Matthews wants extension with Maple Leafs before next season

Auston Matthews doesn't plan on leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"My intention is to be (in Toronto)," Matthews said Monday during the team's end-of-season availability, according to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan.

"I think I've reciprocated that before, how much I enjoy playing here and what it means to me, the organization, my teammates. ... The work that we're putting in to continue to strive for that end result is extremely motivating."

Matthews said signing an extension before next season is "important" and that a potential deal "will work itself out in due time."

He signed a five-year contract with a cap hit of just over $11.6 million in February 2019. That deal is set to expire after next season, which would make Matthews an unrestricted free agent.

Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon signed an eight-year contract extension in September that will give him the league's highest cap hit in the fall at $12.6 million.

After scoring key goals in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Matthews was unable to find the back of the net in Toronto's five-game series loss versus the Florida Panthers. He finished the postseason with five goals and 11 points after tallying 40 goals and 85 points in the regular season.

The 25-year-old said he was dealing with bumps and bruises throughout the 2022-23 campaign but noted it's his "job to push through that," per The Hockey News' David Alter.

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