The harm in naming matthews captain:
1. This incident and people getting mad for a week or a month
The harm in not naming matthews captain:
1. People question if he was going to be captain and then this incident happened
2. The media has a field day with burying matthews all year and moving forward about how management doesnt like him or trust him
3. People ask why not matthews when EVERY other team gives it to their best young franchise center (crosby, barkov, mcdavid, stamkos, toews, eichel, etc.)
4. Taking the C away from matthews after he knew (I believe those photos are real or at least that the players know already) which makes him upset and mad and more down on himself
5. Affecting are best players on ice performance in a VERY important year
6. Not having your franchise players back in a time of crisis for him
7. Potentially pushing matthews away and him leaving after his contract
8. Causing a rift in the relationship between your franchise player and management
9. Causing more a rift between babcock and matthews
10. Tavares or rielly feeling that it was never meant for them and they are getting “sloppy seconds”
11. The media questioning tavares or rielly about matty the entire time at the captaincy conference “how does matthews feel?”, “do you think matthews was supposed to be captain until the incident?”, “is matthews okay with you getting the C?”, etc.
12. The media dragging this incident with matthews for the rest of his career as the incident that cost him the C