Toronto is in big trouble... Matthews's injury is still there. Surgery incoming?

[winnipegger]

Toronto actually has a deep lineup of forwards this year. Tavares playing great, Knies, Mccann providing depth scoring, Robertson turned it around somewhat, getting good goal tending for the first time since Cujo. Would be so funny to see a deep playoff run without their superstar when nobody expects it.

 

[NyQuil]

Toronto actually has a deep lineup of forwards this year. Tavares playing great, Knies, Mccann providing depth scoring, Robertson turned it around somewhat, getting good goal tending for the first time since Cujo. Would be so funny to see a deep playoff run without their superstar when nobody expects it.

I’ve said for years that the Leafs will only go on a deep run when no one expects it.

At least their first one with this group.

At a more nuanced level, the foundations are there in terms of better defensive play and good goaltending to date. Obviously their record is solid.

But I think going in with some adversity or lowered expectations could benefit them.

 

[Golden_Jet]

North Division Champs.

View attachment 952890

That’s not the Atlantic division, as you can see by the picture. That’s the Covid division.
Nevermind you were being facetious I think.

 

[BlueAzN]

Without that shot of his, he’s really a Tavares level player and we need better than that if the Leafs are gonna end the cup drought

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Record with AM 14-8-2 ,625
Record without AM 9-5-0 ,643

Regretting the NMC?

 

[PaulD]

Turkey? I thought he went to Thailand to get muscle massages?

I heard it was hair plugs

Non factor lmao

I think they did it before it just didn't work out

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

What a disappointment his career will become if he can't shake this mystery injury.

 

[Strangle]

Toronto actually has a deep lineup of forwards this year. Tavares playing great, Knies, Mccann providing depth scoring, Robertson turned it around somewhat, getting good goal tending for the first time since Cujo. Would be so funny to see a deep playoff run without their superstar when nobody expects it.

Soon to be even deeper after adding $13m of players before the TDL

 

[BallardEra]

 

[Mr Nogatco]

Soon to be even deeper after adding $13m of players before the TDL

i would be even more concerned if my team's leader and star player was cool with being shut down for the rest of the year just so they could add a few more players for the playoffs. what an inspiring captain

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Matthews comes back for game 1 of the playoffs. They use the cap space to add best players available which would be 13M.

Leafs are not trying to outscore other teams, that is why the wheels are not falling off. Sound defensive hockey.

Bold strategy, Cotton

 

[BraveCanadian]

This year Matthew$ has been so mediocre that the team has often looked better without him anyways. Lately they haven't been great, though.

Best thing to do would be shut him down until he's actually healthy because he isn't doing much while playing hurt.

 

[TheDoldrums]

This is why I wasn’t bothered by him taking a shorter extension. He’s had injury issues before and I don’t know how well he’ll age. Honestly a pretty risky decision for him to eschew an 8 year deal last time.

Recently he swaps between healthy seasons, when he’s a top 5 forward, and injury filled seasons where he’s just an average 1C. If the pattern holds he’ll be good again next year I guess.

 

[PaulD]

What a disappointment his career will become if he can't shake this mystery injury.

Injured or hurt?
Sounds like he doesn't like to play when he's hurt.
Load management.

 

[benfranklin]

Theyre getting by fine without him, but this will make the Marner contract that much tougher to swallow when it starts with a $13 or 14.

 

[PaulD]

i would be even more concerned if my team's leader and star player was cool with being shut down for the rest of the year just so they could add a few more players for the playoffs. what an inspiring captain

58 years since they last made it to the finals.
Shanahans job on the line

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

[PaulD]

I’ve said for years that the Leafs will only go on a deep run when no one expects it.

At least their first one with this group.

At a more nuanced level, the foundations are there in terms of better defensive play and good goaltending to date. Obviously their record is solid.

But I think going in with some adversity or lowered expectations could benefit them.

Deep run hasn't happened for over two decades ....... yea, they gotta be due one would think.

 

[HockeyVirus]

i would be even more concerned if my team's leader and star player was cool with being shut down for the rest of the year just so they could add a few more players for the playoffs. what an inspiring captain

Because it can't be a legitimate injury. He is 100% healthy just sucks and not a great leader for choosing to sit rather than play.

These narratives are getting ridiculous.

 

[Strangle]

i would be even more concerned if my team's leader and star player was cool with being shut down for the rest of the year just so they could add a few more players for the playoffs. what an inspiring captain

I doubt he’s cool with it, you’re just making shit up now

Bold strategy, Cotton

We knew starting the year that our GF should go down, our goal differential should go down …. But our goals against should ALSO go down.

And wins hopefully go up

And that’s exactly what’s been happening through the Christmas break

 

[Mr Nogatco]

I doubt he’s cool with it, you’re just making shit up now

Lmao i didn’t make up anything… you said they were adding $13M worth of players, how would they do that unless he went on LTIR?

 

[Leaf Fans]

Lmao i didn’t make up anything… you said they were adding $13M worth of players, how would they do that unless he went on LTIR?

He would have no choice in the matter. It does indicate "coolness" at all.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

He would have no choice in the matter. It does indicate "coolness" at all.

So you think they’d bench their team captain for half a year against his wishes? How do you think that would impact his relationship with the FO? I guess re-signing him in a few years isn’t a priority in that scenario.

 

[Leaf Fans]

So you think they’d bench their team captain for half a year against his wishes? How do you think that would impact his relationship with the FO? I guess re-signing him in a few years isn’t a priority in that scenario.

Of course not. Do you think they would do that? That is a very poor guess.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

Of course not. Do you think they would do that? That is a very poor guess.

You literally just said “he would have no choice in the matter”

 

[FissionFire]

He would have no choice in the matter. It does indicate "coolness" at all.

He might though. The NHL has to approve the medicals for all LTIR cases. If the player is saying he is ok to play it makes it really tough to justify LTIR unless it’s something major, which this doesn’t sound like. If Matthews says he can play and it’s just a discomfort thing it’ll be hard to present an LTIR case without his consent.