TSN: Marner on tsn: "We are grown men".

[Dekes For Days]

Right or wrong vision, Lou and Babs were probably trying to put them on the Mathew Barzal/Pavel Datsyuk/Henrik Zetterberg development track where you have statistically suppressed, program oriented stars making team friendly money.

Lou/Babs did try to statistically neuter Matthews/Marner and it accomplished a whole lot of nothing except hurt the team's competitiveness and give fans warped perceptions of just how good these players were, that has contributed to a toxic fan environment that persists to this day.

For the record... Datsyuk paced 41, 65, and 74 points in his mid-20s through the equivalent of his ELC. He then signed the equivalent of an 8.25m x 2 year bridge in today's cap, before signing the equivalent of a 12.5m+ contract until he was 36 as a notably worse player than Matthews or Marner. Zetterberg's contract was only "team friendly" because he signed a now illegal contract that brought the cost down by signing him until he was 41.

Barzal is more a comparable for Nylander, not the likes of Matthews/Marner, so I don't know why he's even being mentioned in the same breath.

 

[All Mod Cons]

This has got to be Kyle's last year right?

 

[Racer88]

This has got to be Kyle's last year right?

It needs to be one of Marners or Matthews last years if they can’t ready enough to start the season on time and need 10-15 games to get going

 

[killer1980]

It needs to be one of Marners or Matthews last years if they can’t ready enough to start the season on time and need 10-15 games to get going

Just to keep my perfect prediction intact, next year will be the last as a Maple Leaf for Matthews and Marner will fade to oblivion. Leafs will start yet another rebuild with a new management team. All will blame the fans. That's like me blaming the dog when I let one slip out.

 

[IPS]

He then signed the equivalent of an 8.25m x 2 year bridge in today's cap, before signing the equivalent of a 12.5m+ contract until he was 36 as a notably worse player than Matthews or Marne

Datsyuk notably worse than Marner...

Jesus f'in christ man, atleast try to be somewhat objective.

 

[yubbers]

So many people with nostalgia goggles on for these old players. I guess 30 years makes you forget all the bad games.

We haven't won a playoff round since 2004. LOL

We literally have no other choice.

 

[keonsbitterness]

Why should being pro athlete mean you have to interact with the media at all? It should be optional. In a better world I don't even think the media should have a right to discuss the pro athlete and his/her personal life without their consent. The only truly public side of most pro athletes is on the playing surface. Everywhere else should be off-limits unless the athlete decides otherwise.

Personally I think sports media is the least of the world's worries but media in general are a subversive brain-washing, propagandistic force that is largely the enemy to each and every individual ordinary citizen whether or not that citizen realizes it. They convince you to admire loathsome people, to hate entire groups, to take actions against your own interests, to support movements that are bad for your descendants, to buy useless shit you don't need, to submit to nasty people who wouldn't care if you were dead.

Does the sports media at least practise good hygiene?

What did this man win again?

As others noted, playoff rounds. Until the current group does that, the Clark-Gilmour teams will be put on a pedestal.

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

I don't care what sex or gender Mitch identifies with. He could claim to be a cocker spaniel for all I care. I just want to see some hard-nosed, paycheck-earning hockey. Keefe isn't going to keep them honest enough to get there, and this is a group of players that need all of the checks and balances to operate at the level necessary to win.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Datsyuk notably worse than Marner...
Jesus f'in christ man, atleast try to be somewhat objective.

That is being objective. You're probably thinking about Datsyuk's post-signing peak and applying a whole bunch of nostalgia goggles, instead of acknowledging what he was at the time of signing his contract.

It's funny, because Datsyuk would be absolutely demolished in this market.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

From Sportsnet after last night's game......

The Maple Leafs have a day off Tuesday in Las Vegas and will practice here Wednesday before flying to San Jose for the California leg of their road trip.

"It's gonna be great. It's gonna be a nice time for everyone kinda get together have some fun here and just relax. Enjoy the sun, enjoy the heat," Marner said.

There's that hate to lose attitude we're all looking for

This “grown man” is oblivious to the effect his big mouth has on the perception Leaf fans have of him. It’s just what we want to hear after an abysmal effort in Vegas and underwhelming start to his season. If he truly believes that we want to hear about relaxation and fun at this time he’s a lot dumber and immature than most of us think.

 

[Dekes For Days]

This “grown man” is oblivious to the effect his big mouth has on the perception Leaf fans have of him.

No, he just knows that no matter what he says or does, a certain section of the fanbase will twist it, exaggerate it, cherry pick it, and hate his guts anyway - just like that individual you're quoting only posting part of the quote to take it out of context.

We literally have a 20-page thread on the most nothing of comments. Toronto sports media knows how to manipulate their viewers.

 

[Notsince67]

It needs to be one of Marners or Matthews last years if they can’t ready enough to start the season on time and need 10-15 games to get going

Only the playoffs matter...or so I'm told

 

[Racer88]

Only the playoffs matter...or so I'm told

Of course The playoffs are very very important but so Is the regular season.
thier constant lack of preparation to start the season is very troubling

 

[Notsince67]

Of course The playoffs are very very important but so Is the regular season.
thier constant lack of preparation to start the season is very troubling

Why?

 

[Racer88]

No, he just knows that no matter what he says or does, a certain section of the fanbase will twist it, exaggerate it, cherry pick it, and hate his guts anyway - just like that individual you're quoting only posting part of the quote to take it out of context.

We literally have a 20-page thread on the most nothing of comments. Toronto sports media knows how to manipulate their viewers.

Yes Toronto’s media is a problem most of the time but what gave them fuel for this fire is once again the team was unprepared to start the season. The top lines production has been awful yet again this year.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yes Toronto’s media is a problem most of the time but what gave them fuel for this fire is once again the team was unprepared to start the season. The top lines production has been awful yet again this year.

All players and lines go through ups and downs. The top line has a combined 16 points in 7 games, with them being out of sync and all converting much less than normal. They're off to a slow start relative to their potential, but that does not justify this type of treatment from media or fans - especially ones that spent the whole offseason talking about how the regular season was irrelevant. Toronto's sports media will make fuel out of literally anything.

Heck, the team and the top line started worse last year, and people were jumping ship, and we ended up setting a franchise record, Matthews ended up with 60 goals and won the Hart, and Marner ended up with 97 points in 72 games. Do people not learn?

And before then, when Matthews used to start out blazing hot, everybody mocked him and called him "Mr. October".

 

[Racer88]

Why?

Why to what part of my response

 

[mobilus]

Trade proposal made out of boredom, don't take it too seriously....

(salary balanced) : Marner/Holl for Draisaitl/Barrie

 

[ponder]

Trade proposal made out of boredom, don't take it too seriously....

(salary balanced) : Marner/Holl for Draisaitl/Barrie

Edmonton laughs and hangs up the phone. Marner is great, but Drai is on another level, and Holl/Barrie are meaningless in comparison.

 

[mobilus]

Edmonton laughs and hangs up the phone. Marner is great, but Drai is on another level, and Holl/Barrie are meaningless in comparison.

Holl/Barrie were just to balance cap. I'd hang up the phone too... like I said, boredom.

 

[Antropovsky]

All players and lines go through ups and downs. The top line has a combined 16 points in 7 games, with them being out of sync and all converting much less than normal. They're off to a slow start relative to their potential, but that does not justify this type of treatment from media or fans - especially ones that spent the whole offseason talking about how the regular season was irrelevant. Toronto's sports media will make fuel out of literally anything.

Heck, the team and the top line started worse last year, and people were jumping ship, and we ended up setting a franchise record, Matthews ended up with 60 goals and won the Hart, and Marner ended up with 97 points in 72 games. Do people not learn?

And before then, when Matthews used to start out blazing hot, everybody mocked him and called him "Mr. October".

I think many people have learned....last season many board members said they dont care ehat happens in the season, its playoffs results.

Yet here you are again, boasting about season stats.

The thing about the Maple Leafs, is there style of play is great for stat padding and entertainment. However, they struggle when teams tighten up and play playoff style hockey.

I think many people are disappointed, not because of the start, but because of the lack of intensity, heart and willingness to compete this team is again demostrating. This team looks destined to do what it does every postseason. As they say.... insanity is doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result.

 

[Notsince67]

Why to what part of my response

why is it troubling? They are 100ish point players and the team will make the playoffs. Seems to me it isn't predictive of normalized production so other than being annoying as f___, it shouldn't be troubling.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I think many people have learned....last season many board members said they dont care ehat happens in the season, its playoffs results.
Yet here you are again, boasting about season stats.

Clearly nobody has learned. Last season, we had an even rockier start for the team and top line, and it didn't prevent the team from posting a franchise record season, Matthews from hitting 60 goals and winning the Hart, Marner from having a crazy good season, or the team and those players from performing well in the playoffs. The issues at the beginning of the season had nothing to do with issues during the playoffs.

And now we're back, with the same overreactions in a new season.

The thing about the Maple Leafs, is there style of play is great for stat padding and entertainment. However, they struggle when teams tighten up and play playoff style hockey.

There's nothing about the Leaf's "style of play" that is "great for stat padding" and bad for whatever you think "playoff style hockey" is.

I think many people are disappointed, not because of the start, but because of the lack of intensity, heart and willingness to compete this team is again demostrating.

Unfortunately, some people here equate losing to a "lack of intensity, heart and willingness to compete", when that's not true at all.

 

[Racer88]

why is it troubling? They are 100ish point players and the team will make the playoffs. Seems to me it isn't predictive of normalized production so other than being annoying as f___, it shouldn't be troubling.

I just find it troubling that they just can’t be ready to start the season or games way to often. I think it speaks to character.
they are very well paid athletes and they should be ready on time.
maybe I’m just to old fashion that if you are paid to do a job, you should do it to the best of your ability and on time

 

[BallardEra]

Examining Maple Leafs star Matthews' slow goal-scoring start to season