THUNDER BAY – Bobby Orr says talk of a rift between The Toronto Maple Leafs and his client, third-year phenom Auston Matthews, is nonsense.
Matthews is excited to have former New York Islanders captain John Tavares on board with the Maple Leafs, said Orr, whose agency represents Matthews.
“They’re going to be great teammates. I’ve spoken with Auston. He’s thrilled. He’s thrilled that John’s coming. His goal is to be on a Stanley Cup team and obviously having John on the team is going to help,” said Orr, following Monday’s opening ceremonies at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada’s Staal Foundation Open in Thunder Bay.
Matthews joined the Orr Hockey Group last month and immediately the debate began about who should don the captain’s ‘C’ for the Maple Leafs.
Some suggested Matthews was upset that Tavares, who inked a seven-year, $77-million deal, was coming to Toronto and might be given the captaincy.
It’s absolutely unfounded, Orr said.
Matthews isn’t concerned at all about who is named Leafs captain, said Orr. noting that he was looking online the other day and found plenty of good players who never got to wear a letter. Both Matthews and Tavares will lead by example on and off the ice, regardless if there’s a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ stitched to the front of their jersey.
“The thing that there’s a rift, it’s so silly. “It’s wrong and it’s not true. (Auston) is thrilled that JT is there. He knows it’s going to improve the team and that’s what he wants – team improvement and to move up,” Orr said, adding with Tavares, the Leafs aren’t that far away from being a championship team.
One thing Orr won’t do is negotiate his new client’s next deal in the media.
Matthews, entering the third and final year of his entry-level deal with Toronto, can become a restricted free agent next July and is in line for a hefty payday, in line with Tavares’ contract.
All Orr would say is his team and Matthews are working with the Leafs to get a deal done, adding they’re willing to wait until the off-season.
“I don’t think it’s (about) money,” Orr said. The kid’s going to be a heck of a player. It’s like John Tavares’ free agency. It was nothing about money. It’s where he wanted to play. He wants to play in Toronto and if it doesn’t happen this year before the season starts, he still has a year left to fulfill his contract and we’ll see what happens after that.
“Hopefully we’ll get it done. He likes Toronto. He wants to stay in Toronto and I’m sure they’ll get it done.”
