Toronto Maple Leafs Extend Sheldon Keefe
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed head coach Sheldon Keefe to a multi-year contract extension, according to a team release. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports it’s a two-year extension, keeping him behind the Toronto bench through the 2025-26 season. Treliving later confirmed the length during his media availability following the news.
Keefe was entering the second season of a two-year extension he’d signed in 2021. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving indicated last week that he was actively talking with Keefe regarding an extension.
After a successful four-year stint as head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, Keefe was elevated to the NHL early into his fifth season after the Leafs fired Mike Babcock just before American Thanksgiving in 2020. He’s been behind Toronto’s bench ever since, accumulating a 166-71-30 regular-season record in 267 games coached since that time. That’s good enough for a .678 points percentage, which is first in NHL history among coaches with at least 250 games leading an NHL bench. It’s also the fourth-highest points percentage in the league since he assumed the Toronto head coaching role on November 20, 2020, trailing only the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins.
It’s been a different story in the postseason, however. While the Leafs’ streak of playoff ineptitude began before Keefe took over, his record of 13-17 is less than inspiring, and he’s won just one out of five series he’s coached the team through since 2020.
Despite that, the team has put full confidence in Keefe publically across both the previous and current front office regime and has backed up their words with financial commitment. In a statement, Treliving said he believes Keefe “has a clear vision for this team and where it needs to get to” and “[looks] forward to working alongside him as we head into the upcoming season.”
The extension wasn’t something that looked like a sure thing when the Leafs opted not to renew the contract of now-Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas earlier this summer. Keefe had worked with Dubas since joining the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds as their head coach during the 2012-13 season, following him up the ranks from juniors to the minors and, eventually, the most scrutinized bench boss role in the NHL.
Keefe’s bench will look slightly different this season after assistant Spencer Carbery departed after two seasons to assume the head coaching role for the Washington Capitals. They’ve brought in former Ottawa Senators head coach Guy Boucher as an assistant for 2023-24, along with longtime St. Louis Blues assistant (and one-time Leafs defenseman) Mike Van Ryn.
With a new-look secondary core featuring Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, John Klingberg, and rookie Matthew Knies, Keefe will likely need to guide Toronto to at least a Conference Final appearance over the next two seasons to earn a third extension in Canada’s largest city.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Simon Benoit
The Toronto Maple Leafs have added some defensive depth, signing Simon Benoit to a one-year contract worth $775K, per a team announcement.
Benoit, 24, heads to Canada’s largest city after spending all five seasons of his pro career in the Anaheim Ducks organization. He skated in a career-high 78 games last season with the Ducks, forced into a top-four role on a paper-thin defense. He did notch three goals and seven assists for ten points while averaging 19:21 per game, but his -29 rating and 41.4 Corsi For percentage at even strength were expectedly unimpressive.
That’s not to say the 6-foot-3, 203-pound left-shot defender can’t be effective at the NHL level. He posted a much better analytical profile and possession metrics in a more limited role in 2021-22, which saw him skate in 53 games with the Ducks but averaging under 15 minutes per game. That being said, Anaheim simply didn’t envision Benoit as a part of their long-term plans as a depth defender considering the wave of higher-ceiling prospects they have on the way. Slated to be a restricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year extension with the Ducks in 2022, he was not extended a qualifying offer and hit the UFA market on July 1.
In 137 career NHL games with the Ducks, Benoit has four goals, 11 assists and 15 points. The Laval, Quebec product joined the Ducks organization on an AHL contract signed with the San Diego Gulls before the 2018-19 campaign after going undrafted by an NHL team. His junior stats were admittedly unimpressive, but he quickly showed in the minors that he could be a capable defensive presence at the pro level, earning an entry-level contract from the Ducks after his rookie season in San Diego.
However, it’s no guarantee Benoit can crack the Leafs’ roster out of training camp, especially given their salary cap crunch. It’s hard to envision him winning a spot in the opening night lineup ahead of their currently projected bottom pair of Mark Giordano and Timothy Liljegren, although his league-minimum cap hit does make him an appealing option for a seventh defenseman – if they can afford it. He would need to clear waivers to be assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, which is not guaranteed after he shouldered heavy NHL minutes last season and is on an affordable one-year deal.
Nylander And Maple Leafs Still At Least $1MM Per Year Apart In Extension Talks
While the Maple Leafs were able to get an extension done with Auston Matthews earlier this week, it doesn’t appear as if much progress has been made on a new deal with pending UFA William Nylander. Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun relays that the two sides are at least $1MM apart per year on a new agreement. Toronto is hoping to sign the 27-year-old around the $9MM mark while his camp is seeking something starting with a ten. Nylander is coming off a career year that saw him put up 87 points in 82 games, his second straight campaign of at least 80 points. If Nylander doesn’t sign now and goes and has another 80-point showing, he should be well-positioned to have someone meet his asking price on the open market next summer.
Maple Leafs Notes: Keefe, Matthews, Depth, Nylander, Woll
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving held a press conference today after Auston Matthews‘ four-year extension earlier this week, touching on various topics related to the organization. One of them was the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, who Treliving said he’s “enjoyed getting to know,” and the two parties will continue to work on an extension.
Since taking over behind the Toronto bench early in the 2019-20 season after the team fired Mike Babcock, Keefe has put together a 166-71-30 record as an NHL head coach, good enough for a .678 points percentage. The 42-year-old coach is entering the final season of a two-year extension he had signed before the 2021-22 campaign started. While he hasn’t yet guided the team to any sustained playoff success, he has overseen one of the most successful regular-season stretches in franchise history, leading Toronto to have one of the longest active playoff streaks in the league. Without a Conference Final appearance to speak of, however, it would surprise many to see a long-term extension for Keefe announced.
Elsewhere in Leafland:
- Treliving said contract negotiations with Matthews were far from animous, calling the talks a “partnership more than a negotiation.” Matthews will have the highest cap hit in league history when the extension kicks in for the 2024-25 campaign with $13.25MM per season, but Treliving was expecting to dole out that much cash. “In the situation he’s in, he could have come in and demanded more than he got,” Treliving said.
- Regarding filling out the rest of the roster, Toronto is still in a delicate dance with the salary cap, needing to shed about $3MM before the season starts, even with LTIR relief, CapFriendly projects. That hasn’t stopped Treliving from considering a few minor additions, he said today, although he didn’t indicate whether those would come in the form of tryouts or guaranteed one-year contracts before training camps start next month.
- Treliving also spoke briefly about winger William Nylander‘s pending free agency, now his main order of business after getting Matthews extended. Like Nylander said earlier this week, however, Treliving feels no rush or deadline to get a deal done at the moment, willing to let negotiations play out and remain civil and productive. If the two sides can’t bridge the reported multi-million dollar gap, however, it’s hard to imagine Treliving letting Nylander remain on the team past the trade deadline without an extension close to fruition. The 27-year-old Swede is coming off the first 40-goal season of his career.
- Lastly, Treliving spoke highly today of young netminder Joseph Woll, who he believes is ready to assume the backup job behind Ilya Samsonov next season. Some wondered about Treliving’s and Keefe’s plans for the crease after inking veteran Martin Jones to a one-year, one-way deal earlier this month, but it’s clear now the Jones signing was purely for insurance purposes in case of an injury or an unexpected poor performance from Woll in camp. There is surely no room to stash Jones on the roster as a third goaltender, however, meaning he’ll very likely be exposed to waivers at the beginning of the season.
Vyacheslav Peksa Expected To Remain In North America Next Season
- It appears Toronto Maple Leafs goalie prospect Vyacheslav Peksa will be staying in North America, according to The Score’s Kyle Cushman. There had been some conflicting reports on whether the Leafs would loan Peksa back to Russia for 2023-24 – Peksa himself told Cushman earlier this summer he anticipated staying in Toronto (with the AHL’s Marlies) this season, while assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser told reporters at development camp that Peksa would be loaned out. Peksa, a 2021 sixth-round pick, posted a sparkling .921 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average on a struggling Bars Kazan team in the Russian second-tier VHL last season.
Matthews' Extension Won't Surpass McDavid's Cap Hit Percentage Record
Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews will always be inextricably linked. They were selected with back-to-back first-overall picks by, as of now, the two best Canadian teams in the league. Therefore, it’s not surprising public discourse has shifted once again to McDavid’s future in Edmonton after Matthews signed his four-year, $53MM extension in Toronto yesterday.
Speaking with Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, when asked about a contract extension, McDavid said, “We’re super comfortable [in Edmonton],” but an extension is also “three years down the road. We’ve got to kind of see where our lives are at and kind of go from there.” He went on to re-avow his commitment to winning a championship with Edmonton’s core. While the tonality of McDavid’s statement may raise some eyebrows, it really shouldn’t – the Oilers’ superstar isn’t exactly known for his unfiltered approach to interviews. While there is always the chance McDavid departs in free agency should things in Edmonton go horribly wrong over the next few seasons, it’s far from becoming a likely scenario, at least at this stage.
More from the NHL today:
- One surprisingly quiet storyline throughout the offseason has been that of Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who the team confirmed had requested a trade earlier this summer. In an interview with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti earlier this week, Capitals incoming head coach Spencer Carbery said he’s spoken with Kuznetsov multiple times this summer and “it sounds like there’s a real focus to his preparation for next season.” While it’s far from a confirmation he’s rescinded his trade request, Kuznetsov staying in the nation’s capital and returning to form could very well thrust Washington back into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, something captain Alex Ovechkin would certainly love to see while he chases the NHL’s all-time goals record.
- Matthews’ extension may be the richest per season of the salary cap era, but it still hasn’t surpassed McDavid’s deal as taking up the highest percentage of the salary cap when signed, Sportsnet’s Sonny Sachdeva points out. McDavid’s eight-year, $100MM deal, which kicked in for the 2018-19 campaign, took up a record 16.67% of the cap’s Upper Limit when it was signed in July 2017. Matthews’ deal, on the other hand, which carries an average annual value of $750K higher than McDavid’s, takes up 15.87% of the cap at the time of signing.
Toronto Maple Leafs Extend Auston Matthews
August 24: Similarly to his last contract, Matthews’ extension is paid out mostly in signing bonuses. PuckPedia has the full breakdown of his deal, which includes a full no-movement clause.
2024-25: $775K salary, $15.925MM signing bonus
2025-26: $775K salary, $14.425MM signing bonus
2026-27: $900K salary, $10.18MM signing bonus
2027-28: $900K salary, $9.12MM signing bonus
August 23: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have signed Auston Matthews to a four-year contract. The financial details of the deal were not originally reported by the club, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Matthews will be making $13.25MM AAV, making it a four-year, $53MM contract extension.
For one season, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche will hold the honors of being the highest-paid athlete in the game at $12.6MM AAV; however, the season after, Matthews will take the crown. Now that Matthews is signed for the next five seasons in Toronto, he will become an unrestricted free agent at 30 years old after the 2027-28 NHL season.
In one of the most important orders of business for new General Manager Brad Treliving this summer, the Maple Leafs have locked up the most significant player to their core. They have infamously struggled in their mission to lift the Stanley Cup, but Matthews has earned his fair share of medals up to this point in his career.
Last season, in what was considered somewhat of a down year, Matthews scored 40 goals and 45 assists in 74 games, finishing third on the team in scoring. More importantly; however, is that Matthews was fundamental in Toronto being able to win their first playoff series since the 2003-04 season, scoring five goals and six assists in 11 games.
The season prior, Matthews had one of the best seasons in the salary cap era, scoring 60 goals and 46 assists in 73 games, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Maurice Richard Trophy. Only Connor McDavid, Steven Stamkos, and Alex Ovechkin have been able to score 60 goals in a single year since the 2005-06 NHL season.
Aside from the personal awards, the main goal of Matthews and the Maple Leafs is to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967. Given his play, Matthews likely could have asked for — and received, more on this contract, but Toronto’s salary cap table will only tighten with this deal. With this contract now factored in, the Maple Leafs will have around $30MM in cap space next summer but will have to retain or replace players such as William Nylander, Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, T.J. Brodie, John Klingberg, and Ilya Samsonov.
It was well known that Toronto was pressed hard against the cap this season, but with teams now knowing that the Maple Leafs will have limited financial flexibility for at least the next two seasons, this might spell the end for Nylander’s time in Toronto. Given that Nylander is seeking around $10MM on his next deal, it might benefit the Maple Leafs more to recoup some assets and create more cap space rather than having $45.15MM tied into four forwards for the 2024-25 season.
Nevertheless, this appears to be a solid outcome for Toronto altogether. It is likely that the team would have liked to sign Matthews to a max term eight-year extension, but having Matthews in general extends the team’s window for however long he is on the roster.
By signing short-term, high AAV contracts, Matthews will likely go down as one of the highest-paid stars in the game for his generation. Once this extension comes to its conclusion, Matthews will have made a touch over $122MM altogether, before he even hits 31 years old.
Matthews is one of the best goal-scorers in the game and one of the best players to ever wear the blue-and-white. However, especially for the Maple Leafs, Matthews will ultimately be judged on whether or not he can break the organization’s curse, and once again bring Lord Stanley back to Toronto.
Nylander: "Lots Of Time" To Work Out Extension
Much has been made of Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander‘s pending free agency, with reports indicating the two sides are far apart in contract talks. One person who isn’t worried is Nylander himself, who told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman today there’s “lots of time” to work out a deal and that he remains committed to staying in Toronto.
Robert Mastrosimone Signs AHL Contract With Toronto
One of the more intriguing names that saw his exclusive rights expire on August 15th, Robert Mastrosimone, has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies, per a team release. It’s a fairly surprising outcome for the young forward, as many theorized that he may be in line for a two-way NHL contract after his impressive season at Arizona State University last year.
In 2019, Mastrosimone capped off a solid 2018-19 season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel by being drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Having already committed to Boston University for his collegiate career at the time, the Red Wings initially thought it would be the best step forward for his development.
Unfortunately for Mastrosimone, his situation did not pan out well in Boston. Over the next three seasons, playing in 83 games for the Terriers, Mastrosimone would only score 21 goals and 29 assists overall, with his best season coming during his Junior year in 2021-22. Without much of a path forward in Boston, Detroit seemingly underwhelmed by his development, Mastrosimone would take his talents to Arizona State University to cap off his collegiate career.
In 38 games for the Sun Devils during the 2022-23 NCAA season, Mastrosimone scored 11 goals and 31 assists, showing off his true skill level with new access to more playing time. As the season came to its conclusion, there was no word on Mastrosimone’s future with Detroit until March. Towards the end of the year, in speaking with reporters, head coach of Arizona State, Greg Powers said, “He’s playing the waiting game and seeing what’s going to be available as a free agent. There’s a lot of teams that are interested in him, but it doesn’t look like Detroit is going to happen. It’s just a waiting game, but he has the option to come back. It’s a good option and he’s open to it”.
Now, moving forward for Mastrosimone, he will have the opportunity to prove his worth at the AHL level next season, potentially earning a two-way NHL contract if his development shows promise. Over the past several years, largely due to their cap situation, the Maple Leafs have been one of the better teams in bringing in young, cheap talent to fill out the bottom of their roster.
Toronto Possible Option For A Tomas Tatar PTO?
The Penguins have been linked recently to free agent winger Tomas Tatar but the belief is their preference, for now, would be a PTO invite rather than a guaranteed contract. In a recent appearance on the NHL Network (video link), David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period also suggested that the Maple Leafs could be interested in a tryout agreement with the veteran. Tatar is one of the top remaining free agents left on the market and is coming off a 20-goal, 48-point season and is believed to be seeking at least a two-year deal that clearly hasn’t materialized just yet. Toronto is already in a spot where they need to clear some money even with Jake Muzzin and Matt Murray LTIR-bound so while Tatar fits for them on paper, it’s hard to see a full-season fit as things stand which might not make them Tatar’s best option if he does indeed have to go the PTO route.