TrueBlueGED Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 I have the perhaps unfair impression that Matthews is a little too hard on himself for his own good sometimes, a bit more brittle in the self-confidence area than his success should make him. If I am right, I feel so sorry for the kid. The Toronto fan base has almost elevated him to McDavid/Crosby status already. If he has a start like Eichel's - which was pretty damn good for an 18-year-old - that market might have him on suicide watch by Christmas. If he starts like Barkov, or Draisaitl, or Reinhart, or Drouin, the damage could be long-term. Maybe I am exaggerating but I wouldn't want my 20-year-old anywhere near that, never mind my 17-year-old. Babcock is going to have to lock that boy in a bubble. Watching the hype, I am reversing my position on Matthews improving the appeal of Toronto to Stamkos. How anyone could watch that then willingly step in to be the messiah for that needy bunch is beyond me. Babcock has the biggest stones in the world. I have complete faith in Babcock to manage it properly. I hope I'm wrong because F Toronto. Honestly though, if I were Toronto, winning the lottery would make me less inclined to back up the truck for Stamkos. However, I don't expect them to evaluate things as I do--the full court press for Stamkos is on. Quote
Thorner Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 I have complete faith in Babcock to manage it properly. I hope I'm wrong because F Toronto. Honestly though, if I were Toronto, winning the lottery would make me less inclined to back up the truck for Stamkos. However, I don't expect them to evaluate things as I do--the full court press for Stamkos is on. Question, was there a sliver of truth to your expression of wanting to sign Stamkos now, in your epic post from a few pages back? Or was it purely fleeting sardonicism? I'm guessing the latter, judging from your previously well-defined position on the matter. Quote
Rasmus_ Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 The Laffs will at least be booed heavily as Shanahan, Babcock, Lamoriello and company come up tot he podium. Quote
GoPre Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 The Laffs will at least be booed heavily as Shanahan, Babcock, Lamoriello and company come up tot he podium. Depends how many Buffalo fans are there. Quite sure a lot of Toronto fans will be in attendance. Quote
North Buffalo Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 ok since i cant be there. Boooo Boooo again and again Boooo Quote
Derrico Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 I'm high on Matthews, Tkachuck and all 3 Finns. It's possible that when we draft all 3 defenseman might be gone. I'm like Murray I don't know about drafting a Russian defenseman. If all 3 Dmen are gone you laugh and thank your lucky stars. Murray then runs to the stage and selects Dubois in as few words as possible....... Quote
LGR4GM Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 If all 3 Dmen are gone you laugh and thank your lucky stars. Murray then runs to the stage and selects Dubois in as few words as possible....... I think you are indeed correct. I also think that Vancouver takes him still. http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/04/05/pierre-luc-dubois-scouting-report-2016-nhl-draft-6/ He is hard to knock off the puck and protects it well using his body as a shield in the cycle game. Dubois also shows good speed and acceleration, as well as very good agility for a man his size. Off the rush, he has the skating skill to also be able to take his man wide and cut to the front of the net. His agility and ability to change gears makes him capable of playing a finesse game as well as his power one. Quote
Derrico Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) Love Dubois. I agree with you that I have him going to Vancouver as well. Possibly Calgary if Edmonton goes D. I think Tkchuck will still go one spot ahead of him. In fact, if Murray is able to trade up to 4 or 5 with Edmonton or Vancouver (which I think is doubtful) it would be to take him and not a Dman. From types of guys Murray seems to love, this guy has all of those qualities. Edited May 3, 2016 by Derrico Quote
LGR4GM Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 Love Dubois. I agree with you that I have him going to Vancouver as well. Possibly Calgary if Edmonton goes D. I think Tkchuck will still go one spot ahead of him. I think this is fairly accurate. Edmonton could trade out but I don't think they will. If they don't they are taking Chychrun/Juolevi/orTkachuk (I see a scenario where they take Tkachuk and trade for the defender)., I believe we see Vancouver take Debois. Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 Question, was there a sliver of truth to your expression of wanting to sign Stamkos now, in your epic post from a few pages back? Or was it purely fleeting sardonicism? I'm guessing the latter, judging from your previously well-defined position on the matter. There was a sliver of truth insofar as I was never completely against the idea. Stamkos is pretty far down my ideal list of options for improvement, and I'm not interested in him at the price I think he'll command ($11M). However, if for whatever reason we just can't swing the moves to bring in a couple top-4 Dmen and/or his contract lands more in the $9 million dollar range, I can certainly think of worse ways to try to improve the team. 2 Dmen > 1 Dman + other forward > Stamkos > nothing. Or something like that. And yes, on a purely emotional level, I would very much enjoy knocking Leaf fans back down to earth a little bit by beating then out for Stamkos. I try not to let this part of me drive my analysis on the matter...but in the wake of the weekend, it's getting harder :lol: Quote
Rasmus_ Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 There was a sliver of truth insofar as I was never completely against the idea. Stamkos is pretty far down my ideal list of options for improvement, and I'm not interested in him at the price I think he'll command ($11M). However, if for whatever reason we just can't swing the moves to bring in a couple top-4 Dmen and/or his contract lands more in the $9 million dollar range, I can certainly think of worse ways to try to improve the team. 2 Dmen > 1 Dman + other forward > Stamkos > nothing. Or something like that. And yes, on a purely emotional level, I would very much enjoy knocking Leaf fans back down to earth a little bit by beating then out for Stamkos. I try not to let this part of me drive my analysis on the matter...but in the wake of the weekend, it's getting harder :lol: The last part, was tantalizing. Definitely agree that beating them out for Stamkos after they've unexpectedly drafted Laine would make me laugh all the way to the bank for season tickets :P Quote
LTS Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 I disagree fervently. If we're not allowed to go on absurd emotional rants as sports fans, then we might as well stop caring about anything. Everyone certainly aught to know Blue wasn't wishing harm on Stamkos. It's not about caring. It's about choosing to move yourself forward as opposed to hold someone back. Why wish ill against someone else when you could just wish good on those you want to succeed? As long as the Sabres finish ahead of the Leafs each year I am a happy person. There isn't a single solitary reason to connect the current regime to those past failures. Literally everything they've done and are doing points to them being really sharp. Seriously. Irrational and unreasonable emotions are the heart and soul of sports fandom. As for my comments about Stamkos, I thought the tone of my post was awfully clear...apparently not? :unsure: So after 50 years they finally got it right? I guess you can go with that. There's a perception they have it right, but the team is far from perfect. Quote
WildCard Posted May 3, 2016 Author Report Posted May 3, 2016 I mean, we have a better chance at winning if every other player on every other team suffers an ACL tear...I hear Tonya Harding is looking for employment Quote
qwksndmonster Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 It's not about caring. It's about choosing to move yourself forward as opposed to hold someone back. Why wish ill against someone else when you could just wish good on those you want to succeed? As long as the Sabres finish ahead of the Leafs each year I am a happy person. Crazy sports rants aren't holding anybody back, they're just hilarious. And the passion resonates with a lot of us, considering we had to endure 2 of the worst seasons ever after countless years on the Darcy Regier treadmill. The Leafs luck into the first pick after only finishing last once. They snagged Babcock. It's okay to hate a sports team, it's actually pretty fun. And once again, Blue wasn't wishing ill against anyone. Quote
pi2000 Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 I'm high on Matthews, Tkachuck and all 3 Finns. It's possible that when we draft all 3 defenseman might be gone. I'm like Murray I don't know about drafting a Russian defenseman. Not a fan of Matthews... Toronto can have him... good luck with that! I can see him scoring 20g his first year, but IMO he has a low ceiling due to the fact he's already fully grown at 18yo. If he doesn't blossom into a top 5 scorer in the league by his 3rd year, the Toronto media will turn on him and things could get ugly. That, and the fact he's from the desert and jumped overseas to earn a paycheck instead of finishing high school, etc. etc.. etc.. IMO at least one, likely 2 of the defensemen will be there. Quote
MattPie Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 Pi, you are one peculiar fellow. WC really should have Photoshopped Auston Matthews' face onto that one. Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 It's not about caring. It's about choosing to move yourself forward as opposed to hold someone back. Why wish ill against someone else when you could just wish good on those you want to succeed? As long as the Sabres finish ahead of the Leafs each year I am a happy person. So after 50 years they finally got it right? I guess you can go with that. There's a perception they have it right, but the team is far from perfect. Some of us find it enjoyable to hate your favorite team's rivals. Simple as that. It's just sports, not like we're cheering for Toronto fans to suffer great personal tragedy. And nobody is asserting the Leafs are a perfect team or are done rebuilding or whatever, but I think it's a mistake to discount their current trajectory based on a set of completely unrelated decision makers from years past. Quote
qwksndmonster Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 WC really should have Photoshopped Auston Matthews' face onto that one. He should have crappily MS painted it on. Quote
WildCard Posted May 3, 2016 Author Report Posted May 3, 2016 WC really should have Photoshopped Auston Matthews' face onto that one. Don't have the ps skills for that He should have crappily MS painted it on. I do for that though. Quote
pi2000 Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 WC really should have Photoshopped Auston Matthews' face onto that one. like this? Quote
Brawndo Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/goes-brown-5-ways-leafs-will-screw-no-1-pick/ Toronto can be a tough town. It's not that the media is overly critical so much as that there's just so much of it, with all of them competing to stand out with the hottest take or most contrarian angle. And with a massive fan base that stretches well beyond the city limits, you're never going to be able to please everyone. Remember, this is the town that took forever to warm to Mats Sundin even as he put together a Hall of Fame career. They hammered Phil Kessel constantly, even as he racked up top-10 scoring seasons with little help. And while it's been all but forgotten now, even Wendel Clark was ripped for years before eventually being granted local deity status. This will be the key for Matthews I believe. Unlike McDavid, who has been the anointed one since age 13 and grew up in the spotlight Auston did not. How is he going to handle it? Quote
WildCard Posted May 3, 2016 Author Report Posted May 3, 2016 like this? Exactly like that :lol: :lol: I cropped some out so we can see the face in your avatar in the Tank 3.0 thread. Quote
pi2000 Posted May 3, 2016 Report Posted May 3, 2016 Exactly like that :lol: :lol: I cropped some out so we can see the face in your avatar in the Tank 3.0 thread. what have i done Quote
WildCard Posted May 3, 2016 Author Report Posted May 3, 2016 what have i done It's beautiful :worthy: Quote
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