Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Never fails to disappoint. Why is this guy captain exactly.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Sometimes back injuries have no definitive time lines.

I had to stay away from soccer for 4 months (due to back problems), and then almost 6 months with a hamstring injury. The hamstring injury was the most frustrating one.

Both doctor & chiropractor said "there is no definitive time. You just have to wait until it heals".

 

[SprDaVE]

Marshmallow soft. He has been hurt off and on so yea he is soft or fragile

An injury doesn't make a player soft... even the toughest players get injured. Was Wendel Clark soft? The guy missed 3/4 of seasons. Ridiculous.

Fragile? Sure, I guess. Some of the best players in the world are fragile and missed many games to injury.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I saw something about a common tennis injury to the lower back and IMO that tracks. The reason for secrecy is he hurt himself outside of hockey and it could have longterm negative impact and he is also private.

You likely saw it discussed on here, but it was just irresponsible fan speculation. There was nothing that indicated any of that.

 

[leafsfan5]

I get that people are frustrated about this situation. It is really frustrating to finally have a player with top 3 talent but he is going through his 2nd season in 3 years where he deals with year long injuries. As a team with contention aspirations, your best player not being at the level you're paying him for effectively ruins your chances to contend.

With all that said, the frustration being pointed towards Matthews is insane. It's not his fault he's injured and he's not "soft". He very clearly wants to play through the injury and has done so to his detriment. If it's back issues like has been heavily speculated, that is extremely painful, even for everyday life. I couldn't imagine being a professional athlete in an physical sport dealing with that

I hope this gets figured out soon but I don't expect it to. Just sucks because this year I think we have a team that could go all the way if AM34 was 100%

 

[ULF_55]

I get that people are frustrated about this situation. It is really frustrating to finally have a player with top 3 talent but he is going through his 2nd season in 3 years where he deals with year long injuries. As a team with contention aspirations, your best player not being at the level you're paying him for effectively ruins your chances to contend.

With all that said, the frustration being pointed towards Matthews is insane. It's not his fault he's injured and he's not "soft". He very clearly wants to play through the injury and has done so to his detriment. If it's back issues like has been heavily speculated, that is extremely painful, even for everyday life. I couldn't imagine being a professional athlete in an physical sport dealing with that

I hope this gets figured out soon but I don't expect it to. Just sucks because this year I think we have a team that could go all the way if AM34 was 100%

Yeah, being injured has little to do with being soft.

Lindros wasn't soft.
Neely wasn't soft.

 

[Evilhomer]

Yeah, being injured has little to do with being soft.

Lindros wasn't soft.
Neely wasn't soft.

Nor were Lemieux or Bossy. Injuries happen.

 

[LeafEgo]

Perhaps all the secrecy around Mattys injury allows the team more flexibility in conjuring up details and timelines that better fit cap circumvention should that route start to look viable?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I think it's understandable to be a little pissed off at Matthews. He was injured to end last season and he was injured to start this season. What was he doing between early May and mid-September that he couldn't get whatever this injury is under control or get surgery so it wouldn't be a problem come playoff time?

Now it feels like this year is a big waste of time because it doesn’t look like he’ll ever be anywhere close to 100% when the games really matter. That means another wasted year of the core, a wasted year for Knies and McMann who are on cheap deals, and waste for a team that frankly has too many old veterans at key positions to gamble that they’ll be as good or better going forward after this season.

He spent all summer doing God knows what and now he’s not here for the team. I know he’s pissed off and frustrated too, so why didn’t he take the necessary steps to avoid this situation?

 

[ULF_55]

Nor were Lemieux or Bossy. Injuries happen.

Yes.

No guarantees, so a team has to look beyond today.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Perhaps all the secrecy around Mattys injury allows the team more flexibility in conjuring up details and timelines that better fit cap circumvention should that route start to look viable?

It's only to protect his image. He can't play because of Mystery Box 1, we can't tell you when he's coming back because of that pesky Mystery Box, don't you dare criticize anything because the Mystery Box could be anything. Only in Toronto would a selfish player like this get all the benefit of the doubt.

Comparing him to Wendel Clark, Lindros, and Neely. It's almost like the injuries are just the cherry on top of the soft-serve ice cream.

 

[glue]

I think it's understandable to be a little pissed off at Matthews. He was injured to end last season and he was injured to start this season. What was he doing between early May and mid-September that he couldn't get whatever this injury is under control or get surgery so it wouldn't be a problem come playoff time?

Now it feels like this year is a big waste of time because it doesn’t look like he’ll ever be anywhere close to 100% when the games really matter. That means another wasted year of the core, a wasted year for Knies and McMann who are on cheap deals, and waste for a team that frankly has too many old veterans at key positions to gamble that they’ll be as good or better going forward after this season.

He spent all summer doing God knows what and now he’s not here for the team. I’m know he’s pissed off and frustrated too, so why didn’t he take the necessary steps to avoid this situation?

Totally agree, but personally feels like a collective failure of both Leafs and Matthews. How can neither party take this more seriously during the offseason? Playoffs are all that matter this year, they should have planned it as such even if it meant Matthews is out full regular season

 

[Racer88]

I get that people are frustrated about this situation. It is really frustrating to finally have a player with top 3 talent but he is going through his 2nd season in 3 years where he deals with year long injuries. As a team with contention aspirations, your best player not being at the level you're paying him for effectively ruins your chances to contend.

With all that said, the frustration being pointed towards Matthews is insane. It's not his fault he's injured and he's not "soft". He very clearly wants to play through the injury and has done so to his detriment. If it's back issues like has been heavily speculated, that is extremely painful, even for everyday life. I couldn't imagine being a professional athlete in an physical sport dealing with that

I hope this gets figured out soon but I don't expect it to. Just sucks because this year I think we have a team that could go all the way if AM34 was 100%

Be that as it may I am just tired of one more excuse why this core will never go anywhere.
Every dam year it’s something. This is not directed at you but your statement that you think we have a team that could go all the way if he was 100% healthy is frustrating because he is not healthy and has been injured off and on for at least the last 2 years. If it’s not him then it’s our 2 goalies taking turns being off injured.
Maybe it’s time for a different batch of players……….maybe some that will stay healthy, you know kinda like the teams that actually win the cup

I think it's understandable to be a little pissed off at Matthews. He was injured to end last season and he was injured to start this season. What was he doing between early May and mid-September that he couldn't get whatever this injury is under control or get surgery so it wouldn't be a problem come playoff time?

Now it feels like this year is a big waste of time because it doesn’t look like he’ll ever be anywhere close to 100% when the games really matter. That means another wasted year of the core, a wasted year for Knies and McMann who are on cheap deals, and waste for a team that frankly has too many old veterans at key positions to gamble that they’ll be as good or better going forward after this season.

He spent all summer doing God knows what and now he’s not here for the team. I know he’s pissed off and frustrated too, so why didn’t he take the necessary steps to avoid this situation?

And it’s one more dam excuse that they will need to keep the core intact and pay Marner some ridiculous contract and we can run the same year back for the 10 time

 

[leafsfan5]

I think it's understandable to be a little pissed off at Matthews. He was injured to end last season and he was injured to start this season. What was he doing between early May and mid-September that he couldn't get whatever this injury is under control or get surgery so it wouldn't be a problem come playoff time?

Now it feels like this year is a big waste of time because it doesn’t look like he’ll ever be anywhere close to 100% when the games really matter. That means another wasted year of the core, a wasted year for Knies and McMann who are on cheap deals, and waste for a team that frankly has too many old veterans at key positions to gamble that they’ll be as good or better going forward after this season.

He spent all summer doing God knows what and now he’s not here for the team. I know he’s pissed off and frustrated too, so why didn’t he take the necessary steps to avoid this situation?

Do we even know if they were the same injury, though? From what I've seen it seems like he was fine heading into camp, got hurt in one of the pre-season games and that's where this new injury has come from

 

[therealkoho]

He is broken.

Treliving has no choice but to spend big on a center.

They'll spend the rest of the year swimming upstream without another center brought onboard.

Not perfect but Zabanejad has very recently said he'll waive for the right situation.

Must be chaos in Ragland atm.

 

[therealkoho]

Marshmallow soft. He has been hurt off and on so yea he is soft or fragile

It seems like the injury prone tail can be pinned on that donkey.

 

[therealkoho]

It's only to protect his image. He can't play because of Mystery Box 1, we can't tell you when he's coming back because of that pesky Mystery Box, don't you dare criticize anything because the Mystery Box could be anything. Only in Toronto would a selfish player like this get all the benefit of the doubt.

Comparing him to Wendel Clark, Lindros, and Neely. It's almost like the injuries are just the cherry on top of the soft-serve ice cream.

Funny that. Clark, Lindros, Neely and even Lemieux to a degree were all considered to be guys that you treaded lightly around and maybe even feared. Matthews has never had any of that as part of his tool kit

 

[Leafs98]

He starts every answer off with "i dont know" when he's pissed or annoyed in interviews. He's frustrated but hopefully progressing.

 

[horner]

Mathews is getting healthy for the 4 Nations Cup .
He will play lights out then have to take time of from the leafs to get healthy.
Remember it's all about the team lol.

 

[Racer88]

Mathews is getting healthy for the 4 Nations Cup .
He will play lights out then have to take time of from the leafs to get healthy.
Remember it's all about the team lol.

Ya, this

 

[BallardEra]

Odds are he misses both weekend games and returns next week at some point.

 

[therealkoho]

Austons new goal song

Mathews is getting healthy for the 4 Nations Cup .
He will play lights out then have to take time of from the leafs to get healthy.
Remember it's all about the team lol.

it's what captains do, ask Johnny Toronto

 

[SprDaVE]

I'd say he's pretty close to back

 

[BallardEra]

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Are we supposed to forget that he had an entire offseason already? Why would an additional offseason help him.