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Leafs part ways with Berube

Joe S. said:
I hear you - my brother last night (who is a casual leafs fan at best) asks me 'what's this with Matthews saying he wants to leave?' and I said Matthews hasn't actually said anything, this is all based on 1 tweet. And he was saying that's all he's hearing. Toronto media really is annoying at times.

And while I'm on that semi rant - Kypreos was complaining the other day that knies was at raptors game when he should have been watching hockey. I can't even wrap my head around whatever point he was trying to make. I appreciate that Bourne or McKee (I can't remember which one) told him that was an absolute garbage take. He's trying really hard to be the new mccowan. We don't need a new mccowan.
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There's definitely something to be said about "How do you view your future" and his reply is "I can't predict the future" when asked about next season. You're the captain and you're under contract and you have an NMC. He completely flubbed a softball question. How hard is it to say "I view next season as an opportunity to come back, be better and do everything I can to help get us back to the playoffs." Of course there's going to be speculation when you give that kind of an opening. I don't blame the media for running with that - just like everywhere else where the fanbase is passionate.
 
Bender said:
There's definitely something to be said about "How do you view your future" and his reply is "I can't predict the future" when asked about next season. You're the captain and you're under contract and you have an NMC. He completely flubbed a softball question. How hard is it to say "I view next season as an opportunity to come back, be better and do everything I can to help get us back to the playoffs." Of course there's going to be speculation when you give that kind of an opening. I don't blame the media for running with that - just like everywhere else where the fanbase is passionate.
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I have no argument with this - but when did he say this? I don't remember the timeline. I was specifically referring to the CJ tweet.
 
Bender said:
The will they won't they was so bizarre. You could tell Matthews and most of the team was done with this. Bringing him back with the metrics they had last season would be nuts. I also think doing it in season for a GM's job preservation was a completely ridiculous take. You could make the case that not firing him would be malpractice.
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Going by the metrics from last season, Bruce Cassidy coached teams are usually very good at what the Leafs were bad at last season. Food for thought.
 
Joe S. said:
I have no argument with this - but when did he say this? I don't remember the timeline. I was specifically referring to the CJ tweet.
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Quote with more context here:
www.nhl.com

Matthews said he 'can't predict' his future with Maple Leafs | NHL.com

Captain will be healthy for next season, but unsure what direction team will take with GM
www.nhl.com www.nhl.com

I didn't have a problem with it.
He is intent on returning next season.
If they retool, maybe Matthews hangs around.
If they go total rebuild, he'd probably go elsewhere to try to win a Cup because rebuild will probably take a number of seasons more than rebuild (though he didn't say that).
Whether they retool or rebuild is a decision he has no direct control over and therefore, he can't predict what he'll do nor what they might do or what they might ask him to do (ie accept a trade)
When Chayka & Sundin meet with him, that is probably what they're going to hear.
 
I know Chayka said Matthews had zero influence on this move but I can’t help believe him and Sundin heard something during their 10 days of meetings with staff that would indicate otherwise. Namely, that Matthews wasn’t happy with the coaching. I’m less likely to think Matthews game will improve under a new coach and more likely to believe his injury played a bigger role in his success (or lack thereof) over the past 2 seasons. This worries me more than anything else. I really hope they don’t start trading away picks and players to help build a team designed to satisfy Matthews and try to win in the next two years… instead of building a team designed for success over the next 10.
 
Bender said:
There's definitely something to be said about "How do you view your future" and his reply is "I can't predict the future" when asked about next season. You're the captain and you're under contract and you have an NMC. He completely flubbed a softball question. How hard is it to say "I view next season as an opportunity to come back, be better and do everything I can to help get us back to the playoffs." Of course there's going to be speculation when you give that kind of an opening. I don't blame the media for running with that - just like everywhere else where the fanbase is passionate.
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My only problem with it was he wasn’t more direct in challenging ownership. “Best city, best hockey fanbase, and best goal scorer in North America deserve the best run team in the sport. Toronto isn’t going anywhere, but the other two might. Ownership should get serious”
 
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Redleaf said:
I know Chayka said Matthews had zero influence on this move but I can’t help believe him and Sundin heard something during their 10 days of meetings with staff that would indicate otherwise. Namely, that Matthews wasn’t happy with the coaching. I’m less likely to think Matthews game will improve under a new coach and more likely to believe his injury played a bigger role in his success (or lack thereof) over the past 2 seasons. This worries me more than anything else. I really hope they don’t start trading away picks and players to help build a team designed to satisfy Matthews and try to win in the next two years… instead of building a team designed for success over the next 10.
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If I had to guess, I bet Matthews was more upset by the inaction of the GM. When Tanev got injured he needed to make a move for a right-shot D, at the very least. In fact, when the season was careening out of control he made no moves at all, except firing an assistant coach.
 
cw said:
Quote with more context here:
www.nhl.com

Matthews said he 'can't predict' his future with Maple Leafs | NHL.com

Captain will be healthy for next season, but unsure what direction team will take with GM
www.nhl.com www.nhl.com

I didn't have a problem with it.
He is intent on returning next season.
If they retool, maybe Matthews hangs around.
If they go total rebuild, he'd probably go elsewhere to try to win a Cup because rebuild will probably take a number of seasons more than rebuild (though he didn't say that).
Whether they retool or rebuild is a decision he has no direct control over and therefore, he can't predict what he'll do nor what they might do or what they might ask him to do (ie accept a trade)
When Chayka & Sundin meet with him, that is probably what they're going to hear.
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Listen to the actual question. "Where do you view your future with the Leafs moving forward?" And he said "I can't predict the future." I get that there was also preamble to what's next for the franchise but he repeated that line. Then Rosie asked if he wants to be here and he said he blocks out the noise. He's way better off answering questions like these way more directly if he truly wants to be here.

And either way I'm not going to say both CJ and Elliotte are wildly off base on their reporting.
 
lamajama said:
Johnny Tightlips...!! LMAO. This sounds like a Simpson's episode
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1f305c3b3e4d8cc99744cbdf1a8a57e925c12981.gifv

There is a reasonable resemblance.
 
Winning the lottery and now this, it's been a couple good weeks for the Leafs. I mean sure it's small steps, but something has to break right for this team. Let's hope we keep adding up the "good weeks"
 
Bender said:

Listen to the actual question. "Where do you view your future with the Leafs moving forward?" And he said "I can't predict the future." I get that there was also preamble to what's next for the franchise but he repeated that line. Then Rosie asked if he wants to be here and he said he blocks out the noise. He's way better off answering questions like these way more directly if he truly wants to be here.

And either way I'm not going to say both CJ and Elliotte are wildly off base on their reporting.
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From the transcript:
0:42 AM "I love being the captain of this team. I think it's an incredible honor to to wake up every day and and wear this jersey. And I think uh you know that's not that's not lost on me even you know despite the the circumstances and and the way that the season went."

1:00 Q "There's been a lot of people projecting their thoughts on what you think of the future of this franchise and your place within it. Um I'm sure you've heard that. How do you view your future with the Leafs moving forward this season?"

1:14 AM "Yeah, I mean I can't predict the future. Obviously there's steps that kind of have to you know take place. They're going to hire new leadership at management and stuff like that. Um, so, you know, I I don't really know. I think that's kind of um, you know, like I said, I can't really predict the future."

1:30 Q "But for yourself personally, is this a place you want to be or would reject any suggestion that you should not be here for the remainder of your contract?"

1:40 AM "Yeah, I think all that stuff, I mean, there's always noise and there's always chatter. Um, you know, I think personally, you know, I really don't pay attention to all that. Um, you know, I just focus on myself, focus on this team, and, um, you know, trying to be a part of the solution."
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I don't think his responses are very sinister or unreasonable.

If Matthews wants to win a Cup in his career (and I think he does), there are a number of NHL cities at this stage of his career, while bearing in mind the current circumstances of this team, that can probably offer him a better chance to do so. In the next 13 1/2 months, he's going to be confronted with making that contractual decision - if not beginning within the next few weeks. At this point in time, I can easily see why he might feel some uncertainty or the need to have more facts before making such a decision. It seems to be a reasonable response for a Toronto media scrum.

If I were in his skates, again, given the circumstances with his team, I would definitely have an eye for the exits that gave me a better chance to win a Cup. He's American - maybe he'd like to play in his home country. As he is contracted to be in Toronto for the next two seasons, I can easily understand why he would not be completely forthright about that with the Toronto media at this time. At the same time, he's publicly undecided leaving him the option of finishing his career in Toronto.

I do not see a lot wrong with that.

The chatter about coach Cassidy is that he would prefer Edmonton because he perceives Edmonton (as many others do) gives him a better chance to win sooner. Maybe in a couple of years or sooner, Matthews will feel that way about Dallas, Utah, Colorado or New Jersey, etc. His NMC contract that makes him a UFA in 2 years provides him the freedom to decide his future - just like Bobby McMann will in the next few weeks and the freedom to be uncertain of that decision until then.
 
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