Will be interesting to see how the leafs can ice a bottom 6 that isn't basically all non league mins next year if both Nylander and Matthews gets significant raises.
News Article: Auston Matthews - August 1st., Contract Crickets
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Stephen
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Having fashion forward tastes never stopped someone like LeBron from winning in his respective sport. The two are not connected even though people want to take unrelated pot shots.
ToDavid
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No, it's not safe to say that 11 months before they actually become free agents...
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You are correct. And, I think "loser" is an extreme accusation and Matthews is clearly not a loser in any way, shape, or form. But, I do think Matthews change in behavior could be linked to misaligned priorities. For example...
Rookie year, he comes in, clean-cut kid, focused, determined, back-checked like a demon and started producing at a high level out of the gate. We saw a glimpse of something very special. Shortly after, he settled in, started getting tats all over, grew a silly porn stache, became a Bieber groupie, and started dressing extremely odd and carrying purses. It was like a complete makeover.
Sure, this could be nothing more than fashion-forward as you said, but when you add that to his diva-like contract demands, it seems to me that Matthews may have gotten a taste of success and is now more focused on living the celebrity lifestyle and being a fashion plate than he is winning Stanley Cups.
Some players can pull it off like you said -- LeBron comes to mind. But some seem to struggle with it, and the perception is it becomes a bigger part of their identity than being a great hockey player (aka Patrik Laine who has almost become a ridiculous side show at times).
In all likelihood, this can be picking on Matthews due to his inconsistent play, playoff disappointments, and contract demands, but it does come with the territory. Add this celebrity gimmick to an apparent indifference to losing in the playoffs and it makes you wonder.
Where does this idea of him allegedly being “indifferent to losing in the playoffs” even stem from? We’ve seen evidence the contrary. Matthews isn’t the guy to wear his emotions on his sleeve and it’s unlikely he ever will be, but that doesn’t mean he’s indifferent.
Gary Nylund
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Yes, I think that's fair. That said, IMO the rest of his post was on point.
I take no major issues with the rest. I’m personally unconvinced that he’s too busy being a celebrity to be his best hockey self but I don’t really have anything that can refute it either. It’s all speculation so there’s little to debate on.
ACC1224
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People project their own feelings on to the players and then condemn them when they don’t appear to feel the same way. Pretending to know someone’s feelings is a little silly.
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Well, let me ask... after 7 years of playoff disappointments have you ever seen Matthews upset during or after losing? Has he ever as much smashed a stick, took a run at someone to change momentum, or challenge himself or his teammates in a post game presser? Two summers in a row, after underachieving in the playoffs, he is seen partying it up with Bieber, then the following year he's part of a core that is complaining about the team dress code. I don't know... it doesn't appear to me that Matthews is one of those kids who absolutely hates losing.
I mean, he's 6-3, 220 and let Steven Stamkos ragdoll him on home ice. He has a very ho-hum personality and lacks intensity. Do I know what's going on in his head? Of course not. But I can observe his actions, body language, and listen to what he does, or doesn't, say publicly. I can also observe the way he presents himself and his obsession with short deals at massive dollars. To me, he acts more like a celebrity... not a team player in the NHL. But, hey, that's just my opinion and certainly not fact.
Racer88
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Unfortunately you can only have so many top salesmen in the company when there is a limited cap on the company
It looks totally asinine
Racer88
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Sundinisagod
****
I'll bet you McDavid shows loyalty to the franchise that paid him over a hundred million before his 30th birthday and to the fanbase that supported him. He'll sign another team friendly 8 year contract with Edmonton. He'll be the highest paid player for the first year of his deal, then Matthews will eclipse him after finishing his 13.5 x 3 deal.
notDatsyuk
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ACC1224
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TMLBlueandWhite
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Thanks for the response.
Matthews appears to have chosen to follow the Alexander Daigle career path.
I think what the problem is, for fans like me anyway, is that the Leafs have this egotistical hotdogger. Who's seems to think he's become larger than the team. Controversy and entitlement have followed as a result.
Matthews attention seeking behaviour, along with his expectation of becoming the world's highest paid player, has started to alienate him from the fan base.
His demands for special treatment, including dress casual, has played out to its inevitable consequences. The fans are starting to see him as nothing but greedy, entitled, selfish, and spoiled. It makes fans like me begin to question his priorities when he seems to put more emphasis on his off ice pursuits than his on ice accomplishments.
Just like Alexander Daigle.
notDatsyuk
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The one who gets the least money and the most abuse - Nylander.
Top 10 in the league in all three lists.
ACC1224
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Thanks I clicked the link but didn’t see the lists.
Is one of the lists ‘Fly Bys’? …….just kidding
ZEBROA
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It would be nice to put that piece of the puzzle where he fits the most.
I would put him with Matthews, and let Matthews find a way to play with Nylanders style (like Nylander had to do with Tavares style). And Marner with Tavares , because he is just better at slowing the game down to Tavares pace.
Or Tavares on Third line and immediately make the bottom 6 a lot better. And get Nylander one fast and one defensive minded player. Ironhook/ holmberg/Knies Domi? i dont know... I just think the team would be better and more balanced if Nylander and Tavares played away from each other
- Dec 12, 2017
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No it’s not ‘fly bys’ , it’s another per 60 list …..and the funny thing is if ever played a full 60 he’d be a super star and they might have advanced.
Nylander has always been very under appreciated here so no surprise there.
Also worth note that Matthews was #1 and #4 on the two lists he’s on in what everyone is fairly calling a down year (in large part due to injury)
I think it’s a reach. The problem with Daigle had really nothing to do with his off ice and everything to do with fact he simply wasn’t that good vs what he was supposed to be. Matthews has off ice things he’s into that we have zero reason to believe impact his hockey dedication at all, and he’s fully allowed to have those things. His personality being maybe not what people prefer means absolutely nothing when he’s backing it up by being one of the best players in the entire NHL.
Matthews gets no more special treatment than any superstar in any other city, and I garauntee you the perceptions by fans of him being greedy (true or not) are not that prevalent. The average fan in this city has no idea what players are being vs should be paid, nor do they care.
As far your comments on him being regarded as selfish, entitled and spoiled, it’s really a subset of the hardcore portion only of the overall fanbase that believes this. I think sometimes being hardcore fans who live and breath hockey talk we lose sight of that fact that sentiment in online communities rarely reflects that of the majority of fans
Tufted Titmouse
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Maybe a 3 year deal for both Willy and AM would at least get us through until the Tavares deal finally expires. That's the only upside to shorter deals.
Absolutely. Every single time. Just because somebody doesn't have the exact, very specific type of response that you want, that doesn't mean they aren't upset. Just because they *gasp* also do things they enjoy during their offseason like everybody else, that doesn't mean they don't care.
Not sure what you think "ragdoll" means, but it's not that.
Fortunately, the ones we have fit just fine.
Mess
Global Moderator
In terms of Auston Matthews.
The best thing that happened to this organization was GM Lou Lamoriello successfully orchestrating a tanking season with Leafs by finishing last and then winning and drafting Auston Matthews.
The worst thing that happened to this organization was an incompetent GM in Kyle Dubas getting played by smart player agent and Auston Matthews in his 2nd contract selling off 4 of his restrictive free agency (RFA) years at unrestricted age prices on a short term deal & that Leafs organization only bought 1 year of free agency from him. Leafs went straight from ELC contract to UFA priced contract and among highest in the entire NHL. His current deal is still today the 4th highest AAV.
The Leafs lost the entire 4 year window of RFA years at cost controllable prices.. Matthews offered the Leafs a 3 year bridge deal at $9 mil per putting his RFA price years at that amount. So even if you give Matthews his $13.5 mil (rumoured current asking $ on UFA years) on a 5 year deal that = $9 mil + $9 mil + $9 mil + $9 mil [4 X RFA years] + $13.5 mil [1 X UFA year] = 5 years at $49.5 mil total = $9.9 mil AAV.
Of course $9 mil was unheard of for RFA cost controllable years back then when AM signed his current deal, and $13.5 mil is unheard of today (MacKinnon at $12.6 mil is ceiling) as UFA rate as both would have set new market prices for both. However even if Matthews set the bar on both Leafs would still have had him below $10 mil AAV for the past 5 years.
As the Leafs fanchise building block piece Matthews should have (MUST HAVE) been signed to a 8 year deal and at 4 X RFA years @$9 mil + 4 X UFA years @ $13.5 mil = $90 mil total over 8 years = $11.25 mil AAV. (McDavid deal was $100 mil over 8 = $12.5 mil AAV as his only comparable at the time). Leafs should be sitting here today with their franchise center still under contract for 4 more years.
PS. His current AAV at $11.634 had a Cap hit % of 14.64 % and what should have been his AAV $11.25 mil (for 8 years) = 14.25 C.H.%.
The best thing that happened to this organization was GM Lou Lamoriello successfully orchestrating a tanking season with Leafs by finishing last and then winning and drafting Auston Matthews.
The worst thing that happened to this organization was an incompetent GM in Kyle Dubas getting played by smart player agent and Auston Matthews in his 2nd contract selling off 4 of his restrictive free agency (RFA) years at unrestricted age prices on a short term deal & that Leafs organization only bought 1 year of free agency from him. Leafs went straight from ELC contract to UFA priced contract and among highest in the entire NHL. His current deal is still today the 4th highest AAV.
The Leafs lost the entire 4 year window of RFA years at cost controllable prices.. Matthews offered the Leafs a 3 year bridge deal at $9 mil per putting his RFA price years at that amount. So even if you give Matthews his $13.5 mil (rumoured current asking $ on UFA years) on a 5 year deal that = $9 mil + $9 mil + $9 mil + $9 mil [4 X RFA years] + $13.5 mil [1 X UFA year] = 5 years at $49.5 mil total = $9.9 mil AAV.
Of course $9 mil was unheard of for RFA cost controllable years back then when AM signed his current deal, and $13.5 mil is unheard of today (MacKinnon at $12.6 mil is ceiling) as UFA rate as both would have set new market prices for both. However even if Matthews set the bar on both Leafs would still have had him below $10 mil AAV for the past 5 years.
As the Leafs fanchise building block piece Matthews should have (MUST HAVE) been signed to a 8 year deal and at 4 X RFA years @$9 mil + 4 X UFA years @ $13.5 mil = $90 mil total over 8 years = $11.25 mil AAV. (McDavid deal was $100 mil over 8 = $12.5 mil AAV as his only comparable at the time). Leafs should be sitting here today with their franchise center still under contract for 4 more years.
PS. His current AAV at $11.634 had a Cap hit % of 14.64 % and what should have been his AAV $11.25 mil (for 8 years) = 14.25 C.H.%.
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