomes could raise compensation for players such as Jack Eichel, Artemi Panarin, and Martin Necas. Auston Matthews is in year two of a four-year extension and shows no signs of leaving or generating a Marner-like standoff. Matthews's agent timed the shorter deal to align with a projected salary-cap surge ahead of 2027-28, positioning Matthews to pursue a final max-term contract at age 30. The Maple Leafs must plan proactively for his potential seven-year extension under the new CBA.

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