What happens with Captaincy? Does Tavares walk in day 1 wearing the C?
Do you give it to Matthews? Do you roll another season with no Captain and then give it to one of them?
curious to see what would happen there. Would the current lineup including Matthews be a little annoyed that he comes from another team and throws on the C?
I speculated on this very thing in another thread and I think it's more problematic than simply bringing in a talented player into the fold.
Don Cherry has often spoke about chemistry and "big dog" players whose sense of identity/importance is a necessary element in their comfort leading which ever team they play for. So here we acquire John Tavares. Like Matthews he's a 1/1, a first overall draft pick. He's a captain now and he's been a captain for a while and he's only 27. To boot, he's a Torontonian.
How does that conversation go down? Would Lou whose a traditionalist in every sense of the word bring in a premier number one centre and captain of his team, whose from the city and say, although we don't have a captain in Toronto yet, we're going to name Auston Matthews some time in the next year or two? That doesn't sound like (what I perceive) our GM to provide as any kind of qualification to bring in a player like John Tavares. And I don't think Auston Matthews could help but be confused by the logical conclusion I think we have to draw that would see John Tavares brought in at a premier salary and with it an incoming captain from Toronto for Toronto.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't think Tavares fits our club as great as he is. The price point and term (won't) doesn't make sense given the direction we're heading with Matthews, Marner and Nylander. And not to be uncharitable and completely mindful of the Island's woes, but he hasn't affected that club to any great degree as their captain.
I just don't see a painless scenario in any respect concerning John Tavares. Far too (and unnecessarily so) complicated in my analysis.