Auston Matthews has put pen to paper on a deal that is set to make him the NHL’s highest-paid player.
And the Toronto Maple Leafs — and their fans — can finally exhale.
The star centre signed a four-year, $53-million US extension on Wednesday that ties him to the team that selected him first overall at the 2016 NHL draft through the 2027-28 season.
The deal carries an average annual value of $13.25 million, which will make Matthews the league’s highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, surpassing Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 AAV.
Matthews has one season left on his current contract — a five-year, $58.2-million
