Author Topic: Mats the traitor (Read 9606 times)

Allen · « **Reply #20 on:** June 21, 2008, 03:05:43 pm »

good for Mats

who in thier right mind would ever want to play for the Leafs

Zoo · « **Reply #21 on:** June 21, 2008, 06:07:25 pm »

I like Mats.

That being said, it is time for him to move on and a new page to be turned. The Leafs are going nowhere for the next couple of years at least. It is time to slowly churn out the highly paid older atheletes and move in a younger, new direction. I like the move at the draft yesterday. My hope is that we let this propsect season another year in junior and then for a year or two at the AHL before they expect him to log 20+ minutes at the NHL level. It takes time to develop defencemen.

New coach, Fletcher as interim GM for the next year and some changes on the ice. Some pain to be sure but for the first time in a few years there looks like there might be a future plan in place.

mrthompson · « **Reply #22 on:** June 23, 2008, 08:56:38 am »

Best of luck, Mats.

99 Silver · « **Reply #23 on:** June 23, 2008, 12:10:47 pm »

Quote from: gosteelerz on June 20, 2008, 06:29:27 pm

Looks like Mats is going to be come a stinkin Hab

http://www.fan590.com/news/sports/more.jsp?content=s062047A

Gee, it was only 4 months ago he bled Maple Leaf blue and refused to move for some prospects, now he wants to go the dark side. Thanks Mats, we could have had Higgins and a first rounder.

The Leafs crapped on him last season when they went public with their desire to trade him. Now they are the ones pushing him out the door. This is what happens when accountants and actuaries run a sports business, the bottom line is all that matters. The Leafs will wallow in mediocrity as long as ownership is mostly concerned with profits, and the fans continue to throw money at them. Bring another team (competitive) into the GTA to bleed off some of the profits and the team might rise again.

PlanB · « **Reply #24 on:** June 23, 2008, 06:53:31 pm »

Quote from: inco on June 21, 2008, 09:24:52 am

This was engineered by Fumble Fletch because they could not trade him earlier and they couldn't sign him so they opened the door for Montreal to 'talk' with Mats and his agent.

Seems like Leaf Management and the CAW have something in common - an inner desire to open their mouths and drive everyone away.

Now let's get rid the deadweights on the team who earn all that money and then do nothing. Like that would happen because what we need is new ownership - get rid of Peddie and Teachers.

Neither Peddie, the Teacher's nor Fletcher gave half the team NTC's and inflated contracts.....If I remember correctly that was JF Jr's doing and he deserves the blame IMO for putting the Laffs in the situation they are in now. Fletcher is the clean-up guy, give him a full season to fix Ferguson's mess I say, then judge him.

gosteelerz · « **Reply #25 on:** June 23, 2008, 06:59:30 pm »

Quote from: 99 Silver on June 23, 2008, 12:10:47 pm

Quote from: gosteelerz on June 20, 2008, 06:29:27 pm
Looks like Mats is going to be come a stinkin Hab

http://www.fan590.com/news/sports/more.jsp?content=s062047A

Gee, it was only 4 months ago he bled Maple Leaf blue and refused to move for some prospects, now he wants to go the dark side. Thanks Mats, we could have had Higgins and a first rounder.

The Leafs crapped on him last season when they went public with their desire to trade him. Now they are the ones pushing him out the door. This is what happens when accountants and actuaries run a sports business, the bottom line is all that matters. The Leafs will wallow in mediocrity as long as ownership is mostly concerned with profits, and the fans continue to throw money at them. Bring another team (competitive) into the GTA to bleed off some of the profits and the team might rise again.

I generally do not defend the Leafs organization, but they did nothing wrong on this particular issue. It was pretty obvious by January that the team needed to be "blown-up" everyone knew and Mats knew it. In fact Cliff Fletcher stated at his first press conference that "Mats is in the driver seat". The leafs did what any team in their position would do and try to make deals to get something for their assets. The pressure came from the media, which Mats after 14 years is fully aware of how they can be in Toronto.

If he really felt crapped on, why not have the balls to say it instead of the "I wanna retire as a Leaf" BS.

As for another team in the GTA, couldn't agree with you more.

Blue01 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 23, 2008, 11:47:00 pm »

Gee, isn't this all a little reminisent of a couple of brothers that left the Leaves to go play for the Habs a few decades back?

The way I see it, he gave the Leaves every chance to improve their team and finally he saw the writing on the wall.

Traitor? Ha, wait 'til he scores his first goal in Toronto.

inco · « **Reply #27 on:** June 24, 2008, 09:14:37 am »

If you are in the second or last year of your hockey career and you have never won a Stanley Cup, would the idea of going to a team that could, be tempting?

I think so and Mats told the Leafs he wanted to see what they would do to make that happen. We all knew deep down inside the answer - they would do nothing and fumble their way through the draft and the deadlines.

So what if they toss out a $7 million dollar salary - if your not going to be happy playing there, money isn't the issue.

Mats need not make apologies to anyone for taking the steps he is. Those who do need to make apologies are still there and their big salaries, fat egos and lacklustre inconsistent play have got us where we are.

Blow out the old boys network here or as someone else suggested, put a team nearby, like Hamilton and let the fans choose. Once the revenues fall there will come change. The teachers didn't buy into the team because they liked what they were doing - they bought in because it's a cash cow that always sells out.

Let the revenues fall - money talks and a lack of it is a great motivator for shareholders.

tenpenny · « **Reply #28 on:** June 24, 2008, 09:45:53 am »

I think it's time for the Leafs to lose their stranglehold on the GTA. Let a team move to Kitchener, or Hamilton.

initial_D · « **Reply #29 on:** June 25, 2008, 01:27:42 am »

So the axe has fallen on a few players already, Tucker is a goner. Never did like him, gritty, yes, but not very effective as a role player, untimely penalties; not intimidating or agitating enuff.

Surprised to see so many players on the Leafs roster with No Trade clause.

gosteelerz · « **Reply #30 on:** June 25, 2008, 11:00:52 pm »

^^^Yep, good riddance. Since it's supposed to be a throw-away year it would have been good to get Avery and put a line together with Tucker and Blake. They would easily have been the most hated team then. I really hated Tucker when Corson was around, they did nothing but whine at the refs.

Yeah, Ferguson sure was the NTC king. I wouldn't mind the giving players the no-trade clause if we got them at a reasonable price, but we overpaid as well.

initial_D · « **Reply #31 on:** June 25, 2008, 11:27:03 pm »

Tucker has a career +/- of -70, and only a couple years show a plus ... A big liability on a team. The Ranger has a very good win percentage with Avery in the lineup, below .500 without him. But he can get under his teammate's skins as well.

tenpenny · « **Reply #32 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:31:52 am »

They need somebody like Downie, who specializes in being a nasty, dirty piece of crap, with a talent for getting stupid penalties that hurt the team, while deliberately trying to give opponents permanent physical injuries. Don Cherry would love him as a Leaf.

mrthompson · « **Reply #33 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:37:59 am »

I hate to say this, but I miss Tie Domi. In his last few seasons he started to come into his own as a tough player who could also score the occasional goal. Despite the reduction in the number of brain cells after so many shots to the head, I think he actually became a smarter play as time went on.

Who I really miss as a Leaf is Dougie Gilmour.

initial_D · « **Reply #34 on:** June 26, 2008, 10:41:48 am »

Dougie Gilmour took the Leafs the furthest into the playoffs. Still remember his OT wrap around goal vs Joseph and the Blues. If it were for Grezky and Krudy who were peaking at that time, they coulda win the cup that year. ... not exactly as scripted in the Mike Myers' movie.

Zoo · « **Reply #35 on:** June 26, 2008, 07:43:09 pm »

So what do the leaf's have now?

-A nice goalie in Toskola
-A reliable puck moving defenceman in Kaberle

Other than these two players is there anyone else you see keeping around to build from?

initial_D · « **Reply #36 on:** June 27, 2008, 12:16:19 am »

Youth & speed, commitment to team defence. Whoever fits into that category.

The mess of JR's continues, McCabe's turn in the chair.

mrthompson · « **Reply #37 on:** June 27, 2008, 09:05:55 am »

A clean slate...

initial_D · « **Reply #38 on:** June 27, 2008, 07:29:44 pm »

Fans too?

mrthompson · « **Reply #39 on:** June 27, 2008, 10:16:51 pm »

The way things have been going, I might cease to bleed blue and white.

McCabe on the way out too? (Good riddance - he should be a forward, not a defenceman)
http://www.thestar.com/Hockey/article/450199