News Article: Auston Matthews - August 1st., Contract Crickets

[Nineteen67]

If Matthews is waiting for Nylander to sign first they should just trade the blonde beefcake now.

Before this situation becomes an even bigger distraction. It's overshadowed everything else this summer. I can only imagine what happens once the season starts.

The whole situation is a hot mess of contradictions.

In 2018 these guys were so good the Leafs were forced to accelerate the rebuild. Except it's now 2023 and they STILL haven't contended. But that won't stop them from asking for more money.

To do the exact same not good enough job.

A symptom of organizational rot. Rogers and Bell taught ML$E everything they know about customer service. Don't even f***ing worry about it.

Because fans like me will always pay good money.

Watching a deteriorating product with a blind eye. It's not about winning. It's about the experience.

We should all just be happy having the honour of paying them millions of dollars to watch them play I guess.

If they’re not signed before camp opens or when the season starts it puts a lot of pressure on management and will be a storyline.
At this point that might be the most entertaining and newsworthy situation.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

If they’re not signed before camp opens or when the season starts it puts a lot of pressure on management and will be a storyline.
At this point that might be the most entertaining and newsworthy situation.

Thanks for the response.

I'm actually glad they haven't signed yet. Keeps the conversation going during a slow time of year. I think the two big stories to follow with regards to the team right now are whether Matthews and Nylander re-sign before the season starts.

And whether the Dubas led Penguins go farther in the playoffs this year than the Leafs.

 

[Nineteen67]

Thanks for the response.

I'm actually glad they haven't signed yet. Keeps the conversation going during a slow time of year. I think the two big stories to follow with regards to the team right now are whether Matthews and Nylander re-sign before the season starts.

And whether the Dubas led Penguins go farther in the playoffs this year than the Leafs.

It’ll be dubbed a “ controversy”, but in reality its just be news.

Pitt is taking one last swing, and even though they were built a little better than the Leafs, I don’t think they’ll be able to go too far in the playoffs. They might actually be a good first round matchup for the Leafs.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

It’ll be dubbed a “ controversy”, but in reality its just be news.

Pitt is taking one last swing, and even though they were built a little better than the Leafs, I don’t think they’ll be able to go too far in the playoffs. They might actually be a good first round matchup for the Leafs.

That would be a real treat if it happened.

If Dubas finds himself in familiar territory and going out first round, it will still be a successful year for him. Pittsburgh missed the playoffs last year. So all Dubas has to do is make it into the postseason.

If they go out in the first round the next 2 - 4 years every time, well, that's a different story...

 

[Nineteen67]

That would be a real treat if it happened.

If Dubas finds himself in familiar territory and going out first round, it will still be a successful year for him. Pittsburgh missed the playoffs last year. So all Dubas has to do is make it into the postseason.

If they go out in the first round the next 2 - 4 years every time, well, that's a different story...

Dubas needs to buy enough time to sell a rebuild and making the playoffs would really help, but they’re old.

The power in the East has shifted from Boston and Tampa to Carolina, NJ and maybe the Rangers competing for the conference title. Everyone else is trying to be in the next wave and they’re way behind Buffalo, Ottawa, Leafs if they sign Matthews to a reasonable contract, etc.
If they’re out at the TDL he’d be wise to start rebuilding this year.

 

[Rob Brown]

Thanks for the response.

I'm actually glad they haven't signed yet. Keeps the conversation going during a slow time of year. I think the two big stories to follow with regards to the team right now are whether Matthews and Nylander re-sign before the season starts.

And whether the Dubas led Penguins go farther in the playoffs this year than the Leafs.

If the Penguins do well it’s not because of Dubas, unless all three of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are hurt and it’s on the back of Karlsson.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Tavares/Rielly/Gio, that is your new core. Nylander is not concerned with the crest. Off to a terrible start for the rebuild.

I have to assume that was meant for a joke - two thirds of our 'new core' are the oldest and slowest and most broken down players on the team?

 

[notbias]

I have to assume that was meant for a joke - two thirds of our 'new core' are the oldest and slowest and most broken down players on the team?

Those are the core that bleeds blue/white, that was the requirement. Bring back Bunting I guess.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Not enough to earn 13.5 million or whatever for 5 years. And even when he does come back from injury, he's usually coasting for a lengthy period of time before he feels better or whatever.



I don't know why you are comparing sample sizes in the playoffs to sample sizes in the regular season. Yes, an obvious understanding of statistics tells you that anomalies and certain contextual situations will even out to a norm and that norm is more reliable when you have a larger sample size.

Playoff hockey and regular season hockey are fundamentally not the same game though. It's easy to see that given how much more of a grindfest it becomes and space to make stupid fancy plays disappears. On top of that, you are trying to bring in all sorts of external/internal factors that I'm not sure you can confidently pin down yourself. I disagree completely that just looking at how they produce in the regular season is more indicative of how they should be producing just based on GP and if not for all these random factors you call context every year, they would produce more in the playoffs.

They've had 7 years now and it's the same shit every year.

He's the same poster who accused me of 'cherry picking' when in a discussion of playoff performance between two players, I used the stats of the complete series (same number of games) each had played against the exact same opponent at the same time (consecutive series).

He doesn't actually discuss, but just keeps clubbing you with long repetitions with slight variations, until you realize it's a waste of time and give up.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Those are the core that bleeds blue/white, that was the requirement. Bring back Bunting I guess.

Those may be players who 'bleed blue and white', although I'm not sure that's true and I'm sure they aren't the only ones, but if those two are the 'core', we're in bigger trouble than I thought.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

If the Penguins do well it’s not because of Dubas, unless all three of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are hurt and it’s on the back of Karlsson.

The Penguins are going to be a very interesting team. Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson all have lengthy Injury histories and none of them are young anymore.

They could get red hot and steamroll almost everyone, or they could completely flame out entirely. I think they are very much a boom-bust team.

 

[ACC1224]

Those may be players who 'bleed blue and white', although I'm not sure that's true and I'm sure they aren't the only ones, but if those two are the 'core', we're in bigger trouble than I thought.

Marner 'bleeds blue' more than anyone on the team and we see how he's perceived.

 

[thewave]

Marner 'bleeds blue' more than anyone on the team and we see how he's perceived.

What proof of that is there that he bleeds blue lol? Was it his stubborn demand to for 11million? His generally aloof responses to key losses? His lack of leadership ability on the bench? He has been one of the biggest complainers/whiners this team has ever seen.

Here is a real GTA lad that bled Blue ... GARY ROBERTS now tell me when he was here he didn't put it all on the table. Mats from Sweden showed more heart than all of this 40million dollar core combined and he wasn't even at the level of Clark, Dougie and Roberts.

 

[notbias]

What proof of that is there that he bleeds blue lol? Was it his stubborn demand to for 11million? His generally aloof responses to key losses? His lack of leadership ability on the bench? He has been one of the biggest complainers/whiners this team has ever seen.

Here is a real GTA lad that bled Blue ... GARY ROBERTS now tell me when he was here he didn't put it all on the table. Mats from Sweden showed more heart than all of this 40million dollar core combined and he wasn't even at the level of Clark, Dougie and Roberts.

I wish we had Clark, Dougie, and Roberts, we won so many cups back then. Their leadership and play style made it so easy.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Marner 'bleeds blue' more than anyone on the team and we see how he's perceived.

True, and despite his shortcomings, he's a lot closer to 'core' than either JT or Gio.

 

[thewave]

I wish we had Clark, Dougie, and Roberts, we won so many cups back then. Their leadership and play style made it so easy.

93 Conference Finals
94 Conference Finals
95 1st Rd
96 1st Rd
99 Conference Finals
00 2nd
01 2nd
02 Conference Finals
03 1st
04 2nd

The Stavro ownership era. That's a strong team

What do these boys have to show for the record the past 7 years now? How many Conference finals? Oh ZERO.

 

[notbias]

93 Conference Finals
94 Conference Finals
95 1st Rd
96 1st Rd
99 Conference Finals
00 2nd
01 2nd
02 Conference Finals
03 1st
04 2nd

The Stavro ownership era. That's a strong team

What do these boys have to show for the record the past 7 years now? How many Conference finals? Oh ZERO.

Still won nothing... they are still losers.

Those teams with amazing leadership still won nothing.

They are the Carolina Hurricanes of the 90s/00s.

True, and despite his shortcomings, he's a lot closer to 'core' than either JT or Gio.

The post was in reference to someone wanting to trade everyone who does not bleed blue/white and rebuilding around the players who do.

I was just pointing out who bleeds blue/white and how bad of an idea that is.

I agree with you.

 

[thewave]

Still won nothing... they are still losers.

Those teams with amazing leadership still won nothing.

They are the Carolina Hurricanes of the 90s/20s.

Ok so then by your own metric this team we have now are huge losers. Considering not even a single Conference final.

Heard it here folks, Notbias admits the Dubas Maples Leafs were huge losers, a total failure.

 

[Dough72]

I wish we had Clark, Dougie, and Roberts, we won so many cups back then. Their leadership and play style made it so easy.

your arguments are very poor

 

[NinjaKick]

the kid won mvp. last season he was injured. lock him up long term.

 

[thewave]

the kid won mvp. last season he was injured. lock him up long term.

I imagine people are ok with long term at 12.5-13m for Matthews. It should be more like 12.5m though

 

[notbias]

Ok so then by your own metric this team we have now are huge losers. Considering not even a single Conference final.

Heard it here folks, Notbias admits the Dubas Maples Leafs were huge losers, a total failure.

I don't think there is any other way to describe them, they are losers, just like 31 other teams last year.

I've said multiple times they failed.

My issue is when people such as yourself think they have the solution to the team's problem and it is usually just laughable.

You bring up that we need more great leaders, and then bring up a bunch of names who won nothing here, what did their great leadership win?

 

[ACC1224]

Eastern Edge: Core Four Including Crosby, Kucherov, Marner, Ovechkin, and More

In this week’s Eastern Edge, we’ll complete our review of the ‘Core Four’ for every team in the East. Check out previous parts below! Part One (Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Columbus) Part Two (Detroit, Florida, Montreal, New Jersey)

dobberhockey.com

Auston Matthews (F) (25)– Since he entered the league in 2016-2017, nobody has scored more goals than Matthews. Given his unique ability to find the back of the net, you can bet the Leafs will do everything they can to re-sign him before his contract expires at the end of this season. So, even though he only has one year left on his current deal, I think it's fair to say he's part of Toronto's core going forward. Reports indicate he wants to stay in Toronto, so it's probably not a question of if he's going to re-sign, it's how much he's going to re-sign for.

 

[Martin Skoula]

I don't think there is any other way to describe them, they are losers, just like 31 other teams last year.

I've said multiple times they failed.

My issue is when people such as yourself think they have the solution to the team's problem and it is usually just laughable.

You bring up that we need more great leaders, and then bring up a bunch of names who won nothing here, what did their great leadership win?

Yeah but they tried like really really hard. They ought to give guys who try really hard a trophy just for trying so hard, like some sort of participation award. Like a playoff version of the Lady Bing for best effort and a second Conn Smythe for Most Valuable Perseverance.

 

[Legion34]

Any thoughts on why Matthews doesn't receive the Selke attention that Marner does?

https://media.nhl.com/public/news/17221

Because he doesn’t kill penalties. That is a massive factor

By age 25 Mathew’s has scored 2 less goals than ovechkin in 6 more games.

Of course the durability is a massive difference and I can’t see anyone arguing Matthews hits 800 but

The fact that Matthews a couple of posts away from prime ovy after 7 years is insane

Who would have predicted he would have 2 rockets Pearson hart in an ovy/Mcdavid league during his draft year?