Dough72
Registered User
- Sep 3, 2008
- 2,002
- 809
whatever you do don't read the Marner threadSometimes I wish he'd take his 50 goals elsewhere to an appreciative fan base.
Toronto whiny ass fans deserve being in the doldrums every season.
whatever you do don't read the Marner threadSometimes I wish he'd take his 50 goals elsewhere to an appreciative fan base.
Toronto whiny ass fans deserve being in the doldrums every season.
whatever you do don't read the Marner thread
I'm with this 100%. If he were to miss half the season, or more, but be fully, 100% without a doubt healthy for the playoffs, no question what you do.Give him as much time as needed. I don't care. We need him game 1 all healthy and ready to go on April 20th (or whenever the game 1 of the playoffs is)
Give him as much time as needed. I don't care. We need him game 1 all healthy and ready to go on April 20th (or whenever the game 1 of the playoffs is)
I'm with this 100%. If he were to miss half the season, or more, but be fully, 100% without a doubt healthy for the playoffs, no question what you do.
The goal is the Cup. You don't sniff that without Matthews fully healthy and playing better than he ever has in the playoffs.
You are likely going to have to beat Tampa and Florida both in a 7 game series. Your reward? Likely needing to beat Carolina or the Rangers in a 7 game series. Then a 7 game series over the best that comes out of the west.
I know most fans won't like this, but the NBA is getting criticized for 'load management', sometimes star players are just given a day off for no other reason other than resting them? Well, no one really does that in the NHL, maybe that is what the Leafs should be doing in the month leading up to the playoffs. I don't like that idea, I WANT to think my team's players can be more durable and tougher than anyone else, but ANYTHING that will give me an advantage come playoff time I'll take. Matthews being 100% physically and mentally is a must.
This mentality does not seem correct to me.
Auston Matthews has the captaincy and is the highest paid player in the game. On status, salary, expectation, ability, this guy is a Mackinnon, Kucherov, Draisaitl level forward and should be a fixture in the Art Ross race like his peers. He’s set the bar that high for himself, I’m just reminding everyone of it.
The other factor is he’s never really been a big game player, so this kind of bargaining that we can load manage and coddle the hell out him on an unknown injury so he’ll be right for the playoffs. It’s the Kawhi Leonard hypothesis and highly specious at best.
On the short term health front, it is what it is. He needs to get healthy and re-energized but aside from that I don’t think it’s right that we keep scaling back expectations and bargaining when he’ll show up. He needs to be great, step it up and be great in the big games.