Maple Leafs Fans, Don’t Expect Auston Matthews to Sign on July 1

Almost everyone hopes the contract extension that could be signed by Auston Matthews actually will be signed by Matthews. Most Toronto Maple Leafs’ fans have paid significant attention to all the speculation surrounding the possibility.

Questions abound. Does Matthews want to stay in Toronto? About the rumours that he desires to move to western United States; are these accurate?

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Only a Contract Extension Would Put Maple Leafs’ Fans at Ease

As July 1st approaches, many fans are hopeful there will be a swift resolution of where Matthews might end up. Specifically, they’d like Matthews to sign a new deal with his old team. That said, I would be hugely surprised if Matthews did just that – sign a contract extension any time soon.

Probably, it’s wiser if Maple Leafs’ fans managed their expectations. Even if Matthews doesn’t sign, it doesn’t mean he won’t. There’s a lot to work out.

For fans, it’s important to understand what factors might contribute to a delay in the contract signing. That’s true even if Matthews does want to sign and stay where’s he been since he laced up his skates as a rookie.

Four Reasons Why Matthews Probably Won’t Sign Soon

In my mind, there are four reasons why Maple Leafs’ fans shouldn’t expect Matthews to sign on July 1.

Reason One: The Ongoing Transition and Communication

With the recent departure of Kyle Dubas as the general manager (GM), the Maple Leafs are in the process of transitioning to new leadership. During such a dynamic period, it’s natural for contract negotiations to experience a slowdown.

Dealing with Dubas was something that the players had learned to do. However, new GM Brad Treliving is a different kettle of fish – not better or worse, just different. The team needs to establish new ways of communicating and decision-making.

However, rumours have it that Treliving has already reached out to Matthews’ group. That’s a good sign. It means that the lines of communication between Matthews and the organization (now represented by Treliving) have remained open.

Related: 5 Reasons Treliving Can Be a Good Maple Leafs GM: One Maybe

Reason Two: The Complexity of Contract Negotiations

Even when things are going swimmingly, negotiating a contract for a player of Matthews’ calibre is tough. It involves weighing several factors. These include what salary and for how long a term. But, that’s only a few of the details that would make up a negotiated contract.

Such negotiations take time because both parties aim to find a happy middle – a mutually beneficial agreement that makes sense to everyone involved. Rushing the process just won’t happen. If it happened too quickly, it could potentially result in an unsatisfactory outcome for both Matthews and the team.

Expect contract negotiations to take a long time. Patience and thorough discussions are absolutely crucial for reaching a long-term agreement that everyone is happy with.

Reason Three: There’s Been a Precedent Set about Contract Signings

Looking at past contract extensions in the NHL, it becomes clear that the timing of a player who signs a contract extension can vary. For example, the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon signed his contract extension on September 20th of last year. The Boston Bruins David Pastrnak signed his contract extension on March 2 of this year. Both were well past their eligibility window on July 1st.

No doubt there’s a desire for a close to July 1st signing. However, it’s important to know that contractual decisions can be complex. They can also depend on several factors. These need to be weigned.

Reason Four: The Focus on Long-Term Planning

Although Matthews might be the Maple Leafs’ biggest fish to fry, he’s not the only contract the Maple Leafs must negotiate. The team also has several other key decisions to make. These include answering questions about what to do with the 10 unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on the roster.

Much more discussion is needed before the team has a comprehensive long-term plan in place. In fact, Matthews’ extension might be one of the easier decisions to make. Should Matthews and his agent assure the team he’ll stay and eventually re-sign, they might even put that specifics of that conversation about how much and how long on hold until the trickier (other) decisions are made.

Such a planning process takes time, especially with new people involved. There will be no rushing into a contract by either side. As a result, negotiations could take considerable time and tons of strategy.

The Bottom Line

It’s natural for fans to hope for a timely contract signing for Matthews. That said, it’s also important to understand and consider the complexities involved. These three reasons: (1) the ongoing transition within the organization, (2) the intricacies of contract negotiations, and (3) the need for a comprehensive long-term plan all contribute to the potential delay in signing.

While all this is going on, Maple Leafs’ fans should remain patient and trust both Matthews and the team to share the same desire – signing a long-term agreement that benefits both parties.

Related: Maple Leafs’ Fans Make a Case for Trading Auston Matthews