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Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

Stephen said:
Matthews hasn’t quite delivered on the promise of being the second best player in the game to McDavid. I think he’s lived up to the hype but isn’t keeping up with the consistency, drive and playoff success of guys like Drai, Mackinnon, Kucherov and those Art Ross threats, so there’s lingering disappointment there that he’s not hitting the level he should be.

That said, he’s gotten the golden boy treatment for a decade and always got off lightly when the blame share came due and more of the privileges. Yeah he’s better than Marner in the regular season, but he’s been a flop in the playoffs too. His lukewarm captaincy, mysterious injuries and up and down quality of play hasn’t been that enjoyable to follow this year.
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Generally agree overall, but the bolded is not really true. Matthews has taken a significant amount of criticism/blame share.

The issue isn’t how Matthews has been treated or held to account, the outlier is the vitriol Marner gets beyond everyone else.
 
34 said:
Overpay for sure.

I think Matthews is overpaid and that Marner should not get a penny more than Nylander. He is not a better player.
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Definitely not value this season, but overall his AAV is right where everyone expected.
 
34 said:
Overpay for sure.

I think Matthews is overpaid and that Marner should not get a penny more than Nylander. He is not a better player.
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I agree. And where (if?) there is excess, the delta is so minimal that outright production isn't nearly enough to justify a larger paycheck.

To the idea that Marner might get more than Matthews because of one thing, or another is about the only failsafe switch I have that sees Marner on another team. I can accept Marner's play in the playoffs continued into the coming playoffs, plus another contract so long as its below Matthews before I could ever accept a contract above Matthews -- which should also mean immediate termination of Treliving.

And that hypothetical might be the only time I've said something that strong about management. Well, that strong prior to knowledge that might describe a coup a la Dumbass and Co.
 
Sypher04 said:
Generally agree overall, but the bolded is not really true. Matthews has taken a significant amount of criticism/blame share.

The issue isn’t how Matthews has been treated or held to account, the outlier is the vitriol Marner gets beyond everyone else.
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Matthews has always ducked more responsibility for his big game mediocrity because there’s always this implied power dynamic between he and the Leafs.

That we won the lottery to get him and he can take his ball and go home if Babcock doesn’t bend the knee or if Arizona (RIP) got their act together or Los Angeles came calling, or if the contract lengths aren’t bespoke and if the AAVs aren’t high enough, bonus structure, captaincy, all of it.

Yeah we’re lucky to have him he’s lucky to have us. But in that power dynamic I think Mitch was always the safe whipping boy while Matthews is the golden child. I think the two are linked together. Just like the money is linked together.
 
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Stephen said:
Matthews has always ducked more responsibility for his big game mediocrity because there’s always this implied power dynamic between he and the Leafs.

That we won the lottery to get him and he can take his ball and go home if Babcock doesn’t bend the knee or if Arizona (RIP) got their act together or Los Angeles came calling, or if the contract lengths aren’t bespoke and if the AAVs aren’t high enough, bonus structure, captaincy, all of it.

Yeah we’re lucky to have him he’s lucky to have us. But in that power dynamic I think Mitch was always the safe whipping boy while Matthews is the golden child. I think the two are linked together. Just like the money is linked together.
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Willy was always more of the whipping boy than Mitch until people started to really look at them critically.
 
notDatsyuk said:
Willy was always more of the whipping boy than Mitch until people started to really look at them critically.
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Yeah Willie was the misfit for sure, hold out and all. Mitch’s favorability took a big hit thanks to hard-o Darren Ferris style negotiations, the meltdowns to Columbus and Montreal.
 
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Team USA captain Auston Matthews skated alongside Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes on the second line at Team USA’s first practice Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Jack Eichel centred Kyle Connor and Matthew Tkachuk on the top line, while J.T. Miller was grouped with Brady Tkachuk and Matt Boldy on the third line.

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ULF_55 said:

Team USA captain Auston Matthews skated alongside Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes on the second line at Team USA’s first practice Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Jack Eichel centred Kyle Connor and Matthew Tkachuk on the top line, while J.T. Miller was grouped with Brady Tkachuk and Matt Boldy on the third line.

View attachment 976072
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Looks more like a 1A and 1B lines to me, seem super equal in talent.
 
ULF_55 said:

Team USA captain Auston Matthews skated alongside Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes on the second line at Team USA’s first practice Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Jack Eichel centred Kyle Connor and Matthew Tkachuk on the top line, while J.T. Miller was grouped with Brady Tkachuk and Matt Boldy on the third line.

View attachment 976072
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Glad Matthews took a slap to the face here. Maybe he will perform better going forward.

SWE L1 Nylander
CAN L1 Marner probably not deserving
USA L2 Matthews
 
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thewave said:
Glad Matthews took a slap to the face here. Maybe he will perform better going forward.

SWE L1 Nylander
CAN L1 Marner probably not deserving
USA L2 Matthews
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Yeah being named Captain and playing with Jack Hughes, arguably the 2nd best forward on the team (after himself) is such a slap in the face…

Good grief
 
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thewave said:
Whatever reason. Matthews just took the slap in the face. Imagine his ego figures I scored 69 last season.
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Oh give it up he didn't take any slap he was named the team captain and his line could very well be called the first line it is every bit as good and in fact better in my opinion
 
wingman75 said:
I don't know if it is as specific as that. I think it is just his personality. He is a really laid back, chill person. Lots of people like that have been captains, but they have had other leaders who are vocal, emotional and irrational (at times) to fill that gap. He has no one around him to bring that kind of additional leadership; this whole core is laid back and chill. JT faced the same issue.

Part of the problem we have is that our past successful teams have had a mix of leaders in the room. So when we look at Sundin, somewhat laid back, he had others around that filled that emotional leader role. Dougie and Wendel did that themselves and so on.

Until the core is changed, it will continue to be a tough job. Or, he finds a way to fill that gap himself and evolves with the situation.
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Treliving had the chance to step up last summer and pick up some valuable pieces like a top 2 D, some young capable forwards and a couple of picks. But no, he instead decided it was good business to continue to overpay a definite top 10 player in the league like he was a #1 player in the league. Like somebody on overdrive said today the Canadian #1PP has the best 5 players in the world.

Those pieces would have been a good start on changing the makeup and restocking the cupboards that Dubas left bare.
 
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ULF_55 said:

Team USA captain Auston Matthews skated alongside Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes on the second line at Team USA’s first practice Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Jack Eichel centred Kyle Connor and Matthew Tkachuk on the top line, while J.T. Miller was grouped with Brady Tkachuk and Matt Boldy on the third line.

View attachment 976072
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Has more to do with chemistry. Kyle Connor is an elite goal scorer and shoot first kind of player. So is Auston Matthews. Eichel is more of a distributor, as is Hughes.
 
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