Oh Captain, my Captain!

[meefer]

Straight up, I am a fan of John Tavares. However, I am wondering if the team would be better off if he were to offer the C to Matthews? Matthews was not ready for the challenge, imo, the year he signed his big ticket contract. I didn’t like his response behind the net v Montreal, the grinning thing, I wanted anger/passion/whatever. But, given Matthews time in the league, his undeniable position as our best player, the possibility that in donning the C he might raise his commitments towards team success even more, that it might help cement his passion for being a Leaf, might now be the time for JT to step aside, say to AM, ‘I’ll back you all the way’, and let the natural progression of who will Captain the team begin today. This is not an attempt to dog JT, or oversell AM, this is a question about who best leads the team forward as the Captain of the Leafs. If you care to comment, please keep it civil, thanks.

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[leaffaninvancouver]

I want whoever the leader is on the ice and in the locker room. I don’t care about how many points or goals they score, their age, their past transgressions etc.

 

[janesy12]

Tavares was the right choice at the time, and still is.
Until Matthews shows more maturity and leadership on and off the ice, Tavares is the leader.

A good Captain leads by example, and JT has done everything right since arriving here. Let us not take him for granted.

 

[The CyNick]

Matthews is not captain material.

 

[Racer88]

Matthews already has enough pressure that he is trying to handle without adding the captaincy

 

[LeafSteel]

How would this move the ball forward?

Our captaincy isn’t the problem here, and it isn’t going to inspire Marner or Matthews to work harder.

 

[ULF_55]

I have no idea who might make a good captain.

If I had to guess based on what I see on the ice versus in the room it might be different.

Candidates? Tavares, Muzzin, Rielly, marner

I'm leaning towards Tavares, but I wonder if Muzzin might show a bit more desire in the role?

I wonder whether marner might be forced out of his comfort zone and that might be a good thing.

Obviously, it doesn't have to be your best player.

 

[ACC1224]

Doesn't seem like a very good idea.
Agreed on the smirking behind the net though, he should be ashamed of that.
Stuff like that shows he isn't ready to be a leader.

 

[LeafSteel]

Doesn't seem like a very good idea.
Agreed on the smirking behind the net though, he should be ashamed of that.
Stuff like that shows he isn't ready to be a leader.

That really was a mystifying and disappointing response.

Not saying for him to drop the gloves and start throwing, but he had a chance to show leadership, fire and pushback, and instead chose to do his best impression of the Sedins vs. the Bruins, which didn't work out so well for Vancouver either.

He's a big boy. All he needed to do was grab someone and take them down, and it would have been noticed. Instead, sent a very weak message and said we were fine with being pushed around.....

 

[ACC1224]

That really was a mystifying and disappointing response.

Not saying for him to drop the gloves and start throwing, but he had a chance to show leadership, fire and pushback, and instead chose to do his best impression of the Sedins vs. the Bruins, which didn't work out so well for Vancouver either.

He's a big boy. All he needed to do was grab someone and take them down, and it would have been noticed. Instead, sent a very weak message and said we were fine with being pushed around.....

Yep, a face wash can go a long way.

** think we're in for a long NFL season this year. It's been coming for a while, I guess we're due.

 

[Rob Brown]

That really was a mystifying and disappointing response.

Not saying for him to drop the gloves and start throwing, but he had a chance to show leadership, fire and pushback, and instead chose to do his best impression of the Sedins vs. the Bruins, which didn't work out so well for Vancouver either.

He's a big boy. All he needed to do was grab someone and take them down, and it would have been noticed. Instead, sent a very weak message and said we were fine with being pushed around.....

To be fair, he did draw a penalty which was clearly his goal.

 

[LeafSteel]

Yep, a face wash can go a long way.

** think we're in for a long NFL season this year. It's been coming for a while, I guess we're due.

I think we are lucky if we go .500. Big Ben is done and we are weaker on both sides of the line.

Feels so dirty watching the Browns beat us and the Ravens speed-bag us......

 

[ACC1224]

I think we are lucky if we go 9-9. Big Ben is done and we are weaker on both sides of the line.

Feels so dirty watching the Browns beat us......

Starting with a loss to the Bills week one,
Have a feeling it's going to be down hill from there.
I'll be content if they can at least beat the Ravens. Hate the Ravens.
I think .500 is overly optimistic.

 

[Racer88]

I have no idea who might make a good captain.

If I had to guess based on what I see on the ice versus in the room it might be different.

Candidates? Tavares, Muzzin, Rielly, marner

I'm leaning towards Tavares, but I wonder if Muzzin might show a bit more desire in the role?

I wonder whether marner might be forced out of his comfort zone and that might be a good thing.

Obviously, it doesn't have to be your best player.

Oh please god no not Marner. He is way to petulant and unwilling to accept any responsibility and we certainly can’t forget his own admission that he was not ready or prepared to start games twice in the last 2 playoffs

 

[Brown Dog]

I actually like the idea of Tavares passing the torch to Matthews. From the outside looking in, it makes sense.

 

[zeke]

It's been Auston's team since his first game.

Making Tavares the captain was a stupid petty Babcock/Shannyn decision.

 

[AnomX]

Straight up, I am a fan of John Tavares. However, I am wondering if the team would be better off if he were to offer the C to Matthews? Matthews was not ready for the challenge, imo, the year he signed his big ticket contract. I didn’t like his response behind the net v Montreal, the grinning thing, I wanted anger/passion/whatever. But, given Matthews time in the league, his undeniable position as our best player, the possibility that in donning the C he might raise his commitments towards team success even more, that it might help cement his passion for being a Leaf, might now be the time for JT to step aside, say to AM, ‘I’ll back you all the way’, and let the natural progression of who will Captain the team begin today. This is not an attempt to dog JT, or oversell AM, this is a question about who best leads the team forward as the Captain of the Leafs. If you care to comment, please keep it civil, thanks.

 

[Joey Hoser]

That really was a mystifying and disappointing response.

Not saying for him to drop the gloves and start throwing, but he had a chance to show leadership, fire and pushback, and instead chose to do his best impression of the Sedins vs. the Bruins, which didn't work out so well for Vancouver either.

He's a big boy. All he needed to do was grab someone and take them down, and it would have been noticed. Instead, sent a very weak message and said we were fine with being pushed around.....

I didn't view it like that at all.

The Sedins cowered.

Matthews laughed in the face of a guy who was trying and failing to start something, and drew a penalty.

I dont understand how people think that looked bad on Matthews.

 

[hamzarocks]

It's been Auston's team since his first game.

Making Tavares the captain was a stupid petty Babcock/Shannyn decision.

Matthews messed up not reporting the incident to the organization

Put them in a tough spot and forced us to make a quick decision to save face
We went and gave it to captain clean cut who has no off ice issues besides the cult of isle haters who want him hurt lol

Still don't get why we needed a captain specifically. We could have done the 4 Assistants thing another year and let it blow over before giving the C to Matthews the following year

 

[supermann_98]

It's been Auston's team since his first game.

Making Tavares the captain was a stupid petty Babcock/Shannyn decision.

Should have been Reilly due to tenure and what-not but agree that making Tavares was a stupid petty Babcock/Shanny decision

 

[34]

Everyone knows that Toronto is Auston Matthews team.

Auston should have been named captain to begin with, but it was Mike Babcock who would not allow it, and forced JT to be named captain. The beginning of the end.

 

[tmlms13]

Should have been Morgan Rielly fwiw.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

That really was a mystifying and disappointing response.

Not saying for him to drop the gloves and start throwing, but he had a chance to show leadership, fire and pushback, and instead chose to do his best impression of the Sedins vs. the Bruins, which didn't work out so well for Vancouver either.

He's a big boy. All he needed to do was grab someone and take them down, and it would have been noticed. Instead, sent a very weak message and said we were fine with being pushed around.....

You are not saying he should drop and shop.... ok I’ll say it, that’s exactly what he has to do,should have done and has to do to if he wants it to stop. He doesn’t have to do it all the time but there are times. That was one of them where you throw.
It was disgusting to watch that. I think at the time i picked Captain Morgan
You give it to for endorsements alone ha

 

[Dreakmur]

Should have been Morgan Rielly fwiw.

If the only consideration was to pick the best captain, it should have been Rielly.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

I didn't view it like that at all.

The Sedins cowered.

Matthews laughed in the face of a guy who was trying and failing to start something, and drew a penalty.

I dont understand how people think that looked bad on Matthews.

See I thought of it that way at first. Bit no it's a terrible look on Matthews especially in hindsight. There's a reason why nobody is linking that moment to anything guys like Crosby, Malkin, OV, Kopitar, etc. Playoff moments and instead it's being linked to the Sedins.

Leafs are mostly creampuffs and that moment showed you why. No one is saying punch the guy, but you let it be know that won't fly. Gosh I just cringe everytime I see that clip. Our PP sucks and Matthews couldn't score to save his life. In hindsight I would have much rather Matthews shown pushback. He would have still gotten the PP if it was subtle and even if he did rock the guy and it was offsetting minors, I'd take that over watching another man manhandle him.


Just watched it again you see the difference between a warrior in Hyman who went in and Matthews who just takes it. Also Nylander with the flyby..... Man these guys really are just all skill and not much else.