“*Every week during the offseason, Denver Gazette beat writer Kyle Fredrickson will take you around the NHL and inside the Avalanche:*
#### WHAT THEY SAID
“It was a lot of long discussions with my family, my agent, people closest to me and just kind of going through my process. In conclusion, we found the right balance at four years. It will put me with the team for 12 years (total) by the end of that contract. Like I’ve expressed before, I love playing in Toronto and I love my teammates. … It was the right balance for everybody involved.”
—Nathan MacKinnon’s shelf life as the NHL’s highest-paid player will be short. The Avs star signed an 8-year extension that kicks in this season with a $12.6-million average annual value. But Matthews will eclipse MacKinnon in 2024-25 when his new deal ([$13.25M AAV](https://www.nhl.com/news/auston-matthews-signs-four-year-contract-with-toronto-maple-leafs/c-345653190)) hits the books in Toronto. Matthews deserves it as a past Hart Trophy winner still in his prime at 25 years old….”
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Article by Kyle Fredrickson not paywalled for those who want to read more.
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“*Every week during the offseason, Denver Gazette beat writer Kyle Fredrickson will take you around the NHL and inside the Avalanche:*
#### WHAT THEY SAID
“It was a lot of long discussions with my family, my agent, people closest to me and just kind of going through my process. In conclusion, we found the right balance at four years. It will put me with the team for 12 years (total) by the end of that contract. Like I’ve expressed before, I love playing in Toronto and I love my teammates. … It was the right balance for everybody involved.”
—Maple Leafs center **Auston Matthews** after signing [a four-year, $53-million contract extension](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLg1t6FA8Sw) in Toronto
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#### WHAT I’M THINKING
—Nathan MacKinnon’s shelf life as the NHL’s highest-paid player will be short. The Avs star signed an 8-year extension that kicks in this season with a $12.6-million average annual value. But Matthews will eclipse MacKinnon in 2024-25 when his new deal ([$13.25M AAV](https://www.nhl.com/news/auston-matthews-signs-four-year-contract-with-toronto-maple-leafs/c-345653190)) hits the books in Toronto. Matthews deserves it as a past Hart Trophy winner still in his prime at 25 years old….”
​
Article by Kyle Fredrickson not paywalled for those who want to read more.