Confirmed with Link: Brad Treliving officially announces Auston Matthews as the first ever US born captain of the Leafs

[LeafsFan89]

While I think it's a good move, it just screams: "See! We made BIG changes this off-season like we said we would!".

In my opinion, Matthews has not put the team on his back in the playoffs or when it counts as you would expect of a captain.

I preface this negativity by saying I am not in the locker room. Maybe Keefe and JT stifled Matthews' voice in the locker room. Maybe he will thrive under Berube's system and unlock something proving that Keefe was actually the sole problem and not the players. But I feel, like his contracts, he's being given accolades before actual achievements.

 

[Evilhomer]

I called this and an extension for JT right after the season ended. This is not an insult to JT, it is a recognition that we have Matthews and a belief that this is his team.

a) We can't say that this is rewarding failure because this has never been AM's team. Now it is. Let's see if it is different.

b) This is a class move by JT and not an insult to him. It probably allows him to stay longer because we have solved the captain issue. Now he can wear an A and move to 3C and then 3W and be paid appropriately.

Those that wanted change in this organization. We have a new GM, new Coach(es), new captain, overhauled our D and G, and did NOT extend Marner the way we made a priority of doing with Matthew and Nylander last year.

Add this to the list of things well done by Treliving since he got here. I am not even a Tre fan.

But they are going to extend Marner. It's as clear as day.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Didn't think they would do this until next year when, Tavares contract runs out but I'm in full support of this.

Between Berube and Matthews being named captain it's very clear there is a culture change happening this summer

 

[francis246]

But they are going to extend Marner. It's as clear as day.

Idk, I’m 50/50. I can see them walking away from him or him walking away from the team. Ferris is notorious for walking his guys to UFA. So I think that’s the most likely scenario. As other pointed out there was clear intent that the leafs wanted to resign Nylander and Matthews. We have not heard those words about Marner.

To keep it relevant to this thread, I wonder if Marner gets his A taken away now. If that happens that would speak volumes of a clear organizational culture change.

Are they really gonna make Tavares or Rielly split a home/away A with Marner?

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I support this move wholeheartedly. Matthews is ready to be the official face of this franchise. It may be just window dressing but it shows a great amount of respect to Matthews. I also feel Tavares will get extended at a much lower AAV. He was so bland as a captain though.

 

[JKG33]

This team wants to be the San Jose Sharks so f***ing bad, and they can't even elevate themselves to that mediocre level.

Sure, let's go from a career loser captain to a guy who's two objectives since even before entering the league have been score regular season goals and milk the team for every dollar he reasonably can. Playoffs be damned, that interers with offseason celebrity time.

All they continue to do with the loser 4 is shuffle deck chairs on the titanic. Different coaches, different supporting casts, different goalies, now different captain... but as long as these 4 are here it'll be the same f***ing result.

 

[the squared circle]

Kyper right again - he should be referred to as ‘Kyppy The Greek’ (silly reference for the old guys on the board) (Jimmy the Greek)

 

[Mckay]

Sorry. While I think it's a good move, it just screams: "See! We made BIG changes this off-season like we said we would!".

100% This changes nothing. Totally a PR move so they can claim they made big changes.

 

[BraveCanadian]

lawl

I guess they might as well put it on him as the highest paid player in the world.

I’ll be pleasantly surprised if it seems to do anything for his what his motivation looks like though.

 

[Leafy Undergrowth]

An ambivalent shrug from me. I've never really been sold on the importance of the C anyways. It's still all the same guys in the room.

 

[PromisedLand]

Only posting b/c saw this news on twitter. Hoping Matthews' first job as captain is to ask Marner to waive his NTC/NMC

 

[JKG33]

I fully support this. It’s his team, and he’s ready.

Ready for what? Have the team bend over backwards to cater to his 70 goal chase? To disappear in the playoffs?

 

[Sypher04]

This team wants to be the San Jose Sharks so f***ing bad, and they can't even elevate themselves to that mediocre level.

Sure, let's go from a career loser captain to a guy who's two objectives since even before entering the league have been score regular season goals and milk the team for every dollar he reasonably can. Playoffs be damned, that interers with offseason celebrity time.

All they continue to do with the loser 4 is shuffle deck chairs on the titanic. Different coaches, different supporting casts, different goalies, now different captain... but as long as these 4 are here it'll be the same f***ing result.

Take your bitching to another thread. We don’t need more of it here

 

[JKG33]

Take your bitching to another thread. We don’t need more of it here

Oh sorry I didn't realize this was the Matthews circle jerk thread. God forbid someone rightly dislikes the move

 

[WTFMAN99]

Makes perfect sense. Tavares gets it.

I think people overrate quite a bit the role of a captain and even alternate/assistant captains though. It won't change very much.

It's a little overrated, Sundin for example had guys like Roberts, Niewendyk, Domi, MCcCabe and Tucker to help the room.

Matthews...it's officially his team...I think he has a bit more jam than Tavares...Tavares has been pushed around quite a bit and doesn't push back which I hate seeing.

 

[saffronleaf]

Marner will demand that he gets to wear the C in home games

 

[Evilhomer]

Oh sorry I didn't realize this was the Matthews circle jerk thread. God forbid someone rightly dislikes the move

That's pretty much every thread, until he doesn't score for a couple of games.

 

[saffronleaf]

Idk, I’m 50/50. I can see them walking away from him or him walking away from the team. Ferris is notorious for walking his guys to UFA. So I think that’s the most likely scenario. As other pointed out there was clear intent that the leafs wanted to resign Nylander and Matthews. We have not heard those words about Marner.

To keep it relevant to this thread, I wonder if Marner gets his A taken away now. If that happens that would speak volumes of a clear organizational culture change.

Are they really gonna make Tavares or Rielly split a home/away A with Marner?

Marner's camp will make a big hue and cry about it on Thursday, decrying this as betrayal and so on.

They will demand that the C be shared and Marner gets the C in home games.

Leafs will cave in as usual to the Marner camp and their crazy demands.

 

[PromisedLand]

JT’s comments after the series loss pretty much sealed his fate

bruh why you gotta be like that. JT still learning lessons

 

[disgruntleddave]

Better make him twice as hungry.

 

[saffronleaf]

rick moranis - "we are not here to sell jerseys"

haha

congrats auston. JT was a whatever captain. Too soft. Team was right there my a**

yes he was a bit bland but he was a lifelong learner, learning lessons game in and game out

 

[francis246]

Marner's camp will make a big hue and cry about it on Thursday, decrying this as betrayal and so on.

They will demand that the C be shared and Marner gets the C in home games.

Leafs will cave in as usual to the Marner camp and their crazy demands.

Haha imagine they pull a Danny Briere / Chris Drury

 

[LeafGrief]

FANTASTIC! JT tried, but he was not a strong enough leader for this team. It has been Matthews' team for a few years now, and I hope this will inspire him to take his role as a leader more seriously.

Sorting out internal player leadership is potentially a huge development for this team trying to take the next step. I don't really expect this to actually change much, but combined with a new coach I guess this will give me that sliver of hope that I was looking for, that they will actually have some strong leadership to propel them in clutch time. At the very least, this will help us decide on whether to continue with this core after Matthews' current contract expires.

 

[Leafsfan74]

As expected. JT had been setting this up for a couple of years now, he knows that these changes happen when you have a generational talent in his prime.

I have been least critical of JT for a number of reasons. This is yet another I suppose.

I may catch a couple of games this year but the passion just isn't there with this core as it remains together.

 

[supermann_98]

Rielly + Marner/Nylandwr alternating A's?

Do we run 2 sets of A's still?

Reilly and Tavares with A's, Marner gets nothing until he signs to a team friendly deal without a NMC