The Toronto Maple Leafs have locked up one of their biggest offensive weapons to a long-term contract.
The club announced Wednesday evening that it had signed forward Auston Matthews to a four-year, $53-million contract extension, which takes effect for the 2024-2025 NHL season. Matthews, who scored 40 goals for the Leafs last season, is about to enter the final year of a five-year deal signed in February 2019.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native has played his entire NHL career with Toronto, who chose him first overall in the 2016 Entry Draft. Before that, Matthews had played for Team USA's national development team, as well as the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League.
Matthews has 542 career NHL points for 299 goals, which ties him with Rick Vaive for fifth on the Leafs' all-time goals list. He is 11th on Toronto's all-time points list.
He is a six-time All-Star and won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's most valuable player in 2021-2022. He also won the Calder Trophy for top rookie of 2017, the Rocket Richard Memorial Trophy in 2021 and 2022 for the most goals scored, and the Ted Lindsay Award for the most outstanding player as chosen by members of the NHL Players Association.
The Maple Leafs open their preseason on September 24 in Ottawa against the Senators. Their regular-season opener is October 11 at home against the Montreal Canadiens.
