Leafs give Matthews maximum rookie deal

TORONTO — To hear Lou Lamoriello tell it, the Maple Leafs general manager might have wrapped up top draft pick Auston Matthews’ contract negotiations between bites of a sandwich.

The 18-year-old Matthews, whom the Leafs hope will become their first franchise centre since Mats Sundin, has been rewarded with a three-year entry-level deal with the maximum bonuses allowed under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement.

“The agreement took place within, I would say, 10 minutes of the first conversation [agent] Pat Brisson and I had when we talked about Auston’s contract,” Lamoriello told a media conference call Thursday.

The second through fourth picks — Patrik Laine (Jets), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Blue Jackets) and Jesse Puljujarvi (Oilers) — in last month’s NHL draft had already signed. And Toronto media speculated that the delay in stamping Matthews’ deal might be due to Lamoriello’s distaste for entry-level bonuses.

Lamoriello denied that, saying Matthews getting the maximum entry-level deal allowed under the collective bargaining agreement was never an issue.

“Auston was No. 1 overall. The agreement that he has with the Toronto Maple Leafs and his contract, he’s earned this. He deserves what he is getting and there was never a question from us on this.”

Matthews will get the maximum entry-level salary of $925,000 US plus potential bonuses of $2,850,000 that could add up to an average annual value of $3,775,000.

“It feels good,” Matthews said of the successful salary negotiations. “To me it was never an issue or a concern. But now I’ve signed and everything’s been agreed upon, it’s definitely a pretty special feeling.”