Maple Leafs, star centre Auston Matthews talking contract extension

Auston Matthews talks about his role in recruiting John Tavares to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With only one more season left on his entry-level contract before he becomes a restricted free agent, Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs have begun to engage in contract extension discussions.

Having racked up 132 points and 74 goals in his first two NHL seasons, the 20-year-old Matthews will be looking at a considerable raise over his current entry-level deal, which carries a cap hit of $925,000.

In addition to Matthews, the Leafs will also have to sort out the future contracts of players like Mitch Marner and Kasperi Kapanen, whose entry-level deals also expire at the end of this coming season, as well as restricted free agent William Nylander, who, as it stands right now, still remains without a deal for the 2018-19 campaign.

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