But Matthews' contract situation and long-term future with the Leafs are something that are now nagging on him. Matthews' current deal allows him to become an unrestricted free agency in 2024, and keeping him around would undoubtedly cost a lot of money.
If The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli is to be believed, Matthews' next deal will not only be enormous, but it will also make him the highest-paid player in the NHL by a significant margin. He could make NHL history with this amount..
"Move over MacKinnon. On July 1, the first day eligible, Auston Matthews will sign the NHL's first-ever max contract to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs: eight years x $16.7 million. That rounds up to $134 million, with a little flair for his jersey number. Brad Richards (2006) is the only player to sign for the maximum 20 percent of the salary cap, but it was only a five-year deal, not the maximum term."