News Article: Mirtle: Maple Leafs Ownership Could Make Massive Changes if 'Really Disappointing First-Round Exit' Happens Again in the Playoffs

[NVious]

Mitch is a great guy so he gets to stay.

Tavares has done nothing wrong so he gets to stay.

The NHL for the Leafs is the National Happiness League and we are the happiest team in the league (annual cup winners) and how could anyone complain? 1.Stable job you never get fired from 2.The job always gives you a raise no matter what 3.No matter your performance, your boss believes you can do better (next year)

#RunItBack #10MoreYears #OurStarsAreUnderpaid

 

[colchar]

""

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.

Stripping the C from Tavares is the absolute least they can do, but it is still an important step. Tavares has been a completely ineffectual leader.

You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

 

[thewave]

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.




You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

Its a good way to squeeze a captain out

 

[mikeyz]

Yep. There will be pain.

This isn’t pain. This is bleeding out. Lol.

 

[Superstar]

Giving Marner a 20% raise having accomplished nothing...I would say that's a massive change...

 

[mikeyz]

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.




You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

They have won 1 playoff round in 8 years. We don’t need to be in the room to know that he has been an ineffective leader.

 

[colchar]

They have won 1 playoff round in 8 years. We don’t need to be in the room to know that he has been an ineffective leader.

You are operating under the incorrect assumption that effective leadership=playoff wins.

 

[Tak7]

First of all, it gives accountability to the in-room leadership. The Captain on a team is an important role, and allowing someone who fails in that role to stay just perpetuates the idea that success doesn't matter. I don't think I agree with your suggestion that the role is over valued, but regardless there really is no case to be made that a) Tavares has done a good job or that b) the position is so meaningless that it doesn't matter at all. Any amount of accountability we can bring to this core, no matter how slight, is of tangible benefit.

Tavares is not a strong leader and we do not have a strong leadership core in the room to overcome that. Reassigning the C (and the A's for that matter) is important to start that leadership transition.

I believe it is Matthews who will get the C. If he really, really, really doesn't want it (why the hell is he the highest paid player in the league) then give it to Rielly. But the fact is that Matthews is the guy. Everyone on the bench looks at him when things are dire and he needs to embrace that.

Accountability to the in-room leadership? Hilarious word salad. What the hell does that even mean llol?

We aren't in the room, so we don't really know - but let's assume you're right and Tavares isn't a "strong leader". Cool.

What, exactly, does stripping one weak leader of the C, and then handing it to another weak leader, accomplish, exactly? Matthews isn't a strong leader.

Congrats - you've achieved "accountability in the in-room leadership" (lol!?) but you're no better off than you were last season.

 

[Tak7]

You're assuming your requirements and the team requirements align.

Fair.

I think they do align though - I genuinely believe the Leafs want to win, and I genuinely KNOW I want them to win lol.

I just don't think they have the ability to properly adjust their philosophies and beliefs on how to win, no matter how much evidence is dropped in their laps.

 

[Antropovsky]

Changing the captaincy with one year left. Meh... I think Tavares was the wrong choice over Matthews and said it at the time. However, not sure putting a black mark on Tavares legacy for one year, makes alot of sense or is fair to Tavares. What can you do though, if there is nmc and your hands are tied. Better take away Marners A too...

 

[mikeyz]

You are operating under the incorrect assumption that effective leadership=playoff wins.

Okay. So what classifies as playoff wins then?

Because I would like to think that strong leadership would definitely play a part in that.

 

[LeafGrief]

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.




You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

One series win, I think that gives a rather important part of the picture. Leaders who’s groups do not accomplish their task are replaced.

Accountability to the in-room leadership? Hilarious word salad. What the hell does that even mean llol?

We aren't in the room, so we don't really know - but let's assume you're right and Tavares isn't a "strong leader". Cool.

What, exactly, does stripping one weak leader of the C, and then handing it to another weak leader, accomplish, exactly? Matthews isn't a strong leader.

Congrats - you've achieved "accountability in the in-room leadership" (lol!?) but you're no better off than you were last season.

In-room leadership is the players. As opposed to the coach, GM, President, or other leaders in the organization.

They have one series win with Tavares as a leader. You don’t have to be in the room to know he’s not cutting it. Militaries replace commanders all the time, the General doesn’t give a shit whether the Major is liked within the unit, the General wants a leader who can deliver results.

Change for the sake of change can actually lead to results. It could inspire Matthews to go to the next level, or light the fire under the rest of our pukes. At worst, it’s another failure that is then turned over to the next guy.

Your entire line of argument seems to be that it either doesn’t matter, or that we have nothing better. Great, let’s change nothing and then complain when nothing changes.

 

[Stephen]

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.

You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

Stripping the C from John Tavares makes a lot of sense if you want to scapegoat him for his lukewarm performance in the playoffs, unimpressive emotional energy and the team failing year after year. I get all that…

Just feels a little late in the offseason to do that when that urgent change needed to come right during the tough talking press conference.

Also don’t really like that we’d be giving it to Auston Matthews at the moment. Just doesn’t seem like he’s due for a reward when JT is getting stripped and Mitch is getting emotionally run out of town.

 

[Racer88]

Changing the captaincy with one year left. Meh... I think Tavares was the wrong choice over Matthews and said it at the time. However, not sure putting a black mark on Tavares legacy for one year, makes alot of sense or is fair to Tavares. What can you do though, if there is nmc and your hands are tied. Better take away Marners A too...

You had me at Tavares was the wrong choice…………

 

[Stephen]

One series win, I think that gives a rather important part of the picture. Leaders who’s groups do not accomplish their task are replaced.

In-room leadership is the players. As opposed to the coach, GM, President, or other leaders in the organization.

They have one series win with Tavares as a leader. You don’t have to be in the room to know he’s not cutting it. Militaries replace commanders all the time, the General doesn’t give a shit whether the Major is liked within the unit, the General wants a leader who can deliver results.

Change for the sake of change can actually lead to results. It could inspire Matthews to go to the next level, or light the fire under the rest of our pukes. At worst, it’s another failure that is then turned over to the next guy.

Your entire line of argument seems to be that it either doesn’t matter, or that we have nothing better. Great, let’s change nothing and then complain when nothing changes.

Intuitively doesn’t sit right to me to give Matthews more responsibility and status so he can grow into it. If we go down that route, fine let’s see what happens and hopefully it works out… but being kicked in the pills in the playoffs so many times you’d think he would have enough internal fire to want to grab the bull by the horns anyway.

 

[nuck]

What if they don't believe that?

What do they believe then if "everything is on the table"? Stolarz for Sammy? Tanev until he is ready for the nursing home? The below was said after the coach was let go and they didn't put the failure on SK. So far we have a slight adjustment of the deck chairs, nothing more. Maybe the contrition and the urgency we saw in that press conference has actually passed and only higher levels of chemistry and unity will be relied on.

“There are times when you talk about patience, when it’s the suitable call,” said Shanahan, who would not address his contract directly. “However, when you see patterns persist and results don’t change, you have to adjust how you think about things. We will look at everything this summer and consider everything.”

“Fans here not only deserve, but demand a championship. There’s no complacency. We’re not here to sell jerseys, we’re here to win.”

 

[BertCorbeau]

After all they've gone through in terms of failing to meet expectations just changing the 'C' at this point is a laughable change.

I don't mind the off-season moves made but it means squat if they're not willing to change the core, which is really what's needed.

 

[notbias]

Its a good way to squeeze a captain out

A better way is just not re-signing him...

Changing the captaincy is just a PR stunt anyway, leaders can lead without a letter

 

[ACC1224]

What do they believe then if "everything is on the table"? Stolarz for Sammy? Tanev until he is ready for the nursing home? The below was said after the coach was let go and they didn't put the failure on SK. So far we have a slight adjustment of the deck chairs, nothing more. Maybe the contrition and the urgency we saw in that press conference has actually passed and only higher levels of chemistry and unity will be relied on.

“There are times when you talk about patience, when it’s the suitable call,” said Shanahan, who would not address his contract directly. “However, when you see patterns persist and results don’t change, you have to adjust how you think about things. We will look at everything this summer and consider everything.”

“Fans here not only deserve, but demand a championship. There’s no complacency. We’re not here to sell jerseys, we’re here to win.”

I don't believe 'everything' was to be taken literally.

 

[TMLegend]

Might as well make Mitch the captain. It would have about the same effect in the grand scheme of things.

 

[NVious]

A ridiculous idea. First, you do not embarrass your captain like that. Second, why would they give captaincy to a guy who has never been the captain at any level he has played at? The fact that he has never been captain shows that he isn't a leader, and his lack of playoff success proves that. If they really want to shake things up they should make Tanev the captain for a couple of years.




You are not in the room so have no idea what kind of leader he is.

Honestly he should be embarrassed after his atrocious performances in the playoffs. He has:

ONE goal/THREE points in his last 12 playoff games
He never went ppg in any of his playoffs here

He was one of the highest paid in the league, he had the captaincy of the greatest sports franchise, he had all the talent in the world and he failed.

It is what it is, if he wants to be the hero, take a league minimum and show how badly he wants to be here (do you think he'd do that? Lol this is Toronto, stars get #paid, who cares about the team?)

Unfortunately we are the anti Vegas where it's all about winning/the team, here it's all about being nice, so failure is excused.

"We can't trade Mitch he's a good guy"
"John is such a good example (except when it comes to doing anything worth his contract on the ice), it'd be awfully mean to strip him"

I guess not much has changed post lockout, whereas every year we'd hope/wish/pray we made the playoffs, this time around we hope/wish/pray arguably the most talented core in the last 60 years can win a playoff round.

 

[Racer88]

What do they believe then if "everything is on the table"? Stolarz for Sammy? Tanev until he is ready for the nursing home? The below was said after the coach was let go and they didn't put the failure on SK. So far we have a slight adjustment of the deck chairs, nothing more. Maybe the contrition and the urgency we saw in that press conference has actually passed and only higher levels of chemistry and unity will be relied on.

“There are times when you talk about patience, when it’s the suitable call,” said Shanahan, who would not address his contract directly. “However, when you see patterns persist and results don’t change, you have to adjust how you think about things. We will look at everything this summer and consider everything.”

“Fans here not only deserve, but demand a championship. There’s no complacency. We’re not here to sell jerseys, we’re here to win.”

That was just salesmanship by Shanny to take the heat off after yet another crappy playoff failure.
It’s all BS and everyone knows they are going to run the same crap again with only the bi- annual swap out of the bargain bin players

 

[LeafGrief]

Intuitively doesn’t sit right to me to give Matthews more responsibility and status so he can grow into it. If we go down that route, fine let’s see what happens and hopefully it works out… but being kicked in the pills in the playoffs so many times you’d think he would have enough internal fire to want to grab the bull by the horns anyway.

I think that it's his team whether he wears the C or not. He gets paid the beaucoup bucks, he wins all the awards, he's the one (aside from Marner) who drives the bus. The best player on a team isn't always the leader, but quite often they are.

IMO, if he can't lead, we shouldn't be paying him the money he makes. Enough coddling these guys and their little egos, letting them just float along. Captain comes with status, but it also comes with responsibility, and a little bit more responsibility and accountability might help Matthews with taking that bull by the horns.

My argument basically boils down to: JT doesn't cut it and the choice of who's next is obvious.

 

[colchar]

Changing the captaincy with one year left. Meh... I think Tavares was the wrong choice over Matthews and said it at the time.

Why do people think that a guy who has never been captain at any level he has ever played at should be captain of an Original Six team in hockey's biggest market? It makes no sense whatsoever.

Okay. So what classifies as playoff wins then?

Because I would like to think that strong leadership would definitely play a part in that.

Playoff wins classify as playoff wins, but great leadership does not guarantee them. The captain can do everything in his power to lead, but if the players play like shit they won't win and that isn't on him, it is on the guys who make dumb decisions and bad plays.

 

[rumman]

This isn’t pain. This is bleeding out. Lol.

I’ll bet Babcock is enjoying this, sure he’s a POS, but no one can deny he wasn’t right about the core players……..