Apex Predator
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For the record I think we are over reacting but there’s always an excuse for him. Nobody gets the amount of excuses for things that Matthews get.
Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)
- Thread starter Aashir Mallik
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Classic Leafs.
The good news is that it only goes up from here. I was (and still am) in favour of Matthews getting the C because either he will rise to the occasion, or he will fail and that will be the completely undeniable evidence that this team does not work and that it's time to reset. You cannot be the highest paid player in the league and be a mercenary who doesn't lead. Simply doesn't work, when you're the best player on a team everyone is looking at you to lead them, and if Matthews can't lead, it's over. You can have an elite mercenary when there's already a strong leadership group in the room, but we probably have the weakest leaders in the league.
Solid chance this thread ages badly, but if it doesn't, then the Matthews captaincy failure is truly the beginning of the end.
The good news is that it only goes up from here. I was (and still am) in favour of Matthews getting the C because either he will rise to the occasion, or he will fail and that will be the completely undeniable evidence that this team does not work and that it's time to reset. You cannot be the highest paid player in the league and be a mercenary who doesn't lead. Simply doesn't work, when you're the best player on a team everyone is looking at you to lead them, and if Matthews can't lead, it's over. You can have an elite mercenary when there's already a strong leadership group in the room, but we probably have the weakest leaders in the league.
Solid chance this thread ages badly, but if it doesn't, then the Matthews captaincy failure is truly the beginning of the end.
Last year he got off to a ridiculous start and it carried all the way into his dismal playoff performance.
The spin doctor in me argues that the slow start will lead to him peaking at the right time and he will get red hot in the playoffs!!
Stephen
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Every time Matthews plays like trash people will speculate about a phantom injury here and there, and it can't be that he's just dogging it.
Stephen
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Or he needs a massive kick in the ass and realize the gap between him and guys like Nathan Mackinnon and Leon Draisaitl has grown so, so much since 2021.
ChurchOfMatthews
Goldmember
Nah, he wasn't invisible. He was noticeably bad and wasn't even trying to win the puck battles he usually dominates. AM34 needs to get his shit together and start acting like a captain.
captain - noun
One who stands at the head of others and leads them, or exercises authority over them; a headman, chief, or leader.
trellaine201
Registered User
Stephen
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Or how about he just play better, get in the race for the scoring title, grow as a supposed leader and make a dent in the playoffs?
TheDoldrums
Registered User
this season definitely giving 2022-2023 vibes, right down to the preseason injury that's shrugged off but makes him noticeably worse than the previous season
Stephen
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Feels like it's been pretty rough sledding with Matthews ever since he scored goal 69 and fell on his backside on the 70th goal attempt vs Detroit.
Except his peers gave him the Lindsay in 2022 and voted him as a finalist over McDavid last year.
This core lead by Matthews is real weak, They have the potential to be real great but their weak heart is preventing them from being as great as they are capable of being. It is like they don't think they have to play hard to achieve that greatness. Great players like Wayne, Mario, Alex, Sidney they really hustle on the ice, work really hard at getting the puck and dictating the play and taking it to the net. They even will fight if need be. The leafs 4 they piss their pants if they even think they might have to drop the gloves.
Matthews played his best hockey between Domi and Bertuzzi (two tough guys)
Knies Matthews Domi
Or
Knies Matthews McMann
Knies Matthews Domi
Or
Knies Matthews McMann
Does anyone really care about Matthews standing in relation to the other top players in the league? For me, the only thing I care about is him leading the team to the cup. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't care about points records, goal records, awards.
At the end of the day, no cup, no glory imo; but no doubt he'll get his statue on Captains row with the rest of the non-winners.
At the end of the day, no cup, no glory imo; but no doubt he'll get his statue on Captains row with the rest of the non-winners.
Stephen
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Stephen
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That’s a defeatist mentality. Why wouldn’t we want the best or close to the best when we pay him the most money? From where I stand it looks like catching up to the likes of Mackinnon and Draisaitl are about as remote as winning the actual Stanley Cup at this rate. Be better. AM34 wanted the most in negotiations. Why shouldn’t fans want the best out of him?
Stephen
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Mackinnon and Matthews perform the same job on similar “contenders” and we spent all of 2022 hearing about how Toronto was superior to Colorado amongst others. Why can’t we get a Cup and a 140 point season out of Matthews if they’re on the same level?
CokenoPepsi
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TheDoldrums
Registered User
most teams trying to win don't trade their best player so that's not really an option they should consider, I'm fine being "stuck" with him while still doomposting after a bad start to the year
Makar won the Smythe... give us a D who puts up 29 points in 20 games and I think we have a shot.
Don't care about the individual players stats. If the team is not winning cups it doesn't matter what they do imo.
He's paid to be our best player. Show us how great you are, win the cup. Scoring 69 goals and losing in the first round means nothing. I'd rather he score 35 and we win the cup.
Don't think it's hard to understand.
ULF_55
Moderator
That locker room illness has gripped them all pretty hard.
Seems to have affected their ability to make decisions.
Seems to have affected their ability to make decisions.
Stephen
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It's not a choice between a) winning and b) being great individually. Guys at the elite level routinely put together elite offensive seasons and individual success coupled with winning, it just has to work together. The problem is Matthews is a massive playoff underachiever so there's this weird idea that he has to go Yzerman and we have to sacrifice one for the other.
How about he pull a Sakic, score 118 and win a Hart and a Cup in the same year? Bar set too high?
Stephen
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Berube called out Matthews major malfunctions pretty directly, talking about soft plays, screens, blown coverage on the 1st and 2nd goals and the lack of battling on the 3rd. Awful performance from the captain.
