Which of our core do you find "likeable"?

[Tufted Titmouse]

This fan base is so ass backwards. A lot of the guys are fantastic people personally. There’s no reason to HATE them. A lot of the hate comes from personal jealously.

The hate Marner gets is actually outrageous. People hate on him because he streams gaming (like 100’s of other athletes do and don’t get as much hate) People forget these guys are still so young. I like each of the core, I think they have unique personalities. I don’t really care what they do in their spare time. Having a good work life balance is critical. If you watch the pre-season media you’d know Marner probably watches the most hockey on the team he’s a hockey nerd, but he also likes to game. These guys can’t really be out in public like normal people all the time.

Matthews gets shit on for liking fashion and being in the space. I don’t get why that even matters.

I think they are all fine people, of course we want them to win. But they are not bad people and really don’t deserve hate in general

I think you are projecting a bit here. This thread isn't "Who do you HATE", it's which guys do you like.

Certain players simply connect better with their fanbases. Wendel was a folk hero, Douggie was as well. Most people loved Mats. Eddie the Eagle was a legend. Darcy, etc.

Then there were good players who just didn't develop that kind of following. I am wondering who those players are, who are connecting well with the fanbase.

You are the first person to mention the word hate in this thread. There are very few players I actually hate.

 

[francis246]

I think you are projecting a bit here. This thread isn't "Who do you HATE", it's which guys do you like.

Certain players simply connect better with their fanbases. Wendel was a folk hero, Douggie was as well. Most people loved Mats. Eddie the Eagle was a legend. Darcy, etc.

Then there were good players who just didn't develop that kind of following. I am wondering who those players are, who are connecting well with the fanbase.

You are the first person to mention the word hate in this thread. There are very few players I actually hate.

The way you see people talk about this core though, screams hate. No matter what this core does people are unhappy with them, have a criticism take personal shots at them, from what they wear, to what they do in their spare time, to being upset that one of them posted engagement photos.

I think playing in Toronto it’s hard to connect and really put your life out there and be in the community when it feels like so many people despise you.

Sundin, Gilmour, Clarke, Cuju Roberts, McCabe, Kaberle, Domi ect, had the benefit of playing in the pre-social media era. They didn’t have to deal with the shit these players have to deal with. (Yes they also won series which helped), but it’s not even close to the access people have to players now compared to then.

McCabes time didn’t end well here, but could you imagine if social media was like it was now around the time he was basically a tire fire. Holy lol.

 

[HockeyVirus]

This question is different answers if the Leafs won or lost their last game. Last year people loved Marner and Matthews again and after 2 losses out of 4 games they are bums

 

[SeaOfBlue]

They are all likeable to various extents.

I imagine Marner is the least likable. Whether that is by his own doing or his agent/father, who knows. Seems like a nice guy but comes off as entitled more than most. Good player though, but one that needs to show up when it counts far more often than he has.

Rielly is probably the most likable. Nice guy and rarely fails to meet expectations (which are obviously lower than everyone on this list except Nylander). Matthews comes in soon after that for the same reason, but he has a lot more pressure than Rielly.

I feel like Nylander is more frustrating than unlikable. People should be over the contract thing by now. He is more than meeting expectations, but he always shows there is more that he can do but never consistently... And then there are times when he flat out disappears too. Nothing about him really makes him "unlikable" to me though.

JT is similar to Nylander in that he "frustrates" people but I think that has is more on the fans than anything he does. He is not overly emotional, loud, or flashy... Which is not much unlike Rielly and is probably a good thing when you have guys like Marner on the team. A lot of the good things he does goes unnoticed, and he is underrated as a result.

 

[Oscar Peterson]

I find Nylander the most likeable, mostly because of his hair
I really like Matthews as well, great fashion and I like how he hangs out with celebrities, just seems super cool

Marner in terms of off ice personality would definitely be my least favourite but I love watching him play hockey so who cares.

Overall I’d say that I find the players likeable, a whole lot more likeable than the coach. I will say this, people around my age who aren’t die hard hockey fans like this iteration of the team a lot more than old ones. Particularly Matthews.

 

[Nineteen67]

This question is different answers if the Leafs won or lost their last game. Last year people loved Marner and Matthews again and after 2 losses out of 4 games they are bums

I didn’t care much for Matthews last year but he’s grown on me because he seems to care. Mariner has so much skill with the puck that he's fun to watch.

As for outside of hockey, I’m glad I don’t have to ever be around people like them

 

[All Mod Cons]

This fan base is so ass backwards. A lot of the guys are fantastic people personally. There’s no reason to HATE them. A lot of the hate comes from personal jealously.

The hate Marner gets is actually outrageous. People hate on him because he streams gaming (like 100’s of other athletes do and don’t get as much hate) People forget these guys are still so young. I like each of the core, I think they have unique personalities. I don’t really care what they do in their spare time. Having a good work life balance is critical. If you watch the pre-season media you’d know Marner probably watches the most hockey on the team he’s a hockey nerd, but he also likes to game. These guys can’t really be out in public like normal people all the time.

Matthews gets shit on for liking fashion and being in that space. I don’t get why that even matters.

I think they are all fine people, of course we want them to win. But they are not bad people and really don’t deserve hate in general

How did you get from "unlikable" to "hate". Is this more exaggerating again?

 

[ACC1224]

I find Nylander the most likeable, mostly because of his hair
I really like Matthews as well, great fashion and I like how he hangs out with celebrities, just seems super cool

Marner in terms of off ice personality would definitely be my least favourite but I love watching him play hockey so who cares.

Overall I’d say that I find the players likeable, a whole lot more likeable than the coach. I will say this, people around my age who aren’t die hard hockey fans like this iteration of the team a lot more than old ones. Particularly Matthews.

Enjoy the game tonight!

 

[Stephen]

I like all of them as much as anyone can like a 20 something multi millionaire athlete but really their popularity level comes from what happens on the ice.

 

[francis246]

I didn’t care much for Matthews last year but he’s grown on me because he seems to care. Mariner has so much skill with the puck that he's fun to watch.

As for outside of hockey, I’m glad I don’t have to ever be around people like them

This is the type of posts I referencing in my original post. What about them outside of hockey is so bad? There’s nothing to suggest anything about their personality is bad.

From what I’ve heard, Marner is genuinely one of the nicest guys out there. Bunting is my age and went to the Catholic school beside my public high school in Scarborough . (All my friends went to the Catholic one) so they were all in his friend group and they love Bunting and he still makes time for them to this day, they all say Matthews is a gem as well.

Just seems like a lot of older people making assumptions about these guys because they are young

 

[mikeyz]

I think it's fair. Players become legends in big moments in the playoffs, and our guys haven't had that moment with the fans yet.

I imagine a lot of the drama dissapears with a big playoff run.

Exactly.

Doesn't make me upset, just laugh at the amount of negativity in this place, every thread is negative.

This one will predictably turn into "all entitled kids who are enabled by the GM and soft coach."

Every one of those players is likable, when things are going well, they are all fun in the media, and great on the ice, I am sure they are more likable then.

Well. That's because this core has given us no reason to be positive or get excited.

When they actually do something in the playoffs like win a round, then we'll talk.

 

[Oscar Peterson]

Enjoy the game tonight!

Thanks dude!
My childhood friend from Texas is visiting Toronto for a couple of days, so it ended up being the perfect game to go to. Haha

 

[1specter]

Nylander. Only guy who doesn't really bitch and he just goes out and plays despite all the backlash and borderline xenophobic comments he's received over the years. He's also been a better playoff performer and big game player than the other core players in recent years IMO, while dealing with the shorter end of the stick in terms of linemates and usage (e.g. having to play 3C or 2C in the past when the team couldn't get the other lines to work or had to deal with suspensions and injuries, also getting less PP time).

He seems to have a certain calmness and maturity to him that I don't necessarily see in AM or MM. And while stuff was blown up about Michael Nylander etc, in the end Nylander took the most fair deal and has been involved in minimal off-ice controversy while Marner's entourage has continuously brought issues and we know about AM's legal history as well. From what I've heard he's also really nice to fans off the ice.

 

[francis246]

How did you get from "unlikable" to "hate". Is this more exaggerating again?

Some people view it as unlikeable, idk I’m just judging based on comments I see on their IG posts, on Twitter, on here. A lot of it in my opinion is hate, which is to be expected for pro athletes. I think the term “unlikeable” is a dummied down version of what’s spewed on this board and social media in my personal opinion. Some may disagree.

 

[MarioLeMoose]

I like watching AM, MM and WN play hockey, but I‘d probably only want to have a beer with Nylander or Rielly.

No beer with Auston? He would be hilarious to have a beer with
Matthews is definitely likeable IMO the guys got so much swagger on top of being the best goal scorer in the world

 

[All Mod Cons]

Some people view it as unlikeable, idk I’m just judging based on comments I see on their IG posts, on Twitter, on here. A lot of it in my opinion is hate, which is to be expected for pro athletes. I think the term “unlikeable” is a dummied down version of what’s spewed on this board and social media in my personal opinion. Some may disagree.

I think people are answering the question as it was written and saying who is likable and who is unlikable. I don't think there's hate involved.

But that's society today right? If you don't like something you're told you hate it. It's like the usual you get with if you don't like Dubas, it must mean you don't like glasses. And you don't like people in their 30's called Kyle.

Society would be far better off without these people, but what can you do? The Purge was only a movie.

 

[ACC1224]

Thanks dude!
My childhood friend from Texas is visiting Toronto for a couple of days, so it ended up being the perfect game to go to. Haha

Nice, that worked out well.

 

[DuklaNation]

I voted none. Their personalities are as dry as the Sahara desert.

 

[francis246]

I think people are answering the question as it was written and saying who is likable and who is unlikable. I don't think there's hate involved.

But that's society today right? If you don't like something you're told you hate it. It's like the usual you get with if you don't like Dubas, it must mean you don't like glasses. And you don't like people in their 30's called Kyle.

Society would be far better off without these people, but what can you do? The Purge was only a movie.

I def agree with you, there can be various levels to not liking a player. Like I mentioned, I used Marner as an example, because I do legitimately think after his contract situation people genuinely hate his guts, think he’s entitled want him off the team. I think the level of distain for a guy like Marner surpassed “unlikeable” a longgg time ago. And again it’s just my personal observations of how I see it, I just feel it’s gone overboard for some players.

I personally like all of them, they’re good players. Hopefully they can win. But I think a lot of people intertwine the core’s personality with their play. For example people think Marner is soft or not a man in life outside of hockey so they use that bias to equate it to his play and it really couldn’t be further from the truth.

 

[Puckstuff]

Only 40 % voted for Matthews despite coming off an MVP, rocket Richard winning year. That's really something.

I always felt his personality and demeanour changed in the media the day after he didn't get the captaincy. In his rookie years he acted like Toews.

I was surprised to see Nylander first among the forwards.

I also think one of the reasons (among many) is that there is an inverse relationship between how much a player makes and his like-ability.

 

[notbias]

Only 40 % voted for Matthews despite coming off an MVP, rocket Richard winning year. That's really something.

I always felt his personality and demeanour changed in the media the day after he didn't get the captaincy. In his rookie years he acted like Toews.

I was surprised to see Nylander first among the forwards.

I also think one of the reasons (among many) is that there is an inverse relationship between how much a player makes and his like-ability.

The poll is probably about who people are least mad at for playoffs. If this was after Nylander pulled up in the playoffs he'd be last.

 

[therealkoho]

I know it's a multi-select one but decided to only pick one guy: Captain Morgan

I'm still bitter that JT got the C over him, terrible choice IMO. I'd rather have gone with all multiple A's until AM signs an 8 year deal.

They're all likeable in a way:
- Morgan: obvious, who can hate the guy? only thing not to like is he's not a top D in the NHL (I don't mean a #1 pairing, i mean a perennial Norris finalist). He also re-signed at arguably a discount/favorable contract
- Matthews: has the confidence and swagger, who doesn't like the rockets. If he leads by example by playing mean the whole year he'd take #1 for me
- JT: well he decided to come back home on a small "discount", Dubas bungling the initial contracts for the kids isn't JT's fault. He just strikes me as a weak captain that gets pushed around. Never see the passion from him on the ice.
- Willy: contract negotiations will always be a mark against him with the Pasta comparable. Otherwise, gotta admire his IDGAF attitude and nothing seems to bother him
- Marner: least likable due to contract (still a big Dubas problem if the 8x8 was an option as previously reported) and probably still being overpaid vs peers. Still seems like something is missing to make him competing with Morgan/AM34 for most likable.

I'm in total agreement about the C, it should've been Morgan! It's a natural "Captain Morgan" what a missed marketing opportunity. The contract he signed was very team friendly compared to what other Dmen are signing for it's practically a theft.

Matty, I hate to break it to you but AM is never going to commit to 8 years, The guy is mucho unreal, so much talent and that shot! but from the very first interview, and I have no idea as to what it was, but I just found him to be disingenuous and I still do. He is all about AM, he doesn't care about the sweater and never will, no matter where he plays. He is just that guy.

Willie, the contract negotiations, an off and on laissez-faire attitude on the ice, nuff said!

JT doesn't like the pressure of Toronto but you really couldn't ask for a better 2C, he produces, he doesn't complain and it seems most of his team-mates respect him.

MM. There is no end to his ego that's for sure, but the guy is an unbelievably talented player. To me he is like that good kid you knew who fell in with the bad crowd. Mitch was born to be a Leaf, it's all he has ever wanted and then "the contract" happened and he seemingly went from "this is so great to be playing in my hometown" to "why do these people hate me, the fans can go take a flying f*** at a rolling donut for all I care!"

Truth is Auston Matthews signing for 5 years poisoned the well for Mitch, players for the most part do the monkey see monkey do and so I believe Mitch went from "ok lets' do this for 8 years," to "wait a minute, hold on, maybe 8 years is kind of dumb, and it's alright that JT makes more than I do, but not that much more!" If you want the extra two years you have to pay me as much as AM."

The Leafs could've done it but Matthews wanted to be the highest paid Leaf end of story, and if they paid Mitch the same amount, they would've had a very disgruntled superstar on their hands.

There is no doubt that Dubas screwed up the contract situations with WN, MM and AM. It's always been understood that your best guys get locked up for 8 years which normally makes their third contract their first UFA at 27-30 yrs old.

Dubas should have bounced Willy to the desert as soon as he signed and brought a truckload in players and picks back. It would have changed the dynamics when he sat down with Matthews. He should have said no deal to Matty unless it's an 8 year contract, "you either want to be here or you don't." Dealing with MM would've been that much easier getting done instead of the shovel fight it became.

It's easy to sit on the outside and say "shoulda, coulda, woulda, but when you look around the league and then look at the Leafs, it's easy to see what's going on. Which is exactly why what's happened over the last 3 days happened.

If they don't win it all this year let alone 1 round, Dubas should be gone and so too should a few of the underachieving players, I'm sure there are GM's who would be more than happy taking certain guys off our hands! Toronto can start the whole thing over again with a roster full of really solid players including a goaltender(although he may already be here) and a mitt full of draft picks.

 

[therealkoho]

This is the type of posts I referencing in my original post. What about them outside of hockey is so bad? There’s nothing to suggest anything about their personality is bad.

From what I’ve heard, Marner is genuinely one of the nicest guys out there. Bunting is my age and went to the Catholic school beside my public high school in Scarborough . (All my friends went to the Catholic one) so they were all in his friend group and they love Bunting and he still makes time for them to this day, they all say Matthews is a gem as well.

Just seems like a lot of older people making assumptions about these guys because they are young

get off the ageism you're assuming something that just isn't there

 

[Dekes For Days]

Our core is all very likeable. Our media and a subset of our fans, less so.

 

[ACC1224]

This is the type of posts I referencing in my original post. What about them outside of hockey is so bad? There’s nothing to suggest anything about their personality is bad.

From what I’ve heard, Marner is genuinely one of the nicest guys out there. Bunting is my age and went to the Catholic school beside my public high school in Scarborough . (All my friends went to the Catholic one) so they were all in his friend group and they love Bunting and he still makes time for them to this day, they all say Matthews is a gem as well.

Just seems like a lot of older people making assumptions about these guys because they are young

Aren't you doing that very thing here?