On the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews …
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: The Toronto Maple Leafs and first overall pick Auston Matthews still haven’t worked out and entry-level contract, with the issue being performance bonuses that GM Lou Lamoriello doesn’t like including.
There is still plenty of time for a deal to get worked and no reason to panic yet.
“This one, to me, feels foolish,” an NHL source not involved in the talks told The Star. “I don’t know what Lou’s reward is if he wins for the amount of risk you take by going this direction.”
Source adds that it could sour future talks with Matthews, as well as sending a negative message to other players on how the Leafs treat their star players.
“I hope Lou’s not holding his breath,” said an executive with a rival club. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Lou, but I would not be wagering the house on (the Leafs) being able to hold that line.”
Matthews is thought be looking for $925,000 in base salary and the maximum bonuses totaling $2.85 million. Second overall pick Patrik Laine signed for $925,000 and $2.6 million in bonuses.
Lamoriello is balking at $2 million in bonuses – which includes if Matthews is a top-five Calder trophy candidate.
The Leafs signed 2015 4th overall pick Mitch Marner to a $925,000 base salary and $850,000 in bonuses. Talks had already begun with Marner when Lamoriello took over last year.
Alec Brownscombe of Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Then Devils GM Lou Lamoriello after he signed Adam Larson (4th overall) to an entry-level deal with no bonuses in 2011 – quote from a Tom Gulitti article.
“We do not have any individual bonuses in any player’s contract and never had it including our picks that we’ve drafted over the years. This was established after a couple of years that I came (to New Jersey). I saw something that in my mind is not team-first philosophy when players have bonuses that if they score goals, they get more money, or if they get more ice time than another player, they get more money.
I am not one who is a believer in the rookie bonuses that is in the National Hockey League CBA — the A, Bs and Cs as they’re called. Yet, everyone in the league that are drafted certainly in the top areas seem to get them. Nobody (with the Devils) has not gotten them and our conversations have been that this would not be something that’s advantagous for us to do and the reason is because every player in our locker room that we have drafted have bought into that philosphy and nobody worries about individual things and only the team and it’s a commitment that’s made. Getting a young player who his peers who have been drafted below him and above him, for him to understand and agree to that — and also his representation — this young man is as mature as he can get at his age.”