• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

4 Nations Face-Off

Chris said:
He's not as good as Draisaitl but he can legitimately claim to be the best overall player on the Leafs. Matthews is a better goal scorer (plus plays center) but Marner is by far and away the best playmaker, so good defensively and an excellent penalty killer. I think he'll ask for at least what Matthews is getting and probably more, and will probably get it - especially with the cap going up. The caveat is what happens in the playoffs this year. None of the "big 3" have yet to particularly distinguish themselves as players who can carry a team in the playoffs. Maybe they do this year.
Click to expand...

I just don't see it that way. Marner hasn't even broken 100 points.

Matthews has an MVP, multiple Rocket trophies. On pace for the most goals ever in the NHL. Defensively Matthews is one of the best. Marner has to, and should, slot below the Captain.
 
dappleganger said:
I just don't see it that way. Marner hasn't even broken 100 points.

Matthews has an MVP, multiple Rocket trophies. On pace for the most goals ever in the NHL. Defensively Matthews is one of the best. Marner has to, and should, slot below the Captain.
Click to expand...
That's fine. But career totals are almost identical for the two of them. Marner 710 pts in 630 games (1.13/game), Matthews 694 in 602 (1.15). Playoffs are even closer, 50 in 57 for Marner and 48 in 55 for Matthews. Matthews plays center so he should probably slot in higher because of that, but with the predicted cap rises I bet Marner asks for and probably gets the same or more than Matthews is currently making. Everything in his history would suggest he is going to want that. Maybe he breaks the mold this time, we'll see.
 
Chris said:
He's not as good as Draisaitl but he can legitimately claim to be the best overall player on the Leafs. Matthews is a better goal scorer (plus plays center) but Marner is by far and away the best playmaker, so good defensively and an excellent penalty killer. I think he'll ask for at least what Matthews is getting and probably more, and will probably get it - especially with the cap going up. The caveat is what happens in the playoffs this year. None of the "big 3" have yet to particularly distinguish themselves as players who can carry a team in the playoffs. Maybe they do this year.
Click to expand...


This is the thing, if Marner says "I'm as valuable as Matthews", then you look at the cap % that Matthews has. It's 15.1% (on this year's cap). Next year's cap is supposed to be 95.5M. If Marner says give me 15% of 95.5M then his cap hit would be $14.32million. (Matthews cap % as of next year's cap would become only 12.65%)
 
I am taking a break from watching anything. Busta has it right, it's kind of a hyped-up ASG. That's fine as far as it goes, but they have to cram-jam the rest of the schedule to make it work and that isn't fine. WAY too many B2Bs and the quality of play gets even more uneven than it already is.
 
ZBBM said:
I am taking a break from watching anything. Busta has it right, it's kind of a hyped-up ASG. That's fine as far as it goes, but they have to cram-jam the rest of the schedule to make it work and that isn't fine. WAY too many B2Bs and the quality of play gets even more uneven than it already is.
Click to expand...

I am intrigued to enough to watch 34,88,16 and that future Toronto Maple Leaf guy.
 
I'll probably watch some, but my level of commitment/caring about who wins is definitely lower than true best-on-best international tournaments.
 
I'll probably watch some of the tournament but I really don't care all that much about it. 4 of the top 12 scorers in the NHL aren't involved in this tournament. 10 of the top 50 scorers aren't involved. I still don't trust the NHL to actually go to the Olympics and I care far more about International hockey at that point so while this is a nice appetizer its still just a slight step up on the All-Star game.

If this tournament actually mattered Alex Pietrangelo wouldn't have opted out despite playing 20 minutes a night for Vegas
 
L K said:
I'll probably watch some of the tournament but I really don't care all that much about it. 4 of the top 12 scorers in the NHL aren't involved in this tournament. 10 of the top 50 scorers aren't involved. I still don't trust the NHL to actually go to the Olympics and I care far more about International hockey at that point so while this is a nice appetizer its still just a slight step up on the All-Star game.

If this tournament actually mattered Alex Pietrangelo wouldn't have opted out despite playing 20 minutes a night for Vegas
Click to expand...

I can consider that AP may have some ownership pressure to be healthy for the upcoming playoff run...Bill Foley doesn't give a damn about Team Canada.
 
bustaheims said:
The level of importance might be similar, but the calibre of play should be significantly higher. The players actually seem to care about this one. It should be much more entertaining, at the very least.
Click to expand...

There should be more emotion, better defense and less hotdogging because they're playing for their country. But they're just thrown together for 3-4 games. It is a team sport. As a hockey fan, I suppose I'll have some curiosity but it is pretty limited. I just want our Leafs to get through it healthy. It is a blatant attempt by the NHL to make more money regardless of who wins and appease their players with some international play. That is their right - it is their business. But it feels a little like a gimmick to me. I can't take it too seriously.
 
Canada has a tremendous amount of firepower, but might be a glass cannon given its goaltending issues. They're also managed weirdly where Hockey Canada always aims to pick players for roles (fair) but at the cost of its depth by leaving off stars who could conceivably fill those roles (or just roll 4 1st lines with a couple lines that are firster than others). I think they will also have the most issues with chemistry because the other nations have pretty solid development programs for exactly these tournaments from junior on up and they've all played together multiple times.
 
Canada vs Sweden about to start.

Sweet pre-game interview of the Cole Harbour duo, who are on the same line. So sick!


Up against the highest scoring Canadian-born player in the NHL this season:

slick Willy.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top