Around the NHL 2019-20

[Porter Stoutheart]

I would not hold my breath waiting for the Leafs to suspend him. They have a lot riding on this season already, and a lot riding longer term on making Matthews happy. I'm sure they will be content to let "boys be boys" in this case.

Maybe the best punishment in these cases is just going to keep coming from the public/victims. The more these things are actually reported - and bonus points if embarrassing video is available in this increasingly digital age - maybe some of these "boys" will have to be a little more careful about how they behave. I don't think NHL teams, and maybe not even the judicial system, are going to be the first bastions of deterrence in these cases. Sheer embarrassment and public humiliation might have the biggest impact. (Not saying this is how it should be - but might be how it turns out, alas.) Matthews isn't going to live this one down, even if there are no further official repercussions. That should help him grow, you'd think. (He has probably done similar things before, right, and so have lots of other people - just without it being exposed never had as much cause to rethink their ways.)

 

[predfan24]

Not knocking you here, and I know there are obviously far, far worse things on the planet than this, but I wish acting stupid while drunk wasn't so easily dismissed (in general as well as on hockey message boards). Being intoxicated past the point of good judgment can equally lead to relatively "harmless" incidents as well as horrific. The Leafs' fans chorus on this increasingly sounds like a "boys will be boys" defense.

I don't disagree with you. I also don't believe being drunk is an excuse for bad behavior. I think he should be held accountable and the fact that he tried to hide it makes it worse. I'm cool with him getting punished. I just don't get the outrage. To me, just like the Watson incident, there are different levels of bad behavior. This was childish and immature, and, I'm sure I'll get roasted for using this saying, but it doesn't seem like a huge deal.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I don't disagree with you. I also don't believe being drunk is an excuse for bad behavior. I think he should be held accountable and the fact that he tried to hide it makes it worse. I'm cool with him getting punished. I just don't get the outrage. To me, just like the Watson incident, there are different levels of bad behavior. This was childish and immature, and, I'm sure I'll get roasted for using this saying, but it doesn't seem like a huge deal.

I'm not big on outrage ahead of the facts (and most of the posters on our board are pretty level-headed!). For me, a lot depends upon how it exactly played out and the security officer's experience. If she was aware they were around there, and intoxicated, and acting stupidly, that's one thing. If she's sitting there unaware of their presence and then there are suddenly drunk guys trying to open her car doors, that could have been a pretty petrifying few minutes. If that was the case, I feel a bit stronger on it.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I'm not big on outrage ahead of the facts (and most of the posters on our board are pretty level-headed!). For me, a lot depends upon how it exactly played out and the security officer's experience. If she was aware they were around there, and intoxicated, and acting stupidly, that's one thing. If she's sitting there unaware of their presence and then there are suddenly drunk guys trying to open her car doors, that could have been a pretty petrifying few minutes. If that was the case, I feel a bit stronger on it.

Especially if he wasn't wearing pants. This doesn't sound like a "simple mooning" according to the video. More like his pants were off. No matter what, it's an unfortunate situation and sure sounds like there should be some kind of legal action.

 

[predfan24]

I'm not big on outrage ahead of the facts (and most of the posters on our board are pretty level-headed!). For me, a lot depends upon how it exactly played out and the security officer's experience. If she was aware they were around there, and intoxicated, and acting stupidly, that's one thing. If she's sitting there unaware of their presence and then there are suddenly drunk guys trying to open her car doors, that could have been a pretty petrifying few minutes. If that was the case, I feel a bit stronger on it.

We don’t really know the context. I’m assuming this group of drunken guys intentions weren’t harmful and they were too drunk and ignorant to understand how they were presenting themselves to the female officer. My assumptions might be wrong.

 

[OldFan]

Right?

Wonder what was going through the female security officer's head as she sat there alone in her car with a group of drunk men crowding around? Hopefully it didn't occur as sinisterly as I would fear.


Don't think he gets formally punished by the league at all. This is bad timing for Matthews with the Leafs talking about naming the leadership group though. Might have cost himself the captaincy.

Watson was drunk and harassing a female. Matthews was allegedly drunk, with other drunks and harassing a female. Virtually the same thing. Biggest difference is Watson plays for Preds; Matthews plays for Toronto. We’ll see.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Watson was drunk and harassing a female. Matthews was allegedly drunk, with other drunks and harassing a female. Virtually the same thing. Biggest difference is Watson plays for Preds; Matthews plays for Toronto. We’ll see.

Well, another difference from what I recall of the reports was that Watson was kind of drunk and harrassing while also being harrassed by a drunk female. There was some mutual harrassment reported, right?

 

[PredsV82]

Well, another difference from what I recall of the reports was that Watson was kind of drunk and harrassing while also being harrassed by a drunk female. There was some mutual harrassment reported, right?

Yes. And the woman Watson was interacting with was also his girlfriend.

Marthews and Co were behaving this way with a stranger who had no idea if they were psychopaths or just drunken bros.

 

[PredsV82]

Man, hard to believe nobody has signed Boyle. Unless hes had offers but would rather not play than go to certain teams, or play for league minimum

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Man, hard to believe nobody has signed Boyle. Unless hes had offers but would rather not play than go to certain teams, or play for league minimum

Yeah, it's really weird for sure... I thought right around the opening of the FA Frenzy he even talked/tweeted/something that he basically had a spot lined up and was just waiting for a team to sort things out? It would suck if he stuck to his bargain and then got ripped off by some team.

Even then, there ought to be some teams today with enough space to take him. I don't know... he's good enough to play in the league, and I don't think he would have to take anything close to league minimum. He must have other reasons.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

He'll get signed once some injuries happen. Or "hopefuls" don't pan out.

 

[hockey diva]

Re: Matthews. With the microscope on the sexual harassment of females by males, the “boys will be boys” excuse won’t wash. The security guard had no idea what these guys were capable of. Tho, why were her doors unlocked, I would have locked mine and started dialing 911. He compounded the issue by not reporting it to the Leafs immediately. His agent should be fired for this PR debacle. He needs to serve some kind of suspension and maybe do some work with sexual assault victims.

 

[jumb0]

2 x 6.75 for Laine

 

[PredsV82]

Our old pal Pontus Aberg is on the waiver wire from Toronto. I'm not sure I remember how he got to Toronto in the first place.

 

[King Weber]

Our old pal Pontus Aberg is on the waiver wire from Toronto. I'm not sure I remember how he got to Toronto in the first place.

signed a 1-year deal with them this summer.

 

[GoldOnGold]

Never understood why the Ducks traded Aberg after he tore it up for them.

 

[Armourboy]

With how Aberg is getting bounced around, I gotta believe there is some form of personality issue going on there. Two teams that could use decent wingers in Edmonton and the Ducks both let him go.

 

[hockey diva]

Conner and Rantanen signed today.

 

[PredsHead]

With how Aberg is getting bounced around, I gotta believe there is some form of personality issue going on there. Two teams that could use decent wingers in Edmonton and the Ducks both let him go.

He just plays a very undisciplined game, doesn't play much defense and turns the puck over at an alarming rate. He was putting up some points while being spoon-fed very sheltered minutes, but was still out there for more goals against than goals for.

 

[PredsV82]

Conner and Rantanen signed today.

That's all the big names, right?

I guess everyone learned a lesson from Nylander last year

 

[King Weber]

Sprong on waivers from Anaheim.

22 years old and had 14 goals in 47 games on a bad Anaheim team last season. Has a hell of a shot.

I know we have a ton of depth on the wings already, but he's only signed for 1 year at 750k and if you can get 20 goals out of a guy signed at just 750k...

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'd be shocked if he makes it through to us.

 

[Scoresberg]

He'll go before he gets to us.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Sprong, Djoos, Ho Sang, Baertschi all options I would think should be looked at, but who are we kidding; you know Poile will just bring Freddy G back up just so we can all be confused.

 

[Legionnaire11]

None of those players are coming here. I'd not mind a look at Djoos except he's a LD and we need a RD.

Otherwise Sprong and Ho Sang aren't going to be better than Tolvanen who didn't make the team, ANH and NYI need offensive weapons and they waived these guys, so... And Baertschi isn't good, especially with his cap hit.