Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[centipede2233]

"Not sure if I like"

Matthews is a narcissist, a coward and a selfish asshole. He is the opposite of a captain, the opposite of a leader and sets the worst possible example.

He is scum and if he waived his NMC I would be thrilled.

That’s the problem with narcissists, they can’t be changed.

 

[sunstersun]

TOOO MANY PASSENGERS - PASSENGER.

 

[fahad203]

Lots of talent here but it doesnt' seem to be working for us
Same with Eichel, didn't work for Buffalo

I am wondering if it's time to move on. Give him a fresh restart somewhere else, gives a leafs a new look

 

[centipede2233]

This reminds me of what Torts said right before he got fired. I know you can't be specific when saying things like this but he basically threw 80% of the roster under the bus. It sounds like he's done playing in Toronto. I'm a flyers fan and they haven't done anything in 15 years so I'm not coming here to try to start anything, I just think that a comment like that isn't something a captain says. Do any of you think he's not coming back next season?

He for sure is coming back, not that I think it should happen, but MLSE sees matthews as a merchandise and etc sales $$$. Matthew’s is here for the duration of his contract, unfortunately.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

This is the craziest thing I have ever seen. He's got to be high on crack or something, the only nice thing he said was giving credit to Florida. Yeah he's totally got to be high. I wish I would have seen this before I made my last comment.

It's AI... lol... look at the name of the account.

I laughed my ass off.

I wish they would say stuff like this instead of the canned garbage nonsense they normally spew.

 

[Hextallent63]

It's AI... lol... look at the name of the account.

I laughed my ass off.

I wish they would say stuff like this instead of the canned garbage nonsense they normally spew.

Well shit, my bad.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Did Matty say he was not gonna address his injuries after da game? I don't think anyone knows exactly what is wrong with his back which is da real issue here. He can't continue to play on inflammation pain killers forever. I would trade him ASAP. Get a boatload back for him. Best to do it before someone tells him he has to hang it up. Then we are really screwed. We are never gonna win a Cup with this guy as a 1C.

 

[Canadian Finn]

his injury is primarily related to his head (his ego), next his heart (lack thereof).

 

[thewave]

Get surgery now

 

[JKG33]

I just wonder if this is the time we chase player out of the city and start to look for 1C and 2C who can handle pressure playing in this market? I mean for many years we were trying to find those or trade for one or two. It’s not easy, eh? Then we miraculously got two. But then many years got wasted with no D or G. I think this is first year we got G and our D was playoffs caliber. It would be really disappointing to get to downward spiral when it seems we just started to build in right direction.

Im genuinely asking.. what pressure?

For 5+ years I've been calling them frauds. Yet most of Leafs nation defended them. I was attacked more for pointing it out than they were for failing. I'm not mad about it, I'm not trying to throw it back in anyone's face now. I'm happy ya'll are finally on board.

But for 9 years this group could walk on water in the eyes of most Leaf fans. They could do no wrong, no matter how much wrong they did. How many playoff failures. How many negotiations where they bent the team over. How many coaches they went through. Every single loser thing they did, most people defended them every step of the way. It was never the precious players fault.

So no, I dont think theres any pressure whatsoever, considering this group was given enough rope to hang themselves 5 times over and only now are people giving them the shit they deserve

 

[thewave]

Im genuinely asking.. what pressure?

For 5+ years I've been calling them frauds. Yet most of Leafs nation defended them. I was attacked more for pointing it out than they were for failing. I'm not mad about it, I'm not trying to throw it back in anyone's face now. I'm happy ya'll are finally on board.

But for 9 years this group could walk on water in the eyes of most Leaf fans. They could do no wrong, no matter how much wrong they did. How many playoff failures. How many negotiations where they bent the team over. How many coaches they went through. Every single loser thing they did, most people defended them every step of the way. It was never the precious players fault.

So no, I dont think theres any pressure whatsoever, considering this group was given enough rope to hang themselves 5 times over and only now are people giving them the shit they deserve

There was no pressure. It's a fabrication. They were being praised day and night and just wanted more and more money and kept floppping. It's not hard to understand that the MTL series was the last straw and Shanahan clearly forced his vision with Dubas, all in the face of common sense, logic and sound reasoning.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Im genuinely asking.. what pressure?

For 5+ years I've been calling them frauds. Yet most of Leafs nation defended them. I was attacked more for pointing it out than they were for failing. I'm not mad about it, I'm not trying to throw it back in anyone's face now. I'm happy ya'll are finally on board.

But for 9 years this group could walk on water in the eyes of most Leaf fans. They could do no wrong, no matter how much wrong they did. How many playoff failures. How many negotiations where they bent the team over. How many coaches they went through. Every single loser thing they did, most people defended them every step of the way. It was never the precious players fault.

So no, I dont think theres any pressure whatsoever, considering this group was given enough rope to hang themselves 5 times over and only now are people giving them the shit they deserve

This is honestly such an overblown thing. This is an organization that literally has a row of statues outside of the arena for a bunch of guys who never won a thing. Toronto sports as a whole is so far buried in the dirt with the lowest of expectations, all you literally have to do is show up and give a half-decent effort on a nightly basis and people will love you. I have seen people wearing Tim f***ing Brent jerseys, because he blocked a few shots in a regular season game once. Look like you're trying and like you give a shit out there and you will be a folk hero in Toronto, yet they can't even be bothered to do that.

 

[Bigleaf1221]

If Matthews could have had surgery at any time from preseason on and come back for the playoffs healthy, and management let him play out the season regardless, shame on them. If he doesn't require surgery at all, I'd ask him to waive his no-trade.

 

[ORRFForever]

If Matthews could have had surgery at any time from preseason on and come back for the playoffs healthy, and management let him play out the season regardless, shame on them. If he doesn't require surgery at all, I'd ask him to waive his no-trade.

Re : "If he doesn't require surgery at all, I'd ask him to waive his no-trade."

Yes!

**

Matthews is hurt every year during the playoffs. He's like that coworker who always calls in sick after a long holiday weekend.

 

[Jojalu]

This is honestly such an overblown thing. This is an organization that literally has a row of statues outside of the arena for a bunch of guys who never won a thing. Toronto sports as a whole is so far buried in the dirt with the lowest of expectations, all you literally have to do is show up and give a half-decent effort on a nightly basis and people will love you. I have seen people wearing Tim f***ing Brent jerseys, because he blocked a few shots in a regular season game once. Look like you're trying and like you give a shit out there and you will be a folk hero in Toronto, yet they can't even be bothered to do that.

Kevin Pillar syndrom.

Guy laid out for a few balls becausehis first step and routes were garbage and he was a hero.

Meanwhile Kiermeir would catch the same ball in throwing position.

 

[ORRFForever]

I don't care how good Florida is, can you imagine Sid disappearing one playoff, let alone every playoff?

Matthews simply does not have that extra gear. If he ever loses his wrist shot, assuming he hasn't lost it already, Toronto will rue the day they did not trade him.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Hopefully they reveal the injuries on locker clean out day.

In the post-game scrum when he was asked the question, he avoided answering it. So obviously he's been dealing with something, which we all knew all along.

Just a matter of revealing the severity of it, which would help explain his lack of performance and looking like a shell of his usual self.

 

[Stephen]

I don't care how good Florida is, can you imagine Sid disappearing one playoff, let alone every playoff?

Matthews simply does not have that extra gear. If he ever loses his wrist shot, assuming he hasn't lost it already, Toronto will rue the day they did not trade him.

Not having the extra gear isn't Matthews problem in the playoffs. His problem is he goes into parked.

 

[ORRFForever]

Not having the extra gear isn't Matthews problem in the playoffs. His problem is he goes into parked.

Reverse?

 

[Raging Bull]

Get surgery now

It'll just be something new next playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

Reverse?

Yeah that works!

 

[kevsh]

but MLSE sees matthews as a merchandise

Exactly.
He's a commodity to MLSE. A very, very valuable one.

As fans we see only the failure and suggest he be moved so the team can start over, MLSE sees a huge profit margin with him and that saying about "you don't trade away talent" would be more accurately described as "you don't trade away highly profitable assets."

So no GM or President of Hockey Ops for this organization would even suggest exploring the idea of trading him because they know they'd probably be fired. MLSE will clean house, literally everywhere, before trading away their human ATM machine.

And sadly, he and the rest of the core are now damaged goods from all the failure. MLSE knows it, but they'll keep sending these completely mentally broken "assets" out there until they have no value anymore (when they retire or LTIR). It's cruel to the point I *almost* feel bad for the Core guys (they signed the contracts & extensions to stay here, right?)

In any case, I do think this will be his last contract as I don't see any realistic scenario where he asks for a trade or would be granted it even if he did. He's $$$$$$$$$$.

 

[Stephen]

Get surgery now

And ruin a millionaire summer?

 

[hamzarocks]

I don't care how good Florida is, can you imagine Sid disappearing one playoff, let alone every playoff?

Matthews simply does not have that extra gear. If he ever loses his wrist shot, assuming he hasn't lost it already, Toronto will rue the day they did not trade him.

Crosby is an top 7 player all time so different level of talent and abilities

But he has disappeared in the playoffs before.

2014 ECSF vs CBJ
2019 ECQF vs NYI
2021 ECQF vs NYI

For him though he was the best playoff performer of anyone from 2000 to 2015 era and has a lot more dominant playoff series than failures

Matthews and the other core members have mostly fails and flops and a few good playoffs (2022 R1, 2022 R1 and 2025 R1 for Matthews)

 

[Stephen]

Exactly.
He's a commodity to MLSE. A very, very valuable one.

As fans we see only the failure and suggest he be moved so the team can start over, MLSE sees a huge profit margin with him and that saying about "you don't trade away talent" would be more accurately described as "you don't trade away highly profitable assets."

So no GM or President of Hockey Ops for this organization would even suggest exploring the idea of trading him because they know they'd probably be fired. MLSE will clean house, literally everywhere, before trading away their human ATM machine.

And sadly, he and the rest of the core are now damaged goods because of it. MLSE knows it, but they'll keep sending these completely mentally broken "assets" out there until they have no value anymore (when they retire or LTIR). It's cruel to the point I *almost* feel bad for the Core guys (they signed the contracts & extensions to stay here, right?)

In any case, I do think this will be his last contract as I don't see any realistic scenario where he asks for a trade or would be granted it even if he did. He's $$$$$$$$$$.

He's an MLSE business partner and has been a good one for a long time. But I think his popularity takes a hit and never recovers after this nightmare season. Didn't get right to compete for the Maple Leafs, didn't step up when we needed him to, awful captain and with all those mystery injuries entering his 28 year old season, this looks like it's going to go downhill in a hurry.