Confirmed with Link: Leafs to name captain today or tomorrow (pt.2) - MOD WARNING POST #3

[yubbers]

Sundin is in town apparently. Passing the torch himself at tonight's game?...

Poor Dion. Lirl

 

[ORRFForever]

The Leafs sure are milking this. Just get it over with.

 

[yubbers]

The Leafs sure are milking this. Just get it over with.

this

 

[Patmac40]

Hall was never the captain of the oilers, he was an alternate.

McDavid was rushed into the C (how has that worked out?)
Eichel (how has that worked out?)

They're still the best leaders on the team and just happen to be on teams with a history of ineptitude in the front office.

 

[Shayne Corsi]

Actually it speaks to how big of an ego Babcock has and how he is ruining the team. When it comes to his player selections and favorites over the past 3 seasons, to naming his captain. He never like Austin its shown with his ice time and now this.

I actually don't blame Matthews if he asks out, name me another #1 overall pick in the league today that isn't the captain of their team that drafted them?

Dating back to 2004 here are all the number 1 picks and their status with their drafted teams as Captain:

2004 - Ovechkin (Captain)
2005 - Crosby (Captain)
2006 - E. Johnson (Bust)
2007 - Patrick Kane (Assistant to Toews)
2008 - Steve Stamkos (Captain)
2009 - John Tavares (Captain)
2010- Taylor Hall (Captain)
2011- RNH (Assistant to Taylor Hall, then Captain, then Assistant again to McDavid)
2012- Yakupov (Bust)
2013- Mackinnon (Assistant to Landeskogg who was already captain when he was drafted)
2014- Ekblad (Captain)
2015- McDavid (Captain)
2016 - Matthews (Nothing, while Eichel and others in his draft are wearing the C or A)
2017- Hischier (Hall is there as captain before he was drafted)
2018- Dahlin (too soon but Eichel young too and has C)
2019- Hughes(TBD, Hall and Hishier in line)

So my point is, most players drafted number 1 if not a bust or a captain in place already has become the captain. If I am Matthews, I know I am not a bust. I did as much if not more for my organization then any of the players on that list in his first 2-3 seasons. And I am a star. Like Tavares got his due, Matthews deserves his.

Just saying.

His due? I think he got his due when he signed one of the most bloated contracts in NHL history, particularly if you factor in the length and number of UFA years.

Clearly, this particular management group felt that the C was not something to be taken lightly and, more importantly, not something that was by default granted to the team's best player. Otherwise Matthews would have had it after his first season. They wanted a certain caliber of person with a certain level of emotional maturity and professionalism. Recent events quite clearly illustrate that Matthews currently lacks these things, which is why it seems eminently reasonable to give the C to someone who doesn't, i.e. JT or Rielly.

 

[hoglund]

Tavares! Do us proud buddy! We miss you.

I don't know why you guys here thought it would be Matthews, I've never seen anything to suspect that.

I agree with you, Tavares is the obvious choice.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

I have less of a dog in this fight than it might sound, but....

Another way of looking at the past 3 seasons is if AM34 was the leader, then he led us to 3 straight first round exits.

Anyways it's all irrelevant in another 7 hours or so. We'll have a captain, and he's going to be a good one (assuming it's one of AM, JT, MR (or even MM)).

 

[MarnerElite]

It really seemed like a no-brainer to me. I'm good with whatever, considering it's really not going to impact whether we're ultimately successful or not. But Morgan seems like the perfect choice to me.

I would be shocked if it isn't Morgan simply because he has been around the longest and actually shows with his communication off and on the ice that he is a leader on this team. In the recent article on tsn it there is something about Babcock saying how it became obvious who the captain was going to be(over time)..I honestly think that points to Morgan.

 

[ORRFForever]

I agree with you, Tavares is the obvious choice.

Yes. He won't be around forever and in 6(?) years, the team can give it to Matthews - assuming he's still a Leaf.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

The Leafs sure are milking this. Just get it over with.

With no pre-game presser announced, and a promise by Babs that we'll have a captain by the start of the season..... I'm pretty sure it's going to be announced around the start of the game. Like 7 PM give or take.

So we just have to wait. I'm not going to be that little kid in the back seat asking "are we there yet" every 15 minutes until then.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I can't wait for this to be done so I can add another Jersey

 

[hoglund]

Yes. He won't be around forever and in 6(?) years, the team can give it to Matthews - assuming he's still a Leaf.

Exactly, by then Mathews will have a few years of experience and hopefully grows into a leader. I can't see how anyone thought Mathews would be captain and the recent incident has NOTHING to do with it.

 

[paulhiggins]

Could there be two captains? (co-captains) Is that allowed?

 

[I Believe]

People are insulting Matthews if they suggest he's immature enough to want out because he got an 'A' instead of the 'C'.
I don't see that from him at all.

 

[Peiskos]

Tavares is a great choice, he’s been my pick ever since signing here, he falls in line with past Leafs captains age wise when they were named. Essentially all of our previous captains have been given the C in their late 20’s.

He’s already been the captain of the Islanders ffs, he’s been there scoring big goals for Canada at the junior and senior level, he’s a hometown guy too. He checks off all the boxes, Matthews is still young and can be the successor, continue to be groomed.

 

[Peiskos]

Poor Dion. Lirl

Sundin was our last great captain, Dion was just..a filler captain, nothing notable about him in the history books.

 

[Warden of the North]

Actually it speaks to how big of an ego Babcock has and how he is ruining the team. When it comes to his player selections and favorites over the past 3 seasons, to naming his captain. He never like Austin its shown with his ice time and now this.

I actually don't blame Matthews if he asks out, name me another #1 overall pick in the league today that isn't the captain of their team that drafted them?

Dating back to 2004 here are all the number 1 picks and their status with their drafted teams as Captain:

2004 - Ovechkin (Captain)
2005 - Crosby (Captain)
2006 - E. Johnson (Bust)
2007 - Patrick Kane (Assistant to Toews)
2008 - Steve Stamkos (Captain)
2009 - John Tavares (Captain)
2010- Taylor Hall (Captain)
2011- RNH (Assistant to Taylor Hall, then Captain, then Assistant again to McDavid)
2012- Yakupov (Bust)
2013- Mackinnon (Assistant to Landeskogg who was already captain when he was drafted)
2014- Ekblad (Captain)
2015- McDavid (Captain)
2016 - Matthews (Nothing, while Eichel and others in his draft are wearing the C or A)
2017- Hischier (Hall is there as captain before he was drafted)
2018- Dahlin (too soon but Eichel young too and has C)
2019- Hughes(TBD, Hall and Hishier in line)

So my point is, most players drafted number 1 if not a bust or a captain in place already has become the captain. If I am Matthews, I know I am not a bust. I did as much if not more for my organization then any of the players on that list in his first 2-3 seasons. And I am a star. Like Tavares got his due, Matthews deserves his.

Just saying.

Hall was never a Captain. Neither is Ekblad (Barkov is). Kane doesnt even wear an A.

 

[yubbers]

Sundin was our last great captain, Dion was just..a filler captain, nothing notable about him in the history books.

don't disagree at all. Still funny

 

[93WrapAround]

A lot of people thinking Tavares would be the perfect choice. I would have no problems with John ****ing Tavares being the next captain of the Maple Leafs, but I don't see necessarily how it would be perfect. He's only been here for one-year and hasn't really brought the team to a new level (yet). Reilly has been with this team since the dark ages and has evolved his game alongside the rising hopes and success of the franchise. Not to mention he's probably the unquestioned vocal leader of the team and will fight in the trenches for any teammate (something I can't say with 100% certainty Tavares or Auston would welcome when the goings get tough and nasty). Lastly his age and thus length of "prime window" still to come seems longer than Tavares. Just MO though..

 

[Matthews34]

It better be Matthews!!!! If not they shouldn't name a captain.

 

[Nylander88]

Yes. He won't be around forever and in 6(?) years, the team can give it to Matthews - assuming he's still a Leaf.

At 34 and the captain of the team, why wouldn't Tavares resign? I don't get this theory by people. We aren't the San Jose Sharks, they aren't stripping JT of the C (if it's his), to hand it to Matthews. The torch gets past around here when a captain retires, moves on or gets traded. That's it. Tavares is spending the rest of his career as a leaf. For Matthews the C is now or never.

 

[garyturner3]

I heard from a very legit source that the captaincy will be decided by a live center ice, last man standing slap competition between Matthews, Rielly and Tavares.

 

[smitty10]

I have less of a dog in this fight than it might sound, but....

Another way of looking at the past 3 seasons is if AM34 was the leader, then he led us to 3 straight first round exits.

Anyways it's all irrelevant in another 7 hours or so. We'll have a captain, and he's going to be a good one (assuming it's one of AM, JT, MR (or even MM)).

That's kinda of a pessimistic way of looking at it.

Consider the shape of this team prior to Matthews being drafted. He was selected first overall by the worst team in the NHL. The next season he scored 40 goals and led the team to the playoffs. He's 21 and is the team's best player. He was anointed the saviour of the franchise when he was drafted. How many kids out there have Tavares jerseys? Not many. Take a look at all the Matthews jerseys. This is who our fanbase looks up to. The C should be his.

 

[Nylander88]

I heard from a very legit source that the captaincy will be decided by a live center ice, last man standing slap competition between Matthews, Rielly and Tavares.

I did see Matty slap that dummy in practice yesterday

 

[Nylander88]

That's kinda of a pessimistic way of looking at it.

Consider the shape of this team prior to Matthews being drafted. He was selected first overall by the worst team in the NHL. The next season he scored 40 goals and led the team to the playoffs. He's 21 and is the team's best player. He was anointed the saviour of the franchise when he was drafted. How many kids out there have Tavares jerseys? Not many. Take a look at all the Matthews jerseys. This is who our fanbase looks up to. The C should be his.

I was just on the phone with my dad and said the same thing. When we gotl to games, Matthews jerseys FAR out do any other player on this team. And it isn't even close. He's your most marketable player and he's what our entire fanbase clung to the day he was drafted. It's his team imo