Oh Captain, my Captain!

[Dreakmur]

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.

The C too often gets used to pacify sensitive egos. Auston Matthews has never deserved the C.

 

[ULF_55]

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

Curious, did he score his one goal on that PP?

I know cheap shot ;-).

Other than Tavares, it would be Rielly if he takes a Parayko contract.

 

[banks]

I think fans know little to nothing about who would and should make a good captain. I don't think any of us have enough information to say Tavares "should" pass off the C to anyone. If it happens, it happens. But I'm not expecting any change. I trust that the players, coaches, and management know who the leadership group is.

 

[Buds17]

I'd worry that doing so at this point might make the story bigger than it needs to be.

 

[TMLegend]

No. /thread

 

[Twine Tickler]

Honestly JT has lead by example his whole career. I honestly think Mitch and Auston care deeply about their craft. It is obvious in the way they come into camp every year. They improve year over year, so to suggest they don't care is probably a bit unfair. They just haven't been able to put the team on their backs when we need them to do so the most. Until then, I just don't see why they even have letters TBH. They don't appear to be overally vocal guys either from an outside perspective. So I am not sure what they are doing to lead. To me it was an obvious set of captains the last couple years and it really could have gone to any of the 3: JT, Hyman, and Mo. They lead by example day in and day out and they are well respected players. But that is my outside the room opinion that means jack shit. No matter who wears what letter, everyone knows who the leaders are in the room. It's just nice when the organization gets it right and rewards those guys. Who knows if that is the case or not

 

[ZEBROA]

Cant be Marner thats for sure. Who would take that boy serious in the lockerroom?

But it could be anybody who the guys listen to.

Would have been interesting with Chara and Babcock on the same team.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Is offering Matthews the C supposed change the pattern of their yearly chokejobs? Because it won't make a difference. Bieber boy isn't ready yet anyway, he still has some growing up to do.

 

[ITM]

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

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

Mmm...Wasn't stupid or petty. Seemed like a character-driven motivation move (naming Tavares and as importantly not naming Matthews.).

Not comparing chalk to cheese, but the Matthews incident is in that same universe of completely inconsiderate behavior that takes on higher degrees of repulsion. For the face of a sports franchise, let alone The Toronto Maple Leafs, that turn was surely a non-negotiable when deliberating between the two. And we all remember, it WAS between Matthews and Tavares.

I agree to a point. It looks and feels like Matthews team in that he does (in the regular season) single-handedly turn the tide in our favor.

I think most of us hope to see Matthews the leader emerge in a way we see his potential informing.

I can't remember if the incident happened on or off Lou's watch.

Watching the Islanders construct a team of friendly contracts hurts. I think it hurts in the sense that those players might not be necessarily be a club of altruists but for Lou's insistence with the kind of believable clout that only championships bring. We don't know what those Islanders look like today without Lou's steady hand.

We sure as Shinola know what we look like without it though.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Matthews who just takes it.

Take what? He didn't get beat up or punched or manhandled in any way. The guy tried and FAILED, and got laughed at for it.

If you are mad, and try to start a fight with somebody who isn't mad, and instead they just laugh at you, you are the loser.

Like, if Matthews didn't fight because he was afraid, then I would get it. But that's not what happened.

 

[Lauro]

Because Matthews showed so much leadership during our marvellous playoff run last season or why?

 

[Ashdown2]

and does it even matter ?

 

[Menzinger]

I don't think anyone who hasn't spent substantial time in the dressing room can answer that one way or the other.

It's clear Tavares carries a huge amount of respect on the team though.

 

[keonsbitterness]

Threads like this are why threads like this should not exist.

 

[Anthrax442]

It should have been Matthews to begin with

 

[pucksakes666]

Matthews seems more occupied by fashion and building his brand than trying to improve and help the team

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Take what? He didn't get beat up or punched or manhandled in any way. The guy tried and FAILED, and got laughed at for it.

If you are mad, and try to start a fight with somebody who isn't mad, and instead they just laugh at you, you are the loser.

Like, if Matthews didn't fight because he was afraid, then I would get it. But that's not what happened.

Did you not see the video? He got rag dolled lol. He was punched/shoved in the back of his head multiple times. If it wasn't for Hyman dragging Charriot he would have got a couple more in too.

 

[Gabriel426]

JT leads by example but he needs to do more with a young team esp if those young guns feel more talented than him.

 

[sittler rules!!!]

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.

Should have been given to Morgan with JT given an A.

 

[Racer88]

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

Agreed 100%……..can you imagine how pumped the team would have been if Matthews had started throwing hammers instead of a nervous laughing while been abused. It might have changed the entire tone of the series.
That alone showed he does not deserve to be Captain

 

[yubbers]

This was always gonna be Matty's team. He knew it. We all knew it. Then John came in out of nowhere and scooped it up. The incident with pulling his shorts down was a complete nothing but of course in cringe woke fashion.... The media and virtue signalling management made a big deal of it. It was the beginning of the end for Matthews here.

Zero chance AM resigns imho.

 

[yubbers]

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.

Because it wouldn't change how Johnny plays at all. It could change how Matty plays. Would you not be crusty if you were a first round phenom destined to wear the C and a free agent signing stripped you of that? I would.

Let's not pretend sports psychology isn't a thing.

 

[The90]

Because it wouldn't change how Johnny plays at all. It could change how Matty plays. Would you not be crusty if you were a first round phenom destined to wear the C and a free agent signing stripped you of that? I would.

Let's not pretend sports psychology isn't a thing.

You mean the other first round phenom who’s older and had already worn the c for years for another franchise? He’s not some chump wearing it. He was coming off a career year as well.

I get where you’re coming from here, but there was no right or wrong decision here. Toronto is a polarizing market and clearly the management felt it was best suited and likely the less risky decision to give it to the guy who’s been around a while than putting more weight on their young superstars shoulders. I was ok with it going to either

 

[yubbers]

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

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

Odd how you left out the GM in that equation. Hahaha. Babs was fired a month later. Doubt he had much say.

 

[yubbers]

You mean the other first round phenom who’s older and had already worn the c for years for another franchise? He’s not some chump wearing it. He was coming off a career year as well.

I get where you’re coming from here, but there was no right or wrong decision here. Toronto is a polarizing market and clearly the management felt it was best suited and likely the less risky decision to give it to the guy who’s been around a while than putting more weight on their young superstars shoulders. I was ok with it going to either

I'm not slighting JT at all. On paper he's the right choice. I just think it was the wrong decision. I think a guy line Matty needs to be the guy. It's held him back mentally imho. I'm off course speculating.