Maple Leafs name Auston Matthews captain

[Fish on The Sand]

Awesome, it's about time. JT is a great guy and all but he just doesn't have that influence and it was especially on display in the playoffs, need a guy the troops can rally around. Hopefully they'll make it more of a succession, rather than stripping JT, that would be awkward af.

Love the decision though.

Imagine grown ass adults being so weak that they can't bring themselves to rally around Matthews because his jersey has an A instead of a C.

 

[drktmplr12]

Out of curiosity, just watching the press conference/announcement now. Even now, you just see this guy does not carry himself professionally. Leafs management all wearing suits and collared shirts and dress shoes for the announcement. Matthews wearing a suit jacket over a non collared shirt and running shoes and earrings. Even John Tavares, who is no longer the captain, is dressed in suit jacket, collared shirt and dress shoes. A true professional despite the I am sure awkwardness of relinquishing the captaincy. Sure, this doesn't speak to leadership of Matthews, but it just reinforces this guy is not a professional. Yes, him mooning that guard was years ago but lots of players (including Tavares) have not had these types of things happen to draw negative attention to themselves. Tavares has always carried himself maturely. Whether he should have been captain or not is debatable, but Matthews is not leadership material. How he attired himself today just buttresses that.

I like to pile on AM as much as anyone on this board, but have you seen Matthew Tkachuk?

Dude is a born leader and he wears tees that he tears the collar in half. You can't conflate attire with leadership in 2024

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

me wanting him to have more emotions, be a team player and act less aloof is stuck up?

Then again, A Hockey fanatic from Atlanta probably would prefer emotionless dead eyed players given its the place where Hockey goes to die.

You are wrong for wanting the highest paid player in the league and team captain to show an ounce of heart or soul like every great player who has ever lived.

 

[hirawl]

Makes absolute sense for the Leafs. Is it going work? Of course not.

 

[Fatass]

Sitting out important playoff games with a cold doesn't scream "captain" material to me.

I know some people will say he was sick blah blah blah. But even in the games he does play it is always a no show.

You want your captain to be a warrior, win at any cost type of player. Matthew's is like the opposite of that. Weird choice.

Has there ever been an nhl Captain who dresses like Matthews? IMO Matthews exudes “look at me” and not what a Captain does which is look at “us”.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Has there ever been an nhl Captain who dresses like Matthews? IMO Matthews exudes “look at me” and not what a Captain does which is look at “us”.

If he starts wearing a hat like what Captain Crunch wears, will that make you feel better?

 

[MCR74]

I like to pile on AM as much as anyone on this board, but have you seen Matthew Tkachuk?

Dude is a born leader and he wears tees that he tears the collar in half. You can't conflate attire with leadership in 2024

Good point. People love to diss Matthews, but the way he dresses means nothing.

 

[BLONG7]

Giving it to JT a couple of years ago was a mistake, and here we are...
No matter who wears the C, they still have too much invested $$$ in 4 players at the topof the lineup and no goalie to speak of.

Matthews is a great goal scorer, is he a great leader? Can he handle more media attention?
Another day in TO I guess.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

The Leafs probably needed to shake something up, so I can't fault them for this in any way.

 

[Sniper99]

Did they unbox Tavares' new jersey without the C on it too?

in typical leaf management fashion I was expecting it to be Hakanpaa C

 

[Ugene Magic]

More importantly, JT wasn't a good captain and he shouldn't have adorn the C in the first place.

 

[Sheppy]

Jesus, AM is getting absolutely roasted in here

 

[Rabid Ranger]

More importantly, JT wasn't a good captain and he shouldn't have adorn the C in the first place.

Tavares is a solid guy on and off the ice. This change is less about him and more about the transition to it being Matthews' team. Whether Matthews (and the Leafs) get to the next level by wearing the "C" remains to be seen.

 

[Peltz]

Rangers should strip Trouba of the captaincy too. Make it uncomfortable for him here so we can trade him mid-season.

 

[mattihp]

Jesus, AM is getting absolutely roasted in here

Amazing, incredible player. Don't know how he is as a leader, but seems like an awful person.

 

[Sheppy]

Amazing, incredible player. Don't know how he is as a leader, but seems like an awful person.

I wouldn't say he's an awful person, but he definitely looks the part of an absolute douchebag.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Is he committed to leaving his underwear up when he moons people now that he's trying to be more responsIble and a good leader?

 

[Enniskillen]

Classless Toronto team doing classless shit

Less classless than drafting sex offenders lol

 

[jfhabs]

Good point. People love to diss Matthews, but the way he dresses means nothing.

It can mean something, but to be taken like a grain of salt.
Is play on the ice and non-verbal is a way better indicator of leadership.
That being said, I don't think he has that in him. Which isn't bad or his fault, but I'm not sure why they named him captain. In my opinion your captain doesn't necessarily have to be your best player.

 

[mattihp]

I wouldn't say he's an awful person, but he definitely looks the part of an absolute douchebag.

Do you have sisters or daughters? Because the harassment was freaking scary

Less classless than drafting sex offenders lol

AM would count as one in Sweden

 

[PaulD]

I would say Matthews, JT, Rielly, and to a lesser extend Mitch were the main go-tos for media and I don't expect that to change. He's always been fine with the media, not sure what people are referring to when they say he's not, even handled that Steve Simmons BS really professionally when he had every right to tell him to F himself - as do we all

Simmonds is controversial for sure. But I like reading his Sunday Sun articles all the same.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Jesus, AM is getting absolutely roasted in here

Hopefully Matthews is mature enough to just turn the other (ass) cheek.

 

[thegazelle]

I was watching something on TSN online about this and the guy made an interesting point I had not considered about this move and the timing - he said that it was very likely for the benefit of Craig Berube developing a long term relationship with the captain over the course of the next few years.

The implication, at least to me, seemed to indicate that JT was not part of the long term future of the team and given the fact that he will have an expiring contract, plus Matthews is signed for a number of more years this makes sense. Why have Berube develop a relationship with Tavares who may not be re-signed next year and then have to re-start with Matthews. I found this was a plausible explanation behind both the timing and the actual decision.

 

[uncleben]

Out of curiosity, just watching the press conference/announcement now. Even now, you just see this guy does not carry himself professionally. Leafs management all wearing suits and collared shirts and dress shoes for the announcement. Matthews wearing a suit jacket over a non collared shirt and running shoes and earrings. Even John Tavares, who is no longer the captain, is dressed in suit jacket, collared shirt and dress shoes. A true professional despite the I am sure awkwardness of relinquishing the captaincy. Sure, this doesn't speak to leadership of Matthews, but it just reinforces this guy is not a professional. Yes, him mooning that guard was years ago but lots of players (including Tavares) have not had these types of things happen to draw negative attention to themselves. Tavares has always carried himself maturely. Whether he should have been captain or not is debatable, but Matthews is not leadership material. How he attired himself today just buttresses that.

What the hell does a collar change?
Why do we cling to these made up rules?


He could've walked in a hoodie and tutu, who gives a shit. Let him perform and let him lead.

 

[Rabid Ranger]