Give me 2 reasons why JT should not be next captain

[Buds17]

Never mind who, but the the better question is what is taking so long?

What is expected to change from now to the time they name one?

That's a fair point. I think the Leafs have had the longest vacancy out of the handful or so of teams that are currently without a captain. FWIW though, one of those teams did make the SCF last season and are still a projected playoff team without a captain this season.

 

[Rainney]

Our best player Matthews should be the captain, and it's not even close.

Pass on Rielly.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Matthews or he walks in five years. he wanted to be the highest paid leaf and got it.
he wants the captaincy and if leafs want him to stay they have to give it to him.

Sounds like someone who thinks they're entitled to me. Hopefully AM34 doesn't think the way you do.

 

[go_leafs_go02]

I do wonder if the Leafs wish they had given it to Matthews before the playoffs last season to wrap it up. Again, who knows if the Leafs thought they'd land JT in the end. I don't believe being a captain for JT would have been the yes-or-no matter for him.

 

[gtforepro]

It feels like Morgan Rielly is the captain now. He's a little older than the kids, been here longer than JT...seems like a good fit. Give A's to JT AM MM.

 

[kevynadams42]

It feels like Morgan Rielly is the captain now. He's a little older than the kids, been here longer than JT...seems like a good fit. Give A's to JT AM MM.

You can only have two alternate captains.

 

[Rehabguy]

He should be captain. While he was with us he represented us well. Unfortunately, well you know the rest of the story.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

Why are you guys so sure Matthews wants it so bad?

He often seems tortured in the middle of media scrums and it doesn't seem like something a guy like that would want.

 

[diceman934]

Why are you guys so sure Matthews wants it so bad?

He often seems tortured in the middle of media scrums and it doesn't seem like something a guy like that would want.

He said he would take it.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

Look at the gameday interview before the Oilers game last week. A reporter asks him if all the work he did in the off season on skating may have closed the gap between him and McDavid and Matthews is clearly annoyed and dismissive of the idiot reporter.

I know these guys get stupid questions like that all the time but orgs want their guys to be professional regardless.

It's clear that Matthews often lacks patience with the media and finds it all tiresome.

 

[tmlms13]

Give it to Mitch if he takes a discount.

 

[Trapper]

If I had to choose right now, I would have to say Rielly.
Tavares is another good option.

As for Matthews, I seriously have my doubts he will be here after the 5 year deal. Not that he can’t be captain now but Part of me feels he is USA bound.

 

[Buds17]

If I had to choose right now, I would have to say Rielly.
Tavares is another good option.

As for Matthews, I seriously have my doubts he will be here after the 5 year deal. Not that he can’t be captain now but Part of me feels he is USA bound.

Any particular reason for feeling that way regarding Matthews? I'd only worry about him not still being here by then under the situation that the team doesn't have the ability to win or compete at that point. If that's the case, that'd probably be one in a series of problems.

 

[Trapper]

Any particular reason for feeling that way regarding Matthews? I'd only worry about him not still being here by then under the situation that the team doesn't have the ability to win or compete at that point. If that's the case, that'd probably be one in a series of problems.

Again it’s just my feeling. Many little things probably viewed as a conspiracy theory or taking things out of context.

1. Nylander got the no trade vote, Marner the Leaf for life, Matthews just quietly signed. 5 years. Choose your own adventure after that.
2. Family. Close to his mom. USA strong.
3. The overblown but existing Babcock goes to Arizona + usage stuff last summer. Babcock himself.
4. Not crazy for the media and it’s worse here. Over time? Who knows.
5. Captain or not? What if someone else gets it a la not O’Reilly when he was with Colorado.
6. Obviously how things progress come playoff time.

Again, nothing to this but my feelings. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Dallas,Arizona,Vegas,California in the future. And then again be totally wrong and Toronto for 8 more.

 

[Buds17]

Again it’s just my feeling. Many little things probably viewed as a conspiracy theory or taking things out of context.

1. Nylander got the no trade vote, Marner the Leaf for life, Matthews just quietly signed. 5 years. Choose your own adventure after that.
2. Family. Close to his mom. USA strong.
3. The overblown but existing Babcock goes to Arizona + usage stuff last summer. Babcock himself.
4. Not crazy for the media and it’s worse here. Over time? Who knows.
5. Captain or not? What if someone else gets it a la not O’Reilly when he was with Colorado.
6. Obviously how things progress come playoff time.

Again, nothing to this but my feelings. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Dallas,Arizona,Vegas,California in the future. And then again be totally wrong and Toronto for 8 more.

Thanks for sharing that. I always enjoy your viewpoints.

I guess at the end of the day, the hopeful pitch would continue to be a competitive team and a competitive salary. If that doesn't suffice, everything else might be out of team control. It is what it is, in that case.

 

[Tak7]

Reason # 1 - Morgan
Reason # 2 - Rielly

 

[KuleminFan41]

You can theoretically do Tavares until the end of his contract and have Matthews take the C at around the age of 27 if and when you sign him to his 3rd and final contract. That does depend on giving the C to Tavares though but I think we should see our captain being named this summer, I think that's a guarantee

 

[Trapper]

Thanks for sharing that. I always enjoy your viewpoints.

I guess at the end of the day, the hopeful pitch would continue to be a competitive team and a competitive salary. If that doesn't suffice, everything else might be out of team control. It is what it is, in that case.

We want to push for that Cup hard in the next 3 years. Very hard. Because in 3, we have to sign Rielly and Andersen (in 2 actually) to new deals. Then you get down to the last 2 years of Matthews/Nylander.
Right now it’s like collecting bubblegum cards, get the rare ones and we will figure it out later.

 

[HOF Paul Henderson]

Because Matthews is a better player and is already the face of our franchise. He should wear the C.

 

[Slyfox]

I like not having a captain. I think having multiple voices in the room willing to step up is important for the growth of this team. I think having one captain allows everyone to take a step back and I don't like that.

 

[Menzinger]

If I had to choose right now, I would have to say Rielly.
Tavares is another good option.

As for Matthews, I seriously have my doubts he will be here after the 5 year deal. Not that he can’t be captain now but Part of me feels he is USA bound.

If the team feels it’s unsure about Matthews after his current contract (which I doubt they are) then all the more incentive to give Matthews even more reason to resign.

Imo if they give it to anyone else it will cause an unnecessary media controversy even if Matthews is fine say with JT getting it

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Let's see who shows up for the playoffs.
The team won't decide this till the Summer.

I wanted our dear leader to be Auston, but i'm just not feeling it on many levels. This year JT has been leading this team. Matthews is uninspired.

 

[cowboy82nd]

I was hoping they would use the C as a bargaining chip to get Matthews on a cheaper deal. Now I’m hoping they do it with Marner and if not then give it to Rielly.

I don’t think it matters much who wears the C, but if it could help our cap that would make it much more important.

Just a question for you. If you were a hockey player and the team offered the captaincy with less money, would you take it? I know I wouldn't.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Just a question for you. If you were a hockey player and the team offered the captaincy with less money, would you take it? I know I wouldn't.

Yes and it's a strategy that teams have used before to sign star players for less money.

 

[Whaleafs]

I like not having a captain. I think having multiple voices in the room willing to step up is important for the growth of this team. I think having one captain allows everyone to take a step back and I don't like that.

Not having a captain doesn't mean you just have three of them wearing A's instead. Teams with no captain still have a de facto one.