Oh Captain, my Captain!

[Aashir]

Closest thing to a true captain here is either Rielly or Muzzin.

 

[Antropovsky]

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.

I mean Matthews was laughing it off (wasn't acting scared) showing the refs that he was not going to retaliate and give them the opportunity to even out the penalties. Also... even if Montreal was given 4 minutes and the Leafs 2 minutes, losing Matthews wouldn't have been wise.

I hope Tavares and Keefe and the rest of the leafs were losing their shi* on the refs for not giving an additional 2 minutes for roughing. Or maybe a leaf should've came in and offered to fight. Quinn would've been cussing the refs up and down the ice... and even in the post game conference. Then again he had alot of clout in comparison to rookie Keefe.

Who needs to learn from this? Keefe and Dubas... and dubas has kept Simmonds, and added Ritchie which might be an indication he learned a bit.

 

[Racer88]

I mean Matthews was laughing it off (wasn't acting scared) showing the refs that he was not going to retaliate and give them the opportunity to even out the penalties. Also... even if Montreal was given 4 minutes and the Leafs 2 minutes, losing Matthews wouldn't have been wise.

I hope Tavares and Keefe and the rest of the leafs were losing their shi* on the refs for not giving an additional 2 minutes for roughing. Or maybe a leaf should've came in and offered to fight. Quinn would've been cussing the refs up and down the ice... and even in the post game conference. Then again he had alot of clout in comparison to rookie Keefe.

Who needs to learn from this? Keefe and Dubas... and dubas has kept Simmonds, and added Ritchie which might be an indication he learned a bit.

How about 6’4” 220lb Matthews stand up for himself. I would have gladly lost Matthews for 2 minutes. It’s not like he was scoring or anything.
I would hope it would stir up and give the team a bump……..maybe even inspire them to see their best player fighting for his space on the ice.
It was humiliating and it’s no reason why teams generally have their way physically with the leafs………no guts

 

[Joey Hoser]

I bet the people who think Matthews should have dropped the gloves and fought at the slightest bit of aggression towards him, also complain about how young people are so sensitive and easily offended.

 

[Antropovsky]

How about 6’4” 220lb Matthews stand up for himself. I would have gladly lost Matthews for 2 minutes. It’s not like he was scoring or anything.
I would hope it would stir up and give the team a bump……..maybe even inspire them to see their best player fighting for his space on the ice.
It was humiliating and it’s no reason why teams generally have their way physically with the leafs………no guts

Or maybe he re-injures his wrist and is out or playoffs? Then people would be calling him dumb.

 

[ACC1224]

I bet the people who think Matthews should have dropped the gloves and fought at the slightest bit of aggression towards him, also complain about how young people are so sensitive and easily offended.

I don’t think anyone wanted him to fight just not stand there and take it. I can’t think of any other top player who would have reacted the same as he did.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I don’t think anyone wanted him to fight just not stand there and take it. I can’t think f any other top player who would have reacted the same as he did.

A double gloved fist shove to the upper chest area would have satisfied me. Anything really. His response basically announced "Throw whatever abuse you want at me, I'm just going to take it."

 

[Joey Hoser]

A double gloved fist shove to the upper chest area would have satisfied me. Anything really. His response basically announced "Throw whatever abuse you want at me, I'm just going to take it."

I'm still not getting this angle. Again, if Matthews cowered or was afraid, then I would get it.

But if you try to fight me, and instead of fighting I laugh in your face and you have to slink away without getting what you wanted, then I win and you look like an idiot.

 

[Sypher04]

I'm still not getting this angle. Again, if Matthews cowered or was afraid, then I would get it.

But if you try to fight me, and instead of fighting I laugh in your face and you have to slink away without getting what you wanted, then I win and you look like an idiot.

just another in a long line of ridiculous offseason narratives

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I'm still not getting this angle. Again, if Matthews cowered or was afraid, then I would get it.

But if you try to fight me, and instead of fighting I laugh in your face and you have to slink away without getting what you wanted, then I win and you look like an idiot.

Just saying, in the grand scheme of things, only one teams' players came off looking like idiots and getting pushed around was no small part of it.

 

[Joey Hoser]

only one teams' players came off looking like idiots

Yeah, the guy who tried to start a fight, failed, got laughed at and penalized, sure looked like an idiot.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I don’t think anyone wanted him to fight just not stand there and take it.

He didn't "just stand there and take it". He laughed in his face and drew a PP. General sentiment at the time was that it was hilarious and awesome. The discussion around it has only changed since the loss.

 

[HarryLime]

Mats was the last captain to me. The ones since then have just been formalities.


Tavares is probably a nice guy, but he is so damn ordinary on and off the ice. I doubt he's ever given a speech in his life. I don't think Matthews is exactly captain material, even though I'm a fan. I wish Rielly was given the C. He's been there the longest and shows more traits than anyone else we have.

 

[Christ]

Or maybe he re-injures his wrist and is out or playoffs? Then people would be calling him dumb.

Agreed, despite his size, we do not want Matthews fighting, particularly when he has a gimpy wrist which had kept him out earlier in the season and looked to be troubling him more as the series with Montreal progressed. We picked up guys like Simmons and Foligno last season so that they could deal with the fighting and our stars (Matthews/Marner/Nylander) would not need to do so. Hopefully the off season surgery fully resolves whatever has been ailing Matthew's wrist last season.

 

[al secord]

Laughing off an idiot holding onto you knowing he'll do nothing is the best way to handle such a ridiculous part of hockey. You people realize they're looking for retaliation, right? What an idiotic thing to criticize.

 

[ACC1224]

Yeah, the guy who tried to start a fight, failed, got laughed at and penalized, sure looked like an idiot.

He wasn't trying to start a fight. Scrums after whistles are very common, particularly in the playoffs.
For a team that is known to be soft and play a little timid it just helped to reinforce that view.
I can't recall another instance where a star player just stood and took it without pushing back.
I'm sure he's been advised and it won't happen again.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Yeah, the guy who tried to start a fight, failed, got laughed at and penalized, sure looked like an idiot.

He sure didn't when they were shaking hands at the end of the series.

 

[Racer88]

I don’t think anyone wanted him to fight just not stand there and take it. I can’t think f any other top player who would have reacted the same as he did.

Agreed a nice face wash and thunder him with a few hard checks would have gone a long way to gain some respect

 

[Racer88]

I’m not saying he has to become Bob Probart but at some point you have to be a man and stand up for yourself especially in a violent sport like hockey.
I guess the pacifist’s don’t understand that

 

[Menzinger]

I'm still not getting this angle. Again, if Matthews cowered or was afraid, then I would get it.

But if you try to fight me, and instead of fighting I laugh in your face and you have to slink away without getting what you wanted, then I win and you look like an idiot.

Agreed. Always thought the negative reaction to the laugh seemed to miss the point.

There's too much performative nonsense in pro hockey as there is.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

There are no real leaders in that locker room. Just passengers. JT shouldn’t even have the C.