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.
