TSN: Matthews on TSN: "We really don't care what other people think".

[Dekes For Days]

They will still have their 1st line for many years to come, that is what powers this team.

Bergeron is 35 and Marchand is 32.

They have 58.5 mil locked up for next year

Where did you get this number?

 

[Drew311]

The group can believe all the want about how good they are. They are a skilled group and that's about where it ends. Until we see even an ounce of intensity in the playoffs from the big boys then the criticism will come, and justifiably so.

 

[socko]

Matthews is a good hockey player, but I really don't care what he has to say. I don't like him for his words.

Really wish we had taken Aho instead of Dermott. How much would that idiot Dubas had paid Aho though? He's definitely better than Marner.

 

[IPS]

No, Boston won't be elite for much longer the loss/decline of Chara/Krug will hurt big time ,, Burg 35,,Krejci 34

I remember reading similar things about their D 5 years back when they lost Seidenberg and Boychuk and they drafted and developed 2 studs in McAvoy and Carlo in very short order. Amazing what happens when you have a team that knows how to draft and develop, Boston will be fine. Imagine if the Leafs had that capability with defensemen.

 

[justashadowof]

You don't build many championships taking advice from your star players on how to build the team especially those type of star players who can do things most of the world can't do. If you capitulate to your star players' wishes, you're handicapping yourself as a GM or a coach. On the flipside, I don't think the performers should be burdened with answering questions about the team's make up. That's for management to answer and respond to in action.

 

[nonikhanna]

This was kinda disrespectful to all the Leafs fans. No wonder they keep losing, if they don't even care about what the city thinks of them. They're getting paid big bucks to be a TORONTO maple leaf. They aren't dialed into the Leafs fan base at all and could care less if they give up a lead or lose an elimination game. They have no fire or emotion to give a damn.

Edit : would like to add, this in a nutshell is why the leafs are the way they are. The crazy amount of Leafs media tends to make the players tune everything out and not pay attention to anything else.

This creates a disconnect with the fan base and them really caring about it too much. You go back to the Kessel era, same thing.

 

[dukeofjive]

More players need to open up like Mathews, he might be a leafs player but he sure is amazing at is job and does not seem to shy away from telling the media what he thinks, good on the kid.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I remember reading similar things about their D 5 years back when they lost Seidenberg and Boychuk and they drafted and developed 2 studs in McAvoy and Carlo in very short order. Amazing what happens when you have a team that knows how to draft and develop, Boston will be fine. Imagine if the Leafs had that capability with defensemen.

We have drafted 5 defensemen in the top 2 rounds from the 2013 draft onward. Dermott is in the NHL. The other 4 were all drafted 2017 or later. Durzi was traded to get Muzzin. Sandin and Liljegren are both progressing well.

Boston has drafted 8 defensemen in the top 2 rounds since 2013, 6 of which were before before 2017. This includes 13th, 14th, and 18th overall picks. Only McAvoy and Carlo have made the NHL; a mid-1st round draft pick and an early 2nd round draft pick.

Boston's success rate is nothing special. They just put a bigger focus on defense in drafting between 2013 and 2016, and hit a home run by drafting McAvoy with a high pick.

 

[IPS]

We have drafted 5 defensemen in the top 2 rounds from the 2013 draft onward. Dermott is in the NHL. The other 4 were all drafted 2017 or later. Durzi was traded to get Muzzin. Sandin and Liljegren are both progressing well.

Boston has drafted 8 defensemen in the top 2 rounds since 2013, 6 of which were before before 2017. This includes 13th, 14th, and 18th overall picks. Only McAvoy and Carlo have made the NHL; a mid-1st round draft pick and an early 2nd round draft pick.

Boston's success rate is nothing special. They just put a bigger focus on defense in drafting between 2013 and 2017, and hit a home run by drafting McAvoy with a high pick.

lmao

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This was kinda disrespectful to all the Leafs fans. No wonder they keep losing, if they don't even care about what the city thinks of them. They're getting paid big bucks to be a TORONTO maple leaf. They aren't dialed into the Leafs fan base at all and could care less if they give up a lead or lose an elimination game. They have no fire or emotion to give a damn.

This Leafs team is incredibly difficult to like for this city and fan base. Raptors are beloved (for obvious reasons), Jays are starting to see their reputation rise again with Bichette and the other young guys coming along, TFC’s fan base while smaller in comparison likes their team, even with the recent decline and disappointment.

This current iteration of the Leafs comes off as prima donnas who think they are too skilled to get their hands dirty. The Leafs as a team have always been loved when they’ve got a blue collar attitude to them. Skill is appreciated to be sure but hard work, grit, and toughness have always been highly valued.

These Leafs don’t embody any of that. And I don’t think anyone is asking them to go out there and be Wendel Clark or Gary Roberts, but some semblance of give a damn or push back would be appreciated. We’ve seen it all year and the latter half of last season as well, these Leafs wilt under pressure and offer little resistance when the going gets tough. They go out there, barely try, lose (sometimes in embarrassing fashion), then come out to the presser with the same bloody cliches about “needing to be better” “digging in deep and finding ourselves.” Then they come out next game and you wonder where that promise to try harder went.

There is a lot of resentment towards this franchise right now, from the President all the way down. This franchise has been humiliated and lost one too many times for people give them any leeway. If Matthews needs to tune out the noise to become a better player then fine, do that. But saying “we believe we’re right there” after all we’ve seen is delusional.

 

[LMFAO]

[QOTE="91LeafsTavares91, post: 172980766, member: 163707"]Easy to say that when you got gifted a contract for 11.6 million dollars a year that takes him straight to UFA where he'll cash out for even more money.[/QUOTE]

**Even more money in Arizona

 

[IPS]

Yeah, I expected you to have nothing to say to that.

No, the amount of spin you put on that was insane. I'm not even sure if you believe that yourself. In one sentence you're downplaying the Bruins acquisitions by saying "one was a mid first round and one was an early second rounder" and in the sentence before that you make no mention of all 3 of the Leafs D you brought up being an early 2nd, a late 1st, and a mid 1st. And at the moment, none of them are even remotely close to having a Carlo or McAvoy type impact on their team.

 

[Havoc]

"Considering I had four months off, so not in prime shape, but trying to get there," Rask said. "I'm just trying to have fun and play the game. I'm not stressing too much about results and whatnot. It's August and I haven't played hockey in forever. Just go out there and have fun and see what happens for me."


Pandemic and its effects is real folks. And you guys are willing to still make drastic moves.

Get a hobby to pass the time because the rest of the league agrees with Matthews: They don't care what you think.

 

[nonikhanna]

This Leafs team is incredibly difficult to like for this city and fan base. Raptors are beloved (for obvious reasons), Jays are starting to see their reputation rise again with Bichette and the other young guys coming along, TFC’s fan base while smaller in comparison likes their team, even with the recent decline and disappointment.

This current iteration of the Leafs comes off as prima donnas who think they are too skilled to get their hands dirty. The Leafs as a team have always been loved when they’ve got a blue collar attitude to them. Skill is appreciated to be sure but hard work, grit, and toughness have always been highly valued.

These Leafs don’t embody any of that. And I don’t think anyone is asking them to go out there and be Wendel Clark or Gary Roberts, but some semblance of give a damn or push back would be appreciated. We’ve seen it all year and the latter half of last season as well. These Leafs wilt under pressure and offer little resistance when the going gets tough. They go out there, barely try, lose (sometimes in embarrassing fashion), then come out to the presser with the same bloody cliches about “needing to be better” “digging in deep and finding ourselves.” Then they come out next game and you wonder where that promise to try harder went.

There is a lot of resentment towards this franchise right now, from the President app the way down. This franchise has been humiliated and lost one too many times for people give them any leeway. If Matthews needs to tune out the noise to become a better player then fine, do that. But saying “we believe we’re right there” after all we’ve seen is delusional.

It's because there is no accountability!! When they were on their ELC, they played their hearts out. They were fun and amazing to watch.
This year, after they got fed huge contracts, they have no heart. Look how much worse they played this year compared to last year.
They think they are young and will have plenty of chances later on to win it so they don't give a damn. Look at Spezza!! He definitely cares and wants to win it, that's why he fought.
Leafs tuning out Toronto shows why they aren't dialed into the city.

 

[IPS]

"Considering I had four months off, so not in prime shape, but trying to get there," Rask said. "I'm just trying to have fun and play the game. I'm not stressing too much about results and whatnot. It's August and I haven't played hockey in forever. Just go out there and have fun and see what happens for me."


Pandemic and its effects is real folks. And you guys are willing to still make drastic moves.

Get a hobby to pass the time because the rest of the league agrees with Matthews: They don't care what you think.

At this point I'm expecting more players to follow suit on Rask.

 

[Dekes For Days]

In one sentence you're downplaying the Bruins acquisitions by saying "one was a mid first round and one was an early second rounder" and in the sentence before that you make no mention of all 3 of the Leafs D you brought up being an early 2nd, a late 1st, and a mid 1st. And at the moment, none of them are even remotely close to having a Carlo or McAvoy type impact on their team.

I didn't downplay the Bruins acquisitions. I pointed out that their success came from high draft picks, like most teams; not from taking garbage and polishing it into diamonds like is being suggested. And their success rate from that isn't even anything special; they just had more and better shots at it.

None of the D we drafted during that time were as high of a pick as McAvoy, and McAvoy turned out great for reasons unrelated to development. He entered the NHL within a year of being drafted, right into the playoffs, and played well, because he was a good player.

The defensemen we have drafted within that range are Dermott (in the NHL), Sandin (developing well), and Liljegren (developing well). Expecting a McAvoy is unrealistic.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

I remember reading similar things about their D 5 years back when they lost Seidenberg and Boychuk and they drafted and developed 2 studs in McAvoy and Carlo in very short order. Amazing what happens when you have a team that knows how to draft and develop, Boston will be fine. Imagine if the Leafs had that capability with defensemen.

This current regime looks as though they know how to draft (time will tell). Now, how those players develop is a whole different ball game. Fingers crossed.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Makes me wonder what it is then that these guys actually care about.

 

[Stamkos4life]

"Considering I had four months off, so not in prime shape, but trying to get there," Rask said. "I'm just trying to have fun and play the game. I'm not stressing too much about results and whatnot. It's August and I haven't played hockey in forever. Just go out there and have fun and see what happens for me."


Pandemic and its effects is real folks. And you guys are willing to still make drastic moves.

Get a hobby to pass the time because the rest of the league agrees with Matthews: They don't care what you think.

Lol in no way did rask say that he doesn't care what people think and no the rest of the league doesn't agree with Matthews.

Nice reach but be careful you don't hurt yourself.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I remember reading similar things about their D 5 years back when they lost Seidenberg and Boychuk and they drafted and developed 2 studs in McAvoy and Carlo in very short order. Amazing what happens when you have a team that knows how to draft and develop, Boston will be fine. Imagine if the Leafs had that capability with defensemen.

Not to mention signing Krug, Grzelcyk and Miller as free agents out of college. They've done a fantastic job developing defensemen that they can plug and play into their lineup.

 

[Bluelines]

Bergeron is 35 and Marchand is 32.

Where did you get this number?

Sorry I was looking at the wrong line, that was the salary, cap was 65 mil.

Their age is immaterial as long as they are producing.

 

[Bluelines]

Bergeron turned 35 last month,,,,funny how i keep reading players turn to crap in their mid 30s

well,if/when they ink AP,,then i will change my opinion

Patrice does not look like a mid 30's guy. Future HOFer has a few more years in him. Point remains these guys are not going to drop off a cliff next year, they have a few more years of high end productivity in them. Chara even at his age insulates his defence/team from taking abuse from other teams. That is huge as it lets his team play unfettered from the prospect of retribution.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

The OP has a full stop after we don't care what people think. Like that was a full thought. When it is "We don't care what people think or, how far away otherpeople think we are. We are going to power through this adversity and we will break through eventually." Where are the mods on this one. You would be led to believe that Mathews was saying some the negative about the fans.

Sounds like a journalist in the making. Half truths.

 

[Bluelines]

That Carolina game is the marker of how to beat this team.
Pressure their defense and they will make stupid mistakes.
Pressure their forwards and they crumble.
Clog the neutral zone and you grind the team to a halt.

Guess who did just that over a 5 game span ( to varying success)?


Just to add:

Most teams can’t do this. Most teams don’t have the make-up to play CBJ hockey.
Tampa is a great match for Toronto.
Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Washington, hell, nearly all playoff teams left would be fine for us to play.
There would be issues, but they don’t grind you down like CBJ.
Boston is still a brutal match for us, as would Minnesota be.

So it’s not all doom and gloom!

It feels like teams in the NHL play one of two ways, either aggressive fore check or stretch pass. CBJ likes the aggressive forecheck, usually 2 players pressuring the puck carrier, Toronto under Babcock loved the stretch pass.

What concerns me is it feel like whatever team we face over the last 4 years in the playoffs/qualifying round is the worst team for us to face. Which to me suggest if every team you face in the playoffs is a bad match up for you, either you have a coach/system (Babcock) that you are unwilling or unable to adapt to beat the other team or you have a team of players that is simply unable, unwilling or does not have the skillset to counter act the other team.

I look at the most recent version of the Leafs and I can see 4 players, JT, MM, AM and WN that have an identity, they push the play, they are high octane, high possession, offence type players. I look at our defence and I see Rielly, great skater, very good 2 way guy. Muzzin shutdown , big d-man The rest of the team, I see nothing, absolutely no identity. I think about the rest of the team and I don't know what they bring to this team. I don't see any shut down Selke type forwards, I don't see any PP specialists. I don't see any elite fore checkers, I don't see any shift disturbers. I see no secondary scoring, I see no leadership (save for Spez). I see 6 forwards and 4 dmen that just skate and eat ice time, with no effect on the game. I see no one that is willing to do the thankless but necessary jobs that you need people to do to win...everyone on this team wants to be a goal scorer, everyone wants to be the hero, everyone wants to be a setup man, you can't have that mindset and be successful. Someone has to wash the dishes, take out the garbage, serve the customers... not everyone can be the chef.

 

[justashadowof]

Think of the internal drive within Patrice Bergeron to stay at this level after a few serious/chronic injuries. There are reasons beyond just abilities why some players keep ticking. Nick Robertson seems like he may have this level of internal drive.