Speculation: Something is wrong with Matthews...

[saffronleaf]

something is clearly wrong right. something with his wrist / hand.

 

[NewEraGM]

I look at the experience of championship era players on the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in the State of California and you may as well be playing semi pro sports. There's virtually zero popular culture appeal to doing anything on those teams beyond the actual fanbase. Guys like Drew Doughty like to brag about being left alone on the beach but is it really that good?

I guess it’s a matter of preference. No one here can say one is better or worse for someone else. It’s up to that person and what they prefer.
I just get the sense that Matthews does kind of like keeping to himself. For the amount of fans he has in a city like Toronto, he doesn’t do a crazy amount of publicity or events. Maybe I’m wrong but I think Marner does a lot more…

I think he’s really into fashion and staying low key and I think LA and Anaheim can give him access to a new market where he won’t be pestered but he can still explore his interests. I don’t mean this in a bad way but he has a “too cooll for school” vibe and i think he would like it there

 

[ToneDog]

I look at the experience of championship era players on the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in the State of California and you may as well be playing semi pro sports. There's virtually zero popular culture appeal to doing anything on those teams beyond the actual fanbase. Guys like Drew Doughty like to brag about being left alone on the beach but is it really that good?

If Matty does not show any signs of wanting to resign, Matty to Anaheim for MacTavish, Drysdale, and 2023 and 2024 firsts or Matty to Seattle for Beniers, Wright, and 2 firsts.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I'm sure he'll go on a heater at some point and finish with around 50, but he looks mentally checked out.

 

[ACC1224]

Show me an article or anything that said it was Dubas that wanted 5 and Matthews wanted 8.

Please show me one from any reputable source. I’ll wait.

It came out when he signed.
Dubas messed up each contract in his own special way.
The shorter term, walking him to UFA with a NMC is the 'Matthews Special'.

 

[DarkKnight]

It came out when he signed.
Dubas messed up each contract in his own special way.
The shorter term, walking him to UFA with a NMC is the 'Matthews Special'.

Letting him go to UFA at 26, will end up being the biggest Dubas contract mistake. Front loaded, paid like a cup winner and he only extracted one year of UFA. Crazy. Matthews agent stuffed Dubas in a body bag.

 

[ACC1224]

Letting him go to UFA at 26, will end up being the biggest Dubas contract mistake. Front loaded, paid like a cup winner and he only extracted one year of UFA. Crazy. Matthews agent stuffed Dubas in a body bag.

Oh well, when you're a Manager in Training you're going to make mistakes.

 

[Havoc]

That Matthews Marner line is trashhhhhhhhh right now. Jeez.

I'm saying this with zero concern though. I fully expect domination sooner rather than later. But damn roast them up in the current moment. They deserve it.

 

[DarkKnight]

Oh well, when you're a Manager in Training you're going to make mistakes.

Ditto the coach. Throwing window years away while we gain experience.

 

[ACC1224]

That Matthews Marner line is trashhhhhhhhh right now. Jeez.

I'm saying this with zero concern though. I fully expect domination sooner rather than later. But damn roast them up in the current moment. They deserve it.

It all starts tonight.

 

[Nineteen67]

I think a lot of those guys have a skewed perception of just how "bad" Toronto / Canadian media can be. There's widespread interest here, but things only become "tough" when things go off the rails.

When you're in a winning Canadian market, there's arguably nothing better. I can't fathom winning a massive game 7 playoff game, and then moving 3 blocks away from the arena an hour after the game & not a single person having a clue what just happened.

You spend all that time in your career, for that level of anonimity? I remember a reporter going around Tampa asking a bunch of people around their arena how they would pronounce "Lecavalier". None of them had a clue...

It’s not that way now in TB.
Yes many love the anonymity

 

[Nineteen67]

That Matthews Marner line is trashhhhhhhhh right now. Jeez.

I'm saying this with zero concern though. I fully expect domination sooner rather than later. But damn roast them up in the current moment. They deserve it.

I thought that too, but Luke Fox‘s reporting about the atmosphere on Kyper‘s show yesterday is concerning.

The possibility of it not turning around exists.

 

[disgruntleddave]

First step is to put him with nylander instead of marner.

 

[Havoc]

I thought that too, but Luke Fox‘s reporting about the atmosphere on Kyper‘s show yesterday is concerning.

The possibility of it not turning around exists.

Have to be honest I am getting dark cloud vibes when it comes to this atmosphere thing. That's all hearsay right now though. Need more time to elapse to gauge it some more.

 

[Nineteen67]

Have to be honest I am getting dark cloud vibes when it comes to this atmosphere thing. That's all hearsay right now though. Need more time to elapse to gauge it some more.

I think we speculated there was something wrong, but Luke Fox witnessed it, that’s not hearsay.

 

[Gilmour1996]

Betting that much of any bad atmosphere is due to a few guys making way more than the rest of them, yet working the same hours and performing the same task (playing hockey for a living). That alone would cause animosity in any company. Although this exists in all pro sports, a rebalancing is needed. I think there is also something else going on, but an individual thing not the whole team. Suspect the usual things that occur in any company:

clubhouse lawyers, sh** disturbers, jealousy, too much partying after work, different rules for different people, hate the boss, etc. etc. Why should hockey be any different than the rest of our jobs?

 

[ACC1224]

I think we speculated there was something wrong, but Luke Fox witnessed it, that’s not hearsay.

It's also just his impression which could be meaningless.
I think we need to wait for a Jeffler tweet for confirmation.

 

[Nineteen67]

It's also just his impression which could be meaningless.
I think we need to wait for a Jeffler tweet for confirmation.

Refresh my memory, who is Jeffler?

 

[ACC1224]

Refresh my memory, who is Jeffler?

A twit(is that what you call a twitter pro?) that some like to post as having some type of keen insight.

 

[rocketman588]

Doesn't look like he gives a shit about the win either

 

[rocketman588]

I’ve been saying this forever but I’ll say it again, Matthews will be signing as a UFA in Anaheim.

- good young core (Mactavish, Drysdale, Zegras and others including a likely top 5 pick this year) many of which are American
- close to home but not the coyotes
- they will have a ton of cap space
- I can see him in California 100%
- in 2 more years they will be a playoff team

Can be Mike trout and never win anything and have that be ok because no one actually cares about the ducks

Regarding contract stuff

Will be interesting so see when he signs honestly. I don't remember when the next CBA is up but the world cup of hockey thing from yesterday tells me Gary's solution to it is going to be another lock out ( rumor is he wants a 60-40 split now) because he truly hates the game of hockey

 

[Griffin76]

Matthews just needs to drive his own line. Let Marner play with the puck on the second line where Tavares can pot some garbage type goals around the net when Marner gets tired of doing his curls and twists and turns. Let Nylander feast and dominate as the 3rd line C. And then have the ever steady Kampf on the 4th.

Bunting Matthews xxx
xxx Tavares Marner
xxx Nylander xxx
Aston-Reese Kampf xxx

 

[PromisedLand]

something is clearly wrong right. something with his wrist / hand.

he is playing bumper on the PP. When the best shot on the team is playing bumber then either his wrists are flaring up again or they are galaxy braining and frustrating matthews

It came out when he signed.
Dubas messed up each contract in his own special way.
The shorter term, walking him to UFA with a NMC is the 'Matthews Special'.

I recall Dreger and everyone else pumping up the cap hit saying Matthews will get close to or more than McDavid on the 8 year deal so they couldn't get the 8 year deal worked out because of cap reasons.

Dubas ruined the contracts and Leafs window of contention thats for sure

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[PromisedLand]

He needs to have the puck to shoot it. Marner and Bunting/akerfoot losing pucks in the o-zone and marner forcing plays giving away pucks is the main culprit IMO

Is Matthews suppose to drive the line, drive the possession, play defense as a center, win puck/board battles, pass the puck to himself, and shoot while his line mates chill?