TSN Radio Doughty's views on playing in Toronto

[Atomos2]

What do you think?

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[SprDaVE]

Yawn

 

[ACC1224]

What do you think?

Lots of thoughts here.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=133358997#post133358997

Nothing really surprising in his comments.

 

[Daisy Jane]

First of all - I would say that if he was drafted here (or even traded here) it would be 'life' there would be nothing TO be used to, that's what you know.

second of all who cares. that's minutia. like. some people make it sound that they can't go anywhere without people of Toronto flinging themselves at them. for the most part people have enough respect to leave them be. To me it sounds excuse-y. I always say if something happened and all the sunbelt/california teams relocated to hockey mad, hockey is king, you are the ONLY thing going for it places - thus - not be invisible, and on the back page of the sports section, then what? do y'all retire? or do you deal with it and move on with your life?

chances are it's the second option.

 

[Goonface2k14]

I can completely understand where Doughty's coming from. Makes sense.

However, at the same time, I'm sure there are other guys who would absolutely love the Toronto spotlight, and would definitely want to play with the Leafs now that they have a chance to be a contender. Especially players from the area. They realize what it would mean to be on the Leafs' team that finally won the Cup or even made the finals.

Just look at the status Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark even up until now. Those guys never even made it past the Conference Finals with the Leafs, and that was all the way back in the 90s. Just imagine the treatment you would get as a player in today's day and age, who was a key contributor to a Cup win or Finals appearance.

It's really all a matter of personal preference.

 

[Gabriel426]

I think for an okay players, they might not want to sign in TO bc the medias and fans will always make such a huge deal about it, ala Clarkson. I fail to understand that someone like Doughty would not like the spotlight, and won't have a bittersweet feeling when he sees how others are treated.

 

[Cor]

So he secretly wants to play in Toronto, but doesnt know if he wants to be a celebrity on the streets.

 

[cookie]

I kind of agree with Doughty but I wonder why basketball stars don't make this kind of celebrity status as big a deal. You had Durant moving to GSW, LeBron televising his decision, but rarely do players complain about the attention they get. The worst part of coming to Toronto for some players was their preconceived notions of what Toronto is, ie. how cold it gets.

Maybe part of it has to do with how most Canada-born and developed players are raised.

Personally, I think it's a front for not wanting to pay as much in taxes. Do NHL retirees stay/come back to Canada?

 

[Buds17]

It mainly comes down to winning. Whether it means something extra to win in your hometown compared to elsewhere is a matter of a player's opinion. In a case of either/or, I'd hope that players wouldn't put hometown ahead of winning, and I'd hope management thinks the same way. Wonderful if you can check off both boxes though, I'd guess.

 

[selltrade]

Doughty is skinny

 

[93LEAFS]

I kind of agree with Doughty but I wonder why basketball stars don't make this kind of celebrity status as big a deal. You had Durant moving to GSW, LeBron televising his decision, but rarely do players complain about the attention they get. The worst part of coming to Toronto for some players was their preconceived notions of what Toronto is, ie. how cold it gets.

Maybe part of it has to do with how most Canada-born and developed players are raised.

Personally, I think it's a front for not wanting to pay as much in taxes. Do NHL retirees stay/come back to Canada?

With Basketball players. A 6'6 person is probably used to standing out. They've been recognized since college everywhere, and have always stood out.

As for Doughty, I find it funny because during my college years I actually recognized him at a London bar and had drinks with him. Couture was also there, but he was hardly known at the time. This was the off-season after he won gold with Canada at the olympics.

 

[cookie]

I think for an okay players, they might not want to sign in TO bc the medias and fans will always make such a huge deal about it, ala Clarkson. I fail to understand that someone like Doughty would not like the spotlight, and won't have a bittersweet feeling when he sees how others are treated.

If it weren't for the salary cap, I don't think Clarkson would be hated (as much). It's a shame too that his body was breaking down just when he gets the chance to play for his childhood team.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Hopefully Tavares takes a little pay cut so we can fit Doughty in too

 

[New User Name]

I kind of agree with Doughty but I wonder why basketball stars don't make this kind of celebrity status as big a deal. You had Durant moving to GSW, LeBron televising his decision, but rarely do players complain about the attention they get. The worst part of coming to Toronto for some players was their preconceived notions of what Toronto is, ie. how cold it gets.

Maybe part of it has to do with how most Canada-born and developed players are raised.

Personally, I think it's a front for not wanting to pay as much in taxes. Do NHL retirees stay/come back to Canada?

Nope. The vast majority of them retire in the Land of The Free and Home Of The Brave.

Interesting though that the majority of European players playing in NA return home and American players playing for Canadian teams return home.

Though it is nice that the Canadian players visit Mom and Dad in Canada once in a while.

As for American basketball and baseball players playing in Toronto......I think they all return to the states in the off season. In fact I read somewhere that many of their families live in the US during the season.

Strange isn't it?

 

[Daisy Jane]

Nope. The vast majority of them retire in the Land of The Free and Home Of The Brave.

Interesting though that the majority of European players playing in NA return home and American players playing for Canadian teams return home.

Though it is nice that the Canadian players visit Mom and Dad in Canada once in a while.

As for American basketball and baseball players playing in Toronto......I think they all return to the states in the off season. In fact I read somewhere that many of their families live in the US during the season.

Strange isn't it?

maybe they don't want their kids to be bamboozled by the metric system and commonwealth living. (i am so not even making that up).

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

What a terrible reason for not coming to Toronto.

 

[Menzinger]

Part of that quote just reeks of "you better pay up LA" when his next contract is due.

That said heir is likely a grain of truth there - success makes teams an attractive place to be. Nobody wanted to play for the leafs in that 2004-14 period because get were one of the worst run organizations in professional sports.

Now it's got a great coach, lots of young stars, and there's no better place to play than Toronto when a team is winning.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Part of that quote just reeks of "you better pay up LA" when his next contract is due.

That said heir is likely a grain of truth there - success makes teams an attractive place to be. Nobody wanted to play for the leafs in that 2004-14 period because get were one of the worst run organizations in professional sports.

Now it's got a great coach, lots of young stars, and there's no better place to play than Toronto when a team is winning.

yah. but everyone knows that. that's not news

 

[Leaf handler]

Perfect, first rule of sales - you can't fix a concern unless you know what it is. Doughty laying it out for management to come in and sell him on why he wants to play in Toronto.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

What a terrible reason for not coming to Toronto.

Yeah in theory. But it's honest and likely reality for a lot of a players.

Some people love the attention and embrace the pressure and scrutiny or adoration. Some are type B personalities. They just want to be normal and do their thing without all the drama and intensity.

Personally I love that Toronto is this way. If you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen. We are the center of hockey. Not even disputable at this point.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

What do you think?

Why did this come up? Are we trying to land Doughty now?

 

[PlietscherDassel]

Makes sense. But really not that interesting to be honest. We knew that.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Hopefully Tavares takes a little pay cut so we can fit Doughty in too

What about Karlsson? He'll probably have to take a pay cut too?

 

[Borschevsky]

He's not saying anything​ we don't all already know or have speculated about how players feel about playing here. I have no problem with his stance.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

So he secretly wants to play in Toronto, but doesnt know if he wants to be a celebrity on the streets.

Maybe he's pulling a Tavares?