Auston Bye Bye

Team: 2023-24 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 1, 2023

Published: Jun. 1, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I am sure I am going to get a lot of hate and criticism for this post. Hopefully, people understand that the NHL is a business, but a business with constraints (a salary cap). And a player wanting somewhere in the neighborhood (as has been reported) of $15 million per year on something like a 5 or 6 year deal just WILL NOT work for this team long-term. Even at a max term contract, that's still a lot of money, representing the richest per year deal in the modern cap world. Does Auston deserve that kind of money? I'd argue absolutely not. If Auston is unwilling to take the Nathan McKinnon contract ($12.6 million/year over 8 years), then I say our newly-minted GM trade him.

Now what would a trade look like? Well, certainly a complex question in and of itself. Any deal would need to be predicated on Matthews agreeing to an extension with his new club. I am not suggesting Chicago would be willing to be pay that kind of money BUT a deal centered around Connor Bedard, should it ever be offered, should ABSOLUTELY be strongly considered.