LAS VEGAS -- Everyone has a different standard on when they've "made it" as a professional. Like when Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews started earning pro-level money and made his first gluttonous purchase: a Rolex.

"That was probably the first thing, in getting to the NHL, that I bought," he told the ESPN On Ice podcast recently. "I didn't have a watch, and I like jewelry. I went through some people on the team who knew people, and ended up getting one."

Another moment of affirmation for the 21-year-old center: Making the cover of EA Sports' NHL 20, which will be released on Sept. 13. He joins other recent cover athletes such as Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban.

We caught up with Matthews at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas to talk video games, fashion, Sin City as well as what it was like for the Toronto Maple Leafs to watch the Boston Bruins make the Stanley Cup Final and the Toronto Raptors win the NBA title. Enjoy!

ESPN: EA Sports NHL cover boy. Where does this rank in career achievements?

Auston Matthews: I definitely ranks up there pretty high. I haven't accomplished too much. [Laughs] But it's pretty awesome. I grew up playing the game. Every Christmas, I would get the latest game, so I was always looking forward to that. To be on the cover is pretty special.

I played Xbox, for the most part. But my first game was for the PlayStation portable, NHL 06. That was the first game. That kick-started it. I played pretty much sports games. NHL, Madden, stuff like that.

ESPN: Do you still play today? More to the point, are you a phantom player in online leagues and people don't know they're playing Auston Matthews?

Matthews: [Laughs] Yeah, I wish. Not good enough. I do play, though. I go through these weird stretches where I'll play a ton of video games and then I won't turn on my Xbox for like six months, which is what I'm kind of doing right now. But I played P.K. [Subban] a little bit the other day when we were doing some stuff and I kicked his ass. So I know I still got it.

ESPN: How were you able to avoid the Fortnite craze?

Matthews: I've played it. Like I said, I go through stretches were a play a lot of games, and Fortnite was one of them. I don't think it ever got to the point where I was playing all night and not sleeping. I didn't play to the point where it was affecting my life. But I would play three or four hours a day after getting home from practice. Log on and play with all the boys. But nothing too crazy.

ESPN: No, you're not from Finland.

Matthews: Exactly.

ESPN: I wanted to bug you about fashion. In the last year, you've done modeling for GQ and other magazines. Every time these spreads come out, they go viral. How did you get into fashion? At what age did you decide you were going to dress better than your peers?

Matthews: I've always kind of been into it, but not until I actually had money. Switzerland was nice, just because it's different over there. That's how it started. It must have been brutal ... I can't even remember what I was wearing in Switzerland, but I was an 18-year-old kid, finally getting a paycheck, so I was like "I'm going to buy some crazy s---."

ESPN: Because you're in Europe, where the crazy stuff is.

Matthews: Exactly, so I was like let's see how it goes. That's how it started.

ESPN: Did you poke around at the reaction to some of the spreads you've done? In particular, the red coat?

Matthews: [Laughs] Yeah, I mean ... everybody's going to have an opinion. I don't really care, but I'll peek around sometimes. I'm not going to give some person who's behind their phone the power to make me feel a certain way. It's fine. Not everybody is going to love it, or love you. It's something you accept, and move on.

ESPN: You seem to get it, that there's a certain template for what NHL players wear to the rink. Then you look at the NBA, which is clearly leaps and bounds ahead of us as far as marketing themselves, and what they wear to the game and in the postgame becomes its own story.

Matthews: They've turned it into a business platform essentially. They're profiting off of what they're wearing. It's like a big runway for them. It helps out everybody: The NBA, the players, the marketability of each individual. The NHL's kind of a bit behind that, but you're getting younger players that are coming in and they're not wearing the traditional black suit to the game. They're wearing different stuff, hats, and whatever. It's not getting to the [NBA] level yet, but it's growing more and more.

ESPN: We were talking a little bit before about the Apple commercials that you and Mitch Marner did. It seems like this generation has been a little more assertive in getting their personalities out there.

Matthews: Fans want to see that. I know for myself, when I was younger, when those HBO 24/7 shows came out, it was awesome. I couldn't get enough of them. I watch them over and over. That's what fans really like. I think that's what's happening more and more: Fans getting a little behind the scenes access to our lives. It's not just hockey. It's other stuff we enjoy. Fans love that stuff. And as a fan growing up, I loved that stuff.

For the [Apple] ad, I was videotaping, so I obviously had no idea what I was doing. I showed up and they said, 'Take this.' They gave me a little tool and told me to follow Mitch around. It sounded easy enough, but it wasn't. But it was a lot of fun.

ESPN: Was the first time you went to the NHL Awards your first time in Vegas?

Matthews: I played a lot of hockey tournaments here. For some reason the parents loved coming here. Then they'd show up to the rink in sunglasses the next day. [Laughs] But I never got to experience it [until the awards]. You run into guys, as we're pretty much staying at the same hotel and going to the same events, nightlife, casinos and stuff like that. Even if you know them or not, it's nice to say hi to them.

ESPN: On to the Maple Leafs: How long does it take you to decompress after the season ending the way it did?

Matthews: It takes a while. Once the finals are over, you kind of get your mind off the season itself and start to focus on the next season. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth. A "what could have been." But you use it as motivation. Toronto winning the NBA title ... you just see the excitement and the passion and craziness in the street for the parade. Them winning a title ... it gives you motivation as well to accomplish the ultimate goal. Toronto is a sports city, and hockey is the top of that list. It serves as a lot of motivation to us.

ESPN: Can you be a fan and watch the Stanley Cup Final? Or does it become tough because Boston's in it?

Matthews: I mean, you watch, but don't watch much when you're out. Just a couple of games here and there. One of my best friends always throws it on, and I'm like "I really don't want to watch this," but I'm not going to make him turn it off. So I end up watching a couple of games.

ESPN: The last time we talked was at the All-Star Game when you did your Patrick Marleau tribute. How tough has it been for you to see a father figure move on from the Leafs? [Note: Marleau was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes prior to this interview, and had his contract bought out afterward.]

Matthews: It was tough. He's meant a lot to me. He's meant a lot to a lot of guys on this team. He's someone I still keep in touch with throughout the offseason. He's been incredible to me. Just a person with all the experience that he has, not only in hockey but in life, to have that as a [sounding board] has been great. Nothing changes as far as our relationship goes.

ESPN: Last time I saw you, you hadn't signed your contract extension. But we did talk about Mitch and what that contract would mean for him. It's become a weird summer with him being a restricted free agent and having what seems like a tense negotiation with Toronto. Has it been at all weird for you?

Matthews: Yeah, I mean, not really. We've talked a couple of times. Not about hockey or contracts. Just talked. I think he was here for Matt Martin's bachelor party and was texting me to see if I was going, and I had another buddy's party I was going to instead.

ESPN: I guess the last question is what an NHL player's bachelor party in Las Vegas looks like? Are there rooms that I could never see in my entire life that you're getting into?

Matthews: [Laughs] It's fun. That's all I can say. It's fun.

The Vegas Golden Knights have more players than cap space to use on them. That appears to mean that coveted Russian forward Nikita Gusev's stay in Vegas could end before it ever really began.

The Golden Knights signed Gusev last April to a one-year, entry-level deal. Despite Gusev's not playing a single minute of hockey for the team, he's now a restricted free agent, as signing the deal in-season burned that single year. It was a smart play by the Golden Knights, enticing one of the KHL's best players to finally come to North America by allowing him to get out from under the NHL's entry-level system with little resistance. It freed him up to sign a much larger contract this summer.

While the Knights succeeded in bringing Gusev over, the team had bigger offseason priorities, such as re-signing William Karlsson, that left them with little to no room for a higher-priced prospect such as Gusev. Now, according to a report from The Athletic, the team is exploring trade options for Gusev. Vegas could still find ways to make room for him, but it would take some serious maneuvering.

Suddenly, teams that need top-six skill in their lineup can at least explore trading for him. Vegas doesn't have much leverage, and it can't take on any salary, so this is likely an opportunity to collect some draft picks or some prospects who won't need to be on the books yet.

Manchester United have made David De Gea an improved offer in a bid to break their contract stand-off, sources have told ESPN FC.

The goalkeeper, who has entered the final year of his deal, has already rejected a five-year contract worth £350,000-a-week.

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Sources have told ESPN FC that United are reluctant to make De Gea -- their player of the year in four of the last six seasons -- their highest paid player but have returned with an improved offer in the hope the 28-year-old will commit his long-term future to the club. Negotiations are still ongoing.

If fresh terms cannot be agreed, De Gea will be able to negotiate with clubs outside England from January 1 and leave Old Trafford on a free at the end of next season.

Sources have told ESPN FC that United are willing to keep De Gea this summer, although there are concerns that a big money bid from Paris Saint-Germain would be too good to turn down for a player with just 12 months left on his contract.

United are monitoring Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak, AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma and Andre Onana at Ajax in case they are forced into signing a new No.1. The last time De Gea entered the final year of his contract in 2015, United agreed to sell the Spain international to Real Madrid on deadline day.

Meanwhile, United have been told it will take close to £90 million to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester having seen a bid of £70m rejected. Maguire, who is also wanted by Manchester City, is keen to secure a move to a top-six side after agreeing to stay at the King Power Stadium for another season last summer.

United are also set to host a testimonial for Antonio Valencia next summer. The 33-year-old has signed for LDU Quito in his native Ecuador after leaving Old Trafford after 10 years at the club at the end of last season. United will play LDU in Manchester next summer.

Former midfielder Quinton Fortune is in line to take up a role with the Under-23s following the departure of Ricky Sbragia at the end of the season. South African Fortune spent seven years as a player at the club between 1999 and 2006.

Barcelona are aware that Paris Saint-Germain want Philippe Coutinho and will work on including him in a potential deal for Neymar, various sources have told ESPN FC.

The Spanish champions are set to complete the signing of Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann next week but the arrival of the French forward will not rule out a summer move for Neymar.

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President Josep Maria Bartomeu has taken charge of talks regarding bringing Neymar back to Camp Nou and the idea is that Coutinho will move in the other direction.

High-ranking sources at Barcelona have told ESPN FC that if they are able to include Coutinho as part of the deal, the chances of re-signing Neymar during the transfer window are "much bigger."

"PSG want Coutinho and have been weighing up [a move] for a while," sources at the Catalan club told ESPN FC. "We know that they have consulted his people about the situation. He's a player that has interested them for some time."

Sources told ESPN FC last month that PSG are prepared to sell Neymar. They would accept €200 million plus Coutinho, although Barca may have to look to include a second player in the deal to further reduce the price, with €120m set to go on Griezmann and €75m already spent on bringing in midfielder Frenkie de Jong from Ajax.

Barca vice president Jordi Cardoner said last week that Neymar wants to rejoin the club. And while Kylian Mbappe is keen for the Brazil international to remain in Paris with him, the Ligue 1 club's hierarchy have grown fed up with Neymar's poor lifestyle habits.

Barca have been actively looking to move Coutinho on since April. They are asking for €105m for the former Liverpool player and have received a number of inquiries.

Coutinho joined Barca 18 months ago in a club record deal worth a potential €160m. He arrived, along with Ousmane Dembele, with the task of filling the gap left by Neymar, who had joined PSG in the summer of 2017 in a world record €222m transfer.

He has been unable to live up to expectations at Barcelona, but he is impressing at the Copa America with Brazil. He helped the hosts beat Argentina on Tuesday to reach the final.

Barcelona are hopeful that his performances during the tournament have boosted his value again following a disappointing end to the domestic campaign.

There has not yet been direct contact between PSG and Barca. The relationship between the two clubs remains cold, to the point that Barca will wait for PSG to open negotiations regarding any deal for Neymar.

So far, everything has been handled by a number of intermediaries who are working on the futures of both Neymar and Coutinho.

Nelson Semedo, who is also drawing interest from Atletico, has been mentioned as another possible makeweight if Barca were to include a second player to further reduce the cost of signing Neymar.

However, sources at Barcelona say the Portuguese right-back is not for sale. Coach Ernesto Valverde is keen to keep him at the club beyond the end of the transfer window.

Sources have also told ESPN FC neither Samuel Umtiti nor Ivan Rakitic are of interest to PSG, while there would be questions about Dembele's character should he be offered as part of the deal -- although he does know coach Thomas Tuchel well from their time at Borussia Dortmund together.

Information from ESPN FC's PSG correspondent Jonathan Johnson and Barcelona correspondent Sam Marsden was used in this report.

LYON, France -- One day before the Fourth of July, United States women's national team forward Megan Rapinoe offered her thoughts on what it means to be an American.

Rapinoe, who did not play Tuesday because of a hamstring injury as the U.S. advanced to the Women's World Cup final by defeating England 2-1, reiterated that she expects to be available for Sunday's game in Lyon against either the Netherlands or Sweden.

But a player who has been in the spotlight throughout this tournament, on and off the field, had more to say when asked to respond to critics who say her words or actions are anti-American.

"I think that I'm particularly and uniquely and very deeply American," Rapinoe said. "If we want to talk about the ideals that we stand for, all the songs and the anthem and sort of what we were founded on, I think I'm extremely American."

Rapinoe has been an outspoken advocate for a number of social issues, especially related to racial inequality, LGBTQ rights and gender discrimination. She supported Colin Kaepernick's protests regarding racial injustice and police brutality. She knelt during the national anthem before two U.S. games in 2016, as well as with her NWSL team Reign FC.

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She was also active in raising money for victims of last year's wildfires near her hometown in Northern California.

More recently, after months-old video was released of her saying she would not visit the White House if invited after a U.S. title, she was the subject of several critical tweets from President Donald Trump. She said in a subsequent statement she regretted using profanity in the video clip but otherwise stood by her sentiments.

Named one of three U.S. captains before World Cup qualifying last fall, Rapinoe, 34, said Wednesday that little of her public commentary is planned and that she feels increasingly free to speak her mind.

"I think for the detractors, I would have them look hard into what I'm actually saying and the actions that I'm doing," Rapinoe said. "Maybe you don't agree with every single way that I do it, and that can be discussed. I know that I'm not perfect.

"But I think I stand for honesty, for truth and for wanting to have the conversation. And for looking at the country honestly and saying, yes, we are a great country and there are many things that are so amazing -- and I feel very fortunate to be in this country. I'd never be able to do this in a lot of other places.

"But also, that doesn't mean that we can't get better. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't always strive to be better. I think that this country was founded on a lot of great ideals, but it was also founded on slavery. And I think we just need to be really honest about that and be really open in talking about that, so we can reconcile that and hopefully move forward and make this country better for everyone."

On the field, Rapinoe, with five goals, remains in the running for the Golden Boot as the World Cup's top scorer. She trails teammate Alex Morgan and England's Ellen White, who will play in the third-place game, by a goal.