Confirmed with Link: Brad Treliving officially announces Auston Matthews as the first ever US born captain of the Leafs

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Actually nothing will beat the Ballard era, that was a horrendous time to be a Maple leaf fan.

This. A lot of the younger fans don't know what pain was. I remember going to a Minnesota North Stars vs Leafs game when I was about 10 and my Dad pointed up to the box and said "that's the Leafs asshole owner and everyone hates him" lol. I've never witnessed a owner that was so damaging to his team than Harold Ballard.

 

[colchar]

No it won’t. Nothing will ever be as garbage as the Phaneuf era.

You clearly don't remember the '80s.

 

[colchar]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823131242553905294

Amazing decision, about time!

Brilliant move, make a guy who has never been captain at any level he has played at and who doesn't have the balls to fight back when manhandled the captain of the Leafs.

Did he get this for the fearless leadership and game changing efforts he has shown in the playoffs?

By the time he retires Marcel Dionne will have had more playoff success than Matty.

good move

Shit move.

, JT was never looked at as a leader

How the hell would you know?

and hopefully this means they have no interest in bringing back mumbles as anything more than a depth piece at close to league min or better still there not interested in bringing him back at all

You're an NHL savant eh?

 

[hfman]

lol

from an angry fan perspective, the team knows there's no way in hell that they go back into the upcoming season with the same f*cking 4 top guys again without any changes.. i mean how many years in a row have they done this and how many more do they plan to do that

but from a business perspective of f*cking course they do that because in the regular season these 4 guys will continue to win regular season games and sell out tickets all season long

so whats the best compromise here?

Hire a new coach and change captains. The distraction method will work perfectly!!

Convince everyone that they're making changes for the upcoming season and that it won't be the same as the last.. oh what, 7 or 8 seasons? 9, 10? what. can't even remember now

New coach!! New captain!! That'll satisfy everyone and distract them from the same exact f*cking problem that's been here for well more than the last half-decade and will still be sitting here right in front of us again, rotting away for the new season coming this october. The "core 4". But new and improved!!!! because we have a new coach and they played hot potato with the "C" amongst two of them!!

More maple leaf hoodwinking at its best, it'll never ever end

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Matthews should have been Captain all along. I have no issues with this.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Everyone can breathe now. We got the big changes that we all wanted.

 

[jiggy35]

Hope it’s Rielly and Tanev as assistant captains, keep JT and Marner away from the leadership core.

 

[conFABulator]

lol

from an angry fan perspective, the team knows there's no way in hell that they go back into the upcoming season with the same f*cking 4 top guys again without any changes.. i mean how many years in a row have they done this and how many more do they plan to do that

but from a business perspective of f*cking course they do that because in the regular season these 4 guys will continue to win regular season games and sell out tickets all season long

so whats the best compromise here?

Hire a new coach and change captains. The distraction method will work perfectly!!

Convince everyone that they're making changes for the upcoming season and that it won't be the same as the last.. oh what, 7 or 8 seasons? 9, 10? what. can't even remember now

New coach!! New captain!! That'll satisfy everyone and distract them from the same exact f*cking problem that's been here for well more than the last half-decade and will still be sitting here right in front of us again, rotting away for the new season coming this october. The "core 4". But new and improved!!!! because we have a new coach and they played hot potato with the "C" amongst two of them!!

More maple leaf hoodwinking at its best, it'll never ever end

So, no matter how much change they make, you won't be happy unless they break up the core four? That's what I am reading here.

They all have NMC.

This makes moving them virtually impossible. So, you aer yourself up for a "I won't be happy unless they do the impossible this off-season"?

I thin this organization has made a lot of changes in Treliving's first full year. He has been here just over 12 months (new GM). We have a new coach and a few new coaches, we have a new captain, we have overhauled the D, we have a new G tandem, and did NOT sign Marner or Tavares to expensive extensions.

It feels to me like they made as much change as they possibly could have. People seem to gloss over the difference a coaching change could make. This could be a completely different feeling team this year. We could still see line up changes, such as Domi with Matthews, Nylander to 2C, JT to 3C and some youth integrated in.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Hope it’s Rielly and Tanev as assistant captains, keep JT and Marner away from the leadership core.

It would be odd to give Marner's A to a brand new player to the organization. With how much is at stake it seems unlikely they would do that given how sensitive about things Mitch can be. Tho I agree with the sentiment. You want players who will fight and compete and bleed blue given letters. I don't think I've ever seen JT do anything to resolve issues but stare sternly at an opposing player and talk angrily to a referee.

 

[Niagara Bill]

what is your definition of a successful captaincy?

Controlling the room.
Leading mates off ice, on ice, controlling coach team relationships, and speaking an honest message to the press.
Cheap press speak will only sink his legacy.
To be a successful captain you do not need to be the toughest guy on the team, don't need to be a fighter, don't need to be the leading scorer, but you do need to be the strongest willed player on and OFF the ice.

 

[rumman]

This is just spoiling a misbehaving child, he’ll only feel more entitled now, if that’s possible……..

 

[rumman]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823140878107681198

34 might be going bald, but it’s got nothing to do with stress, you have to care for stress to be a factor………

Seems there's a new Sherrif in town

Yeah, Barney Fife………

 

[janesy12]

The A's should stay with Rielly and one given to Tavares.

Marner doesn't deserve to wear it, and the foolishness that was switching up the A between players last year screams Paul Marner and the Marner hissy fits we've seen since being drafted.

Walk Marner to UFA, and sign a guy like Konecny. A guy who cares. Bring Tavares back on a short, team friendly deal, or move on as well.

 

[mjd1001]

I don't know if some of the comments in this thread are sarcasm or not.

To me, whatever. He's the best player, the highest player, he should be captain. Does it mean a thing at all to how the team plays on the ice? I don't think so.

 

[hullsy47]

Damn, you'd think they'd wait until Tavares contract was done before changing Captains

Slap in the face .

 

[Anthrax442]

I really don't see how this changes anything, this is purely symbolic. Thornton and Marleau both lost their captaincies and they kept playing for the Sharks and nothing changed there

 

[Racer88]

This is just distraction from the fact that they are running it back again for the 9th time

 

[Chief Leaf]

This is just spoiling a misbehaving child, he’ll only feel more entitled now, if that’s possible……..

I wonder if he'd throw his gloves if the A was stripped?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Matthews being captain is fine, but the timing is weird. Either do it last year when he re-signed, or next year when Tavares runs out. This just creates an unnecessary distraction for no reason. Just a way to pretend like they're doing something.

 

[ACC1224]

Seems like this was the plan all along, using Tavares final season as a transition year. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve started talking extension and this is all part of it.
I get why they’re giving it to Matthews but I’m indifferent to it.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

The A's should stay with Rielly and one given to Tavares.

Marner doesn't deserve to wear it, and the foolishness that was switching up the A between players last year screams Paul Marner and the Marner hissy fits we've seen since being drafted.

Walk Marner to UFA, and sign a guy like Konecny. A guy who cares. Bring Tavares back on a short, team friendly deal, or move on as well.

Konecny just reupped with Philly long term.

 

[janesy12]

Konecny just reupped with Philly long term.

Damn I totally missed that.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Damn I totally missed that.

It's the dog days of Summer , just shows you're out there touching grass

 

[TIGERCOOL]

This is just distraction from the fact that they are running it back again for the 9th time

Do people really think FO is sitting around dreaming up ways to dupe the fanbase while they sabotage the success of the team for kicks? We knew we wouldn't be able to move Marner and Tavares unless those players allowed it to happen.

The reality is simpler. You use the resources available to improve the roster and change the culture while you wait out the last year of Tavares and Marner's contracts.

Under those circumstances, consider the following: we suddenly have our strongest blueline in recent memory. Our goaltending tandem is far more promising and signed at a very reasonable price point. We locked up our best depth forward long term and below market value. We have a new leadership duo in Berube and Matthews.

I thought after resigning Nylander and Matthews that this season in particular would be a write off. Surprisingly, we instead have our most balanced roster in the Matthews era.

Please tell me what exactly some of you would have done in Treliving's shoes. Held a gun to Marner's head to make him accept a trade?

It's just such a strange and reductive view of how decisions are made at that level

 

[francis246]

You clearly don't remember the '80s.

• i was not even conceived yet. i'm a 90's baby