Leafs to announce captain

[ZBBM]

This was Matthews' team from the day the Leafs won the lottery.

But my question is, why does it have to be somebody's team"?  To me that just plays into the individualist narrative Bettman wants to push about superstars being the face of the league, having personal rivalries with each other, etc.

The captaincy now is mostly about being willing to shoulder the responsibility of talking to the media no matter how badly you just got your butts kicked and stuff like that.  I don't think it's about on-ice or in-locker-room leadership or anything exalted.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

But my question is, why does it have to be somebody's team"?  To me that just plays into the individualist narrative Bettman wants to push about superstars being the face of the league, having personal rivalries with each other, etc.

Well for starters I don't really recall Bettman ever pushing this idea. At least not since Ovi vs. Sid was a big thing and it really hasn't been for like 10 years. If anything the league would probably stand to benefit greatly if they pushed superstars being the face of the league a little more.

The captaincy now is mostly about being willing to shoulder the responsibility of talking to the media no matter how badly you just got your butts kicked and stuff like that.  I don't think it's about on-ice or in-locker-room leadership or anything exalted.

All that stuff goes hand in hand to me. Matthews is the face of the franchise, and like I said he has been since the Leafs won the lottery. He's the one who should be the voice who shoulders that responibility because of that and because as the most valuable on-ice player the team really only goes as far as he takes them.

edit: I should have said the "expectation" is that the team only goes as far as he takes them... since there's obviously been a number of cases of a star player not being able to get things done when it's of course not his fault (i.e. McDavid).

 

[ZBBM]

Oh, I think the NHL pushes the necessary superstar thing very much still.  And as someone else said, the best player isn't always the best captain.

I don't have any problem with Matthews being the captain, even though I think you can make a case for Rielly.  But I suppose the logical choice is the guy on the roster who's been one before.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Oh, I think the NHL pushes the necessary superstar thing very much still.

Their big season starting social media campaign featured a tweet displaying 3 players that most NHL fans couldn't recognize out of a uniform to save their lives. I'd imagine a huge chunk of even pretty hardcore fans wouldn't recognize the reigning Art Ross, Lindsay, and Hart trophy winner if he walked past them down the street.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

It will be Matthews, but my personal preference would still be Rielly.

Same, though -- in a moment of weakness -- I did think for a time it might be Tavares. I'd say it's about 99% sure to be Matthews.

I've thought Tavares on and off. I was back on the Tavares train when Babcock made the Kawhi Leonard mentions.

 

[hockeyfan1]

It will be Matthews, but my personal preference would still be Rielly.

Same, though -- in a moment of weakness -- I did think for a time it might be Tavares. I'd say it's about 99% sure to be Matthews.

I've thought Tavares on and off. I was back on the Tavares train when Babcock made the Kawhi Leonard mentions.

Rielly has long been my first choice to captain the team.
Upon second thought, Matthews would probably be more well in keeping with naming a team?s top player as captain.

If it?s Matthews, I?m fine with it.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm not exactly on board with naming the top player the captain. The captain is the best leader, not the most talented player.
I can't really argue against any choices though as I don't know what goes on behind closed doors

 

[Kin]

I'm not exactly on board with naming the top player the captain. The captain is the best leader, not the most talented player.

I think that's a little bit of an outdated concept. For those of us of a certain age, we remember guys like Mike Keane or Wendel Clark or Trevor Linden as examples of guys who were seen as really good captains despite not always being their team's best player and, to be sure, there are still examples of that around the league.

But in terms of whether it actually matters I'm not convinced. Both in the positive and negative. Good leaders are good leaders regardless of what letter they get on their jersey and when a team has a top player who maybe doesn't fit the established notions of what good leadership is(say, with the Leafs and Kessel) it wasn't like the narrative that emerged was "Kessel isn't a very good example for his teammates...but it doesn't matter because he's not the captain".

Players on a team are going to take their cues from the top dog and I don't think the team deciding who gets the C determines who that top dog is. A young player in Edmonton is going to be looking towards McDavid no matter what.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm not exactly on board with naming the top player the captain. The captain is the best leader, not the most talented player.

I think that's a little bit of an outdated concept. For those of us of a certain age, we remember guys like Mike Keane or Wendel Clark or Trevor Linden as examples of guys who were seen as really good captains despite not always being their team's best player and, to be sure, there are still examples of that around the league.

But in terms of whether it actually matters I'm not convinced. Both in the positive and negative. Good leaders are good leaders regardless of what letter they get on their jersey and when a team has a top player who maybe doesn't fit the established notions of what good leadership is(say, with the Leafs and Kessel) it wasn't like the narrative that emerged was "Kessel isn't a very good example for his teammates...but it doesn't matter because he's not the captain".

Players on a team are going to take their cues from the top dog and I don't think the team deciding who gets the C determines who that top dog is. A young player in Edmonton is going to be looking towards McDavid no matter what.

I don't disagree with any of this.

 

[Kin]

I don't disagree with any of this.

No, there's not much there that's particularly controversial. I was just trying to explain why I think who the Captain is, going forward, is going to be less about being the best leader(although that certainly will still be relevant) and more about who the team's management wants to make the public face of the franchise.

Which, odds are, is going to be the best player on the team.

 

[Highlander]

I'm not exactly on board with naming the top player the captain. The captain is the best leader, not the most talented player.

I think that's a little bit of an outdated concept. For those of us of a certain age, we remember guys like Mike Keane or Wendel Clark or Trevor Linden as examples of guys who were seen as really good captains despite not always being their team's best player and, to be sure, there are still examples of that around the league.

But in terms of whether it actually matters I'm not convinced. Both in the positive and negative. Good leaders are good leaders regardless of what letter they get on their jersey and when a team has a top player who maybe doesn't fit the established notions of what good leadership is(say, with the Leafs and Kessel) it wasn't like the narrative that emerged was "Kessel isn't a very good example for his teammates...but it doesn't matter because he's not the captain".

Players on a team are going to take their cues from the top dog and I don't think the team deciding who gets the C determines who that top dog is. A young player in Edmonton is going to be looking towards McDavid no matter what.

I don't disagree with any of this.

Neither do I, although I do like Rielly a lot and he seems to exude leadership.  But at the end of the day I don't give a flying F__k if it is him, or Matthews or Chewbacco.  I kind of like Chewbacco, I heard he is a helluva Left Winger.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I don't disagree with any of this.

No, there's not much there that's particularly controversial. I was just trying to explain why I think who the Captain is, going forward, is going to be less about being the best leader(although that certainly will still be relevant) and more about who the team's management wants to make the public face of the franchise.

Which, odds are, is going to be the best player on the team.

I kind of hope it doesn't go this way, but I believe you are correct. The old school in me just hopes that teams don't automatically default to top talent. It may not effect the pro players much, but when naming C's with younger players, you do it to teach them what leadership is. It gives young players something to strive for at the rink and away from it.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1174327183663349763

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Oh my god they're getting a marching band.

 

[Guilt Trip]

The old regime had a press conference so who knows if this group will do it. I expect...Opening night, last player out.....And from blah blah, your captain #34 Auston Matthews.
Marner, JT and Rielly with the A's.

 

[Boston Leaf]

The drama is silly.. old school.... name it quietly end it

 

[Coco-puffs]

The old regime had a press conference so who knows if this group will do it. I expect...Opening night, last player out.....And from blah blah, your captain #34 Auston Matthews.
Marner, JT and Rielly with the A's.

So you think they will rotate the A's around, because teams can only have two A's and one C per game (or three A's).  Naming a Captain does not mean we will keep three Assistants, although it is possible if the A alternates between players. 

Or if you are crazy like the Sharks, you let everyone in on the A party

https://twitter.com/SanJoseSharks/status/1172156839104040966


My expectation would be Matthews C, Rielly A, Tavares A and that it would be announced opening night.

 

[disco]

If Matthews can manage to play 82 games this season I'm predicting a massive year for him. I think after the early injury last year he made some adjustments to his game: more conscientious of barging in, more aware of his surroundings. If the powerplay improves and he continues his success 5-on-5, could be a monster year.

 

[Highlander]

The old regime had a press conference so who knows if this group will do it. I expect...Opening night, last player out.....And from blah blah, your captain #34 Auston Matthews.
Marner, JT and Rielly with the A's.

So you think they will rotate the A's around, because teams can only have two A's and one C per game (or three A's).  Naming a Captain does not mean we will keep three Assistants, although it is possible if the A alternates between players. 

Or if you are crazy like the Sharks, you let everyone in on the A party

https://twitter.com/SanJoseSharks/status/1172156839104040966


My expectation would be Matthews C, Rielly A, Tavares A and that it would be announced opening night.

Give every player on the team the C

And a big glass of Captain Morgan and Coke

 

[freer]

Morgan
Austin "A"
Marner "A"


Just my opinion