Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Yeah seems like something with an offseason in between the without getting better will eventually result in surgery. If that’s the case and this has all been delayed - what a waste of time.

1 finger of the Matthews Contract Monkey Paw has curled

 

[Amadeus]

Everytime Bérubé says anything positive about an injury, it ends up being the opposite.

 

[Beaumaris]

What a joke He is injured FFS. This fanbase is the worst. Do you think he wants to be injured

Big baby has an owie.

 

[Stephen]

Everytime Bérubé says anything positive about an injury, it ends up being the opposite.

The way the Leafs try to control the message on the injury front is atrocious. I understand they're doing it to protect the player, based on his wishes, but the months long, not getting better injury just looks so bad when they make up stuff like the injury won't get worse with wear and tear... how is that medically possible? Now it just looks like they're wasting months on a wait and see approach and it's as bad as ever.

 

[Stephen]

1 finger of the Matthews Contract Monkey Paw has curled

This injury issue is Exhibit A why players normally take the max term when they have the chance and don't try to reinvent the wheel. I get AM34 was coming off an injury the season he signed, but this injury riddled year, plus some up and down years the next 3, I'm not sure the market is going to be exactly what he was hoping for at 30-31. But that's a long ways off and we are all pissed off.

 

[pdson]

Big baby has an owie.

Real mature

 

[Evilhomer]

Everytime Bérubé says anything positive about an injury, it ends up being the opposite.

The EvilHomer of coaches.

 

[mikeyz]

I think it's time that Shanahan and Tre should consider going down the Tampa/ Vegas/Kuch/Stone route and just shut them down until the playoffs and absolutely load up with the $ 13.5 million in cap space.

 

[Chief Berube]

This is something to he mad about for sure. We have not been good enough. No one is arguing we have been good in the playoffs.

But to complain about Matthews being injured after he's already in the conversation about being in the top 3 leafs of all time..is a little much. Players get injured.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Everytime Bérubé says anything positive about an injury, it ends up being the opposite.

 

[Schennanigans]

Shut him down and let him heal completely

 

[leafsfan5]

This is something to he mad about for sure. We have not been good enough. No one is arguing we have been good in the playoffs.

But to complain about Matthews being injured after he's already in the conversation about being in the top 3 leafs of all time..is a little much. Players get injured.

2nd time in 3 years our best player has a lingering injury that derails his season

It's understandable for people to be frustrated, this is not a great situation

 

[Divine]

I think it's time that Shanahan and Tre should consider going down the Tampa/ Vegas/Kuch/Stone route and just shut them down until the playoffs and absolutely load up with the $ 13.5 million in cap space.

This is 100% what they should do. The Leafs are a playoff team even without Matthews, especially with the cushion they've already built. If they go .500 the rest of the season, they likely still make the playoffs. They probably don't win the division without Matthews but who cares.

Let Matthews get 100% healthy and load up with 13.5M in contracts. After salary retention, that could be over 30M in players (some with double retention), then you add Matthews back into the mix and the team is stacked.

Vegas and Tampa abused it. Edmonton is currently planning to abuse it with Kane. The Leafs should abuse it also.

 

[Apex Predator]

if the leafs kucherov’d Matthews till the playoffs who could the leafs acquire? What assets do they have to trade? Cowan Danfrod and a 2026 1st, Grebemkin and Minten? I feel like that is there top 5 assets to use in a trade.

 

[The Shadow]

As much as I would love to be wrong I think I’ve seen enough of Matthews to know he’s not a playoff warrior type. Just doesn’t have that intensity and drive to win.

Good regular season player when healthy though.

 

[leafan11]

I think it's time that Shanahan and Tre should consider going down the Tampa/ Vegas/Kuch/Stone route and just shut them down until the playoffs and absolutely load up with the $ 13.5 million in cap space.

Why does everyone keep saying this? Leafs don’t have the assets to load up at the deadline. You want to give up Minten, Cowan and Knies?

 

[Nineteen67]

if the leafs kucherov’d Matthews till the playoffs who could the leafs acquire? What assets do they have to trade? Cowan Danfrod and a 2026 1st, Grebemkin and Minten? I feel like that is there top 5 assets to use in a trade.

And Do TDL moves work in the first year? They’re still 3 or 4 players away and I would rather see if those youngsters are the answer.

 

[Divine]

Why does everyone keep saying this? Leafs don’t have the assets to load up at the deadline. You want to give up Minten, Cowan and Knies?

if the leafs kucherov’d Matthews till the playoffs who could the leafs acquire? What assets do they have to trade? Cowan Danfrod and a 2026 1st, Grebemkin and Minten? I feel like that is there top 5 assets to use in a trade.

The thing is you don’t have to give up significant assets necessarily. Cap space itself is an asset. You can load up on overpaid players for cheap, it’s all a bonus during the playoffs anyway.

 

[Stephen]

Why does everyone keep saying this? Leafs don’t have the assets to load up at the deadline. You want to give up Minten, Cowan and Knies?

If Matthews $13.25 million is in LTIR till the playoffs, it would actually give the Leafs flexibility to take on cap dumps from other contenders. That would also open up a unique and strange opportunity in-season as well. Like could you imagine if we got a 1st for a Sean Monahan style dump? And then had the space to carry him, while simultaneously having a 1st to barter for another player? This would take a lot of creativity and there would be a lot of moving parts.

 

[MSZ]

As much as I would love to be wrong I think I’ve seen enough of Matthews to know he’s not a playoff warrior type. Just doesn’t have that intensity and drive to win.

Good regular season player when healthy though.

He is the Brett Hull type player who needs someone else to be the leader in the playoffs so he can step behind to be that goal scorer when the checkings from the opposite side isn't as tight.

 

[mikeyz]

Why does everyone keep saying this? Leafs don’t have the assets to load up at the deadline. You want to give up Minten, Cowan and Knies?

Because it's the common sense, no brainer thing to do. I will be willing to bet that this is the same injury he was dealing with last year ìn the playoffs.

 

[leafan11]

If Matthews $13.25 million is in LTIR till the playoffs, it would actually give the Leafs flexibility to take on cap dumps from other contenders. That would also open up a unique and strange opportunity in-season as well. Like could you imagine if we got a 1st for a Sean Monahan style dump? And then had the space to carry him, while simultaneously having a 1st to barter for another player? This would take a lot of creativity and there would be a lot of moving parts.

The cap dumps couldn’t have any term past this year. Players that are UFA at the end of the year that could actually help us will require assets that we don’t have.

 

[ULF_55]

The cap dumps couldn’t have any term past this year. Players that are UFA at the end of the year that could actually help us will require assets that we don’t have.

Don't forget they haven't hitched their wagon to Tavares long term, or even beyond this year.

So they could take on a "Cap Dump", which is in the eyes of the beholder, that goes beyond this current season.

For example, Vince Dunn or JT Miller or ... and just let Tavares walk.

 

[Stephen]

The cap dumps couldn’t have any term past this year. Players that are UFA at the end of the year that could actually help us will require assets that we don’t have.

You can pick and choose what you want to bring in for short and medium term for sure.

 

[Stephen]

Don't forget they haven't hitched their wagon to Tavares long term, or even beyond this year.

So they could take on a "Cap Dump", which is in the eyes of the beholder, that goes beyond this current season.

For example, Vince Dunn or JT Miller or ... and just let Tavares walk.

Yeah. For example.