News Article: Babcock: Marleau, Tavares, Rielly will wear a letter

[willmma]

Babcock: Marleau, Tavares, Rielly will wear a letter for Leafs this season
by Josh Wegman The Score

Babcock: Marleau, Tavares, Rielly will wear a letter for Leafs this season

Patrick Marleau, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly will all wear a letter for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, head coach Mike Babcock told TSN's Darren Dreger.
This, of course, would leave out Auston Matthews.

Two of the Maple Leafs' alternate captains from a year ago - Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov - departed via free agency this offseason.

Rielly was the third alternate captain, while Marleau, a former captain of the San Jose Sharks, wore an "A" on occasion last season.

Tavares spent the last five seasons as the captain of the New York Islanders.

In late August, Matthews said he would be ready to accept the Leafs' captaincy if called upon.

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[willmma]

Let the panic commence

 

[DarkKnight]

Oooohhh....mmmmyyyyy.....ggggoooodddd!

 

[ACC1224]

we know, old news

 

[AllDay28]

only people who care are the media and hfboards apparently (well some). C and A means nada. They spoke how Matt Martin, Patrick Marleau and Ron Hainsey were locker room leaders last yr.

With the exception of generational talents (McDavid), you dont just give a kid a C, especially one who was sheltered from the media for the past few years.

 

[Boutette]

Wait, he didn't say what letter. Might not be A or C. Could it be X? Q? Љ? Ω? I'd like to see a player with a Ω on his jersey personally.

 

[hotpaws]

AM said the right things but didn't seem to thrilled when questioned by the media about it.

don't get why they wouldn't slap an A on his jersey but give one to a someone who's never played a game with us and another to someone who'll be gone within a year or two and couldn't care less , seems like creating drama where there doesn't need to be any

 

[Brown Dog]

I'd have given Matthews an A. But what do I know?

 

[Joey Hoser]

AM said the right things but didn't seem to thrilled when questioned by the media about it.

don't get why they wouldn't an A on his jersey but give one to a someone who's never played a game with us and another to someone who'll be gone within a year or two and couldn't care less , seems creating drama where there doesn't need to be any

Because Marleau is a good leader and Matthews can have his letter in a year or two? I would have given Matthews an A, but it's not at all hard to understand.

 

[francis246]

What if this is what the players voted for?

 

[Mikeyg]

Mikeyg on the state of Leaf assistant captain drama: who gives a f***

 

[PromisedLand]

The letters are all Greek

Beta
Gamma
Phi

 

[diceman934]

Not surprised at all. Why would Mathews get a letter at this point?

He has not resigned with us and there was a big difference of opinion with him and his coach.

 

[frog]

Whats everyone complaining about this is what its supposed to be.. Marleau should clearly be an assistant since he is 39, played 20 seasons in the NHL, unlimited playoff experience, previous captain.. young guys getting captains are always weird to me.. and babcock is old school.

 

[hotpaws]

Not surprised at all. Why would Mathews get a letter at this point?

He has not resigned with us and there was a big difference of opinion with him and his coach.

omg he dared question the coach , off with his head

 

[egd27]

No contract for Willie, no letter for Auston.......Leafs management stirring up some controversy as camp opens. Interesting

 

[Cams]

This shouldn't be a big deal, but it's the Leafs, the Toronto media, and hfboards.

The only letters I care about are "W" and "L"

 

[SoVi3t]

Tavares gonna wear an A+ on his jersey

 

[diceman934]

omg he dared question the coach , off with his head

You simply like to post nonsense with out a thought process. It was not a simply disagreement his parents were involved. You do not put a letter on a player who still has his parents involved in his adult life.

I also said he has not resigned with us yet but you choose to ignore that portion of my post.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Not surprised at all. Why would Mathews get a letter at this point?

He has not resigned with us and there was a big difference of opinion with him and his coach.

Because he is the face of the franchise? Our best player? Turned the team around? I don't really have an issue with rolling with these three but "why give Matthews a letter at this point"? The answers are a hell of a lot more valid than your reasons not to.

 

[Boutette]

Whats everyone complaining about this is what its supposed to be.. Marleau should clearly be an assistant since he is 39, played 20 seasons in the NHL, unlimited playoff experience, previous captain.. young guys getting captains are always weird to me.. and babcock is old school.

FYI, A stands for Alternate, not Assistant. They've been telling us this for decades.

 

[diceman934]

People who state letters are not important are the same ones who state that Mathews has to be the captain, it is his team, he is the face of the franchise nonsense.

Letters are far more important to the players then any of the naysayers think. It is not a media driven concept but a NHL rule. You must have letters on jerseys according to league rules or else the ref does not have to talk to any player who is questioning a call or being sent from the coach to talk to the player. In many levels of hockey a ref may give the team a delay of game penalty who attemps this.

 

[hotpaws]

You simply like to post nonsense with out a thought process. It was not a simply disagreement his parents were involved. You do not put a letter on a player who still has his parents involved in his adult life.

I also said he has not resigned with us yet but you choose to ignore that portion of my post.

the non sense is since you coach you believe every decision a coach makes should obeyed without question

and it takes 2 to negotiate a contract and if they're going to squeeze him like they're squeezing Willie i see another long protracted negotiation

 

[diceman934]

Because he is the face of the franchise? Our best player? Turned the team around? I don't really have an issue with rolling with these three but "why give Matthews a letter at this point"? The answers are a hell of a lot more valid than your reasons not to.

Really what is more valid then him not yet been resigned. I will await your reply.

He never turned the team around. Management did that. Our best player that is open for debate. Our face of the franchise again time will tell if he is.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Really what is more valid then him not yet been resigned. I will await your reply.

He never turned the team around. Management did that. Our best player that is open for debate. Our face of the franchise again time will tell if he is.

Okay on second thought I'm just not going to waste my time on this.