Auston Matthews is under contract for only one more year, and that could still be the case when the Toronto Maple Leafs open the regular season on Oct. 3.
The superstar forward was eligible to sign a new deal as of July 1, and while he's indicated that negotiations have begun, he's mostly remained in the background of those discussions.
"I don't know if I'll sign a new contract before the season or not," Matthews told NHL.com's Dave Hogg. "I'm not really involved with the talks. That's something being dealt with by my agents and team management. They've told me that it will get done when it gets done, and that's fine."
What that new contract could look like remains unknown. However, Matthews and his camp have a few comparables at their disposal, including Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel ($10 million), Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid ($12.5 million), and Maple Leafs summer addition John Tavares ($11 million).
While there is no doubt that a Matthews extension is a priority for Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, the team also has a more pressing matter at hand: the contract status of fellow young forward William Nylander, who remains a restricted free-agent.
