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Auston Matthews Extension: 13.25M AAV x 4yrs

Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
These are all excellent responses but none of them addresses my concern: that his anodyne, emotionless leadership (thanks herman, spot on) doesn't fit with what the team seems to need, especially on crucial occasions.  It's a recurring theme that they fall flat too often in big-drama games.
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Counterpoint:

FvEKkgFXsAA7yAZ
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
These are all excellent responses but none of them addresses my concern: that his anodyne, emotionless leadership (thanks herman, spot on) doesn't fit with what the team seems to need, especially on crucial occasions.  It's a recurring theme that they fall flat too often in big-drama games.  That they have to have team meetings to decide to respond to Rattyboy and his ilk when they take liberties.  Etc.

I think a more fiery leadership style would help the team.  Even if someone were inclined to be a vocal leader, I expect they are reluctant to go over the head of Tavares ? who, don't get me wrong, is wonderful player and exemplary leader within the confines of his personality.

Matthews is the face of the franchise.  He's got the passion.  He's put that one stupid teenage incident far behind him, after admitting responsibility.  Give him the C and let JT wear an A for his next Leafs contract.  Tavares is the last person on earth who would pout about it and not give it his all.
Click to expand...
You have no idea how he is in the room...none. Nieuwendyk said he was one of if not the best captain he ever played for. Roberts said similar.  They used to say that about Sundin. I see JT in a very similar way.
Look how he takes care of the rookies..moved them into his house. He's the ultimate pro like Crosby.
Like CTB said above...he's the captain until he decides not to be.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
These are all excellent responses but none of them addresses my concern: that his anodyne, emotionless leadership (thanks herman, spot on) doesn't fit with what the team seems to need, especially on crucial occasions.  It's a recurring theme that they fall flat too often in big-drama games.
Click to expand...

Counterpoint:

FvEKkgFXsAA7yAZ
Click to expand...

The exception that proves the rule.

EDIT: Actually, it isn't.  And I was wrong to say earlier that he's completely emotionless.  Obviously, he shows emotion when good things happen (same with his tying goal last night).  Where they need more emotion from the C is when *bad* things are happening, or if the team is just flat.
 
Guilt Trip said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
These are all excellent responses but none of them addresses my concern: that his anodyne, emotionless leadership (thanks herman, spot on) doesn't fit with what the team seems to need, especially on crucial occasions.  It's a recurring theme that they fall flat too often in big-drama games.  That they have to have team meetings to decide to respond to Rattyboy and his ilk when they take liberties.  Etc.

I think a more fiery leadership style would help the team.  Even if someone were inclined to be a vocal leader, I expect they are reluctant to go over the head of Tavares ? who, don't get me wrong, is wonderful player and exemplary leader within the confines of his personality.

Matthews is the face of the franchise.  He's got the passion.  He's put that one stupid teenage incident far behind him, after admitting responsibility.  Give him the C and let JT wear an A for his next Leafs contract.  Tavares is the last person on earth who would pout about it and not give it his all.
Click to expand...
You have no idea how he is in the room...none. Nieuwendyk said he was one of if not the best captain he ever played for. Roberts said similar.  They used to say that about Sundin. I see JT in a very similar way.
Look how he takes care of the rookies..moved them into his house. He's the ultimate pro like Crosby.
Like CTB said above...he's the captain until he decides not to be.
Click to expand...

You can disagree all you like, but we know exactly how he is in the room ? unless you honestly think he's in there giving fiery speeches that have somehow been kept secret all these years from the ravenous TO media.  Which they haven't.

And I already explicitly said he's a great leader within his personality type.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Guilt Trip said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
These are all excellent responses but none of them addresses my concern: that his anodyne, emotionless leadership (thanks herman, spot on) doesn't fit with what the team seems to need, especially on crucial occasions.  It's a recurring theme that they fall flat too often in big-drama games.  That they have to have team meetings to decide to respond to Rattyboy and his ilk when they take liberties.  Etc.

I think a more fiery leadership style would help the team.  Even if someone were inclined to be a vocal leader, I expect they are reluctant to go over the head of Tavares ? who, don't get me wrong, is wonderful player and exemplary leader within the confines of his personality.

Matthews is the face of the franchise.  He's got the passion.  He's put that one stupid teenage incident far behind him, after admitting responsibility.  Give him the C and let JT wear an A for his next Leafs contract.  Tavares is the last person on earth who would pout about it and not give it his all.
Click to expand...
You have no idea how he is in the room...none. Nieuwendyk said he was one of if not the best captain he ever played for. Roberts said similar.  They used to say that about Sundin. I see JT in a very similar way.
Look how he takes care of the rookies..moved them into his house. He's the ultimate pro like Crosby.
Like CTB said above...he's the captain until he decides not to be.
Click to expand...

You can disagree all you like, but we know exactly how he is in the room ? unless you honestly think he's in there giving fiery speeches that have somehow been kept secret all these years from the ravenous TO media.  Which they haven't.

And I already explicitly said he's a great leader within his personality type.
Click to expand...
You're making assumptions. We don't know what he's like. They didn't know what Sundin was like. It's all about how the players react, respect him. You think Crosby is a fiery speech guy? Doubt it.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
The exception that proves the rule.

EDIT: Actually, it isn't.  And I was wrong to say earlier that he's completely emotionless.  Obviously, he shows emotion when good things happen (same with his tying goal last night).  Where they need more emotion from the C is when *bad* things are happening, or if the team is just flat.
Click to expand...

For whatever it's worth, I'd support a move to make Matthews captain in the near-ish future. This is his team, it'll only ever go as far as he takes it, and it just feels inevitable that he'll wear the C eventually. I wouldn't be shocked to see Tavares play another 4-5 seasons after his current deal and I guess it would just feel odd if Matthews needs to wait that long for it to happen.

With that said, I also don't necessarily think it would bring about a drastic change to the teams on-ice results. Matthews, or Rielly, don't need a C to make their voice heard in the locker room.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
There's really no scenario at all in which Tavares gets the C taken off him while he's still on the team for it to go to Rielly. Like none. It would only maybe happen for Matthews because he's heading toward the GOAT status.
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For clarity, at this point in time, I absolutely wouldn't consider taking the C away from Tavares. If my post was taken that way, I did not mean to imply that I ever would. I respect him.

After some seasons out of the top six in scoring, George Armstrong announced he was retiring after the '67 Cup and then changed his mind. He did that for a few years. During one of those episodes, around '69, Keon was named captain. George changed his mind again and played a year or two longer. Something like that. Maybe someone has a better recollection.

Sittler refused to be captain until he was sure Ron Ellis did not want to be.
 
cw said:
For clarity, at this point in time, I absolutely wouldn't consider taking the C away from Tavares. If my post was taken that way, I did not mean to imply that I ever would. I respect him.
Click to expand...

I presume anybody talking about this is doing so under the assumption that it only happens with Tavares' blessing, in a "passing the torch" type moment. Tavares won't be stripped of his captaincy per se. My original post should have clarified that better actually. I can't see the "passing the torch" moment happening with Rielly though is what I meant, only Matthews.
 
As for "anodyne", I haven't been in the locker room with Tavares. That may be only how he is with the media. In this town, I think being that way with the media is a very good thing - almost a prerequisite.

I remember the debates where some people wanted Sundin stripped of his captaincy over Roberts because Roberts would bring that fire as a vocal captain. Or they longed for Gilmour. I still think they were wrong. Sundin was an excellent captain. Even Roberts said as much. You lead on the ice - by example - far more than the rah rah stuff.

I have seen it countless times in sports where someone is mild mannered socially but when they are on the field or in the rink or in a boxing ring, a switch goes off. They are in compete mode and maybe not such a nice, mild mannered person any more. After the contest, a little decompression and back to being mild mannered. You can't judge that book by its cover. You find out in the trenches on the field of battle. You find out if a guy is all talk or he can put something behind it.

I think vocal leaders like coaches tend to have shorter wicks. For a shorter period of time, people respond and take notice. In management school, a manager who quickly resorts to yelling is not a good motivator of people. Yelling is a last resort. People quickly tire of it or don't care for it. Guys that lead by example who are not as vocal, I sense their motivation effect is more gradual but has more stay power, runs deeper and garners more respect.
 
He?s scored at least 37 in all but one season of his career - and that year he missed 20 games. Every season he played at least 70, he?s scored at least 40.
 
4 more points until he becomes the fastest player in Leafs history to hit 600 pts. If he can pot 29 more goals this season, he'll pass Keon for 3rd all-time. He could be the all-time leader next season as he's 84 away from Sundin. That's crazy.
 
https://x.com/mirtle/status/1759015934042272218

Matthews really is in a league of his own when it comes to goals. Currently up by 9 over Reinhart. Will likely hit 50 before the end of February. If not for the two ?cold? streaks (by his standards, at least), he might be pushing 60 already!
 
bustaheims said:
https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1759606168631095594
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I figured top 5. I would never have guessed top 2

I think Hull won the Hart that year.
Matthews barely seems to be in that conversation - more on the outside.
Can you imagine where the Leafs would be in the standings without his 49 goals (a little over 25% of the Leafs goals) ?
 
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