hobie Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Quote In an effort to beef up the team’s reputation around the league, the Toronto Maple Leafs made perhaps their most surprising move of the season to date, naming forward Leo Komarov the team’s captain for the remainder of the regular season and the postseason. “Leo’s been a real good player for us,” head coach Mike Babcock in a release posted on MapleLeafs.com. “And he’s going to be a real good player for us for a long time.” While Babcock touched on the fact that Komarov holds an expiring contract as he’s set to head for free agency this summer, the head coach said he’d “do good” to ensure this wouldn’t be Komarov’s last season in the blue and white. “We’re going to need someone strong to lift that trophy come June,” Babcock added. “Leo’s been coming to the rink, does his job well, and beat Polie in the bench press contest we had last night.” Though he was reportedly excited at the opportunity, Komarov was unable for comment at this time. Komarov’s first game with the C is set for tomorrow night, as the Leafs host Buffalo in their fourth and final matchup against the Sabres this season. https://mapleleafsnation.com/2018/04/01/leo-komarov-named-leafs-captain/ When I listen to Babs talk about Leo and Hymen, I swear he thinks that they are TO's true stars and everyone else is there to support them. I fail to see how making Leo the captain is going to beef up TO's reputation. I think this might be Babs heading off the media and fans when he plays Leo over Johnsson or simply plays Leo at all. Leo is a good soldier and probably a good person but he's not the type of player that a team with Cup aspirations needs other than as depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 I feel for this and I've been contemplating possible April Fools jokes on my friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I hear Toronto is the desired destination for Kovalchuk as he has a great relationship with Lou. E4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 TO is the favored destination for Doughty, McDavid, Tavares, JVR and every other UFA or potential UFA that's probably existed. What does TO end up with a 38 year old who gets a 3 year contract at 6.25 mil per so Kovalchuk might be the right age to sign with TO for what, 7 years. He's only 34 tho, probably too young to sign with TO. These rumors have been around since he left the NHL so it's only a tepid April Fools attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 22 hours ago, hobie said: I fail to see how making Leo the captain is going to beef up TO's reputation. I think this might be Babs heading off the media and fans when he plays Leo over Johnsson or simply plays Leo at all. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. I had actually forgotten that the Leafs were without a captain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 The "captain" is the guy who the team REALLY follows and the guy who has the ear of the room pre-game, during intermissions, on the bench, and post game...........REGARDLESS of what letter he is wearing. Players know who their leaders are. They don't need a letter to remind them. Officially, the captain gets more of the ear of the refs and linesmen...only extra advantage to actually wearing a letter. The rest is just for the fans.... "Hey, look, player X is our captain!" As long as the team is playing well, winning, and in the Leafs case, heading into the playoffs, does it really matter whether the guy wearing the 'C' is Komarov, Matthews, Marner, or even Polak for that matter?? I think not..... Although, "Captain Polak" sounds like something out of the Beetle Bailey comics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 I love me some Leo Komarov, man I love the way he plays, Dustin Brown was the Captain on a couple of Kings Cups in spite of not being much more than a middle six winger because he brings the same qualities as Leo. Interesting pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 It's one of those things that original six teams do. Even if you're the best player on the team (Matthews), you don't get to wear the "C" until you have a certain amount of tenure/seniority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 You're all aware that Leaf fans were being punked on April Fools day and I posted it when my guard was down. I would think that if you designated a captain you would do so by picking the player who embodies the qualities you most value. If TO picked Leo or Hymen who are all hustle all the time, which Babs obviously loves, would they be the right type of player? I would think a captain, like a coach, needs to be able to lead which means both inspire and set an example. I doubt that a good captain would be someone who can only give the best he can but ultimately has only a marginal affect on the results. So i would think a team should want someone who can also make a huge impression on the game like a star can. For me the 3 obvious candidates on TO would be Rielly, Matthews and Marner, and for me my choice would be Marner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 On 05/04/2018 at 11:55 PM, hobie said: You're all aware that Leaf fans were being punked on April Fools day and I posted it when my guard was down Oh crap. On 05/04/2018 at 11:55 PM, hobie said: I would think that if you designated a captain you would do so by picking the player who embodies the qualities you most value. Nah. It's usually just the team's best overall player. Matthews will have the C sooner or later. They're just delaying the inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPuk Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 LOL. The team nobody wants to be captain of ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 On 16/04/2018 at 7:00 AM, BluPuk said: LOL. The team nobody wants to be captain of ..... If Kadri comes back in game #5 and scores a hat trick, I'd give him the C. Otherwise, based on regular season + playoff performance this year, I'd say MARNER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 On 4/20/2018 at 6:10 PM, WordsOfWisdom said: If Kadri comes back in game #5 and scores a hat trick, I'd give him the C. Otherwise, based on regular season + playoff performance this year, I'd say MARNER! I sorta agree with you, Marner has the ability and drive to make TO better. I just wonder if he's the type of person that can hold people accountable, right now I see him as a guy who loves the game and is driven to do his best all the time. I'd hate to see any of what he is negatively affected by captain duties. I'm totally underwhelmed by Matthews and Nylander but I have been impressed by Rielly thru most of these playoffs, normally tho Rielly's inconsistency bothers me, dominant some games invisible the next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 9 hours ago, hobie said: I'm totally underwhelmed by Matthews and Nylander Nylander has been invisible. It's easy to forget he's there. Total non-factor. I don't know what's wrong with Matthews, but he hasn't looked in any way spectacular or dangerous. He seems lost out there. You would never know he lead this team in scoring (Pts/GP) based on how he's played in this series. The Bruins have had at least six different guys on their team that are more dangerous than Matthews. That can't happen if you're supposed to be the best all-around player on the Leafs. Matthews should be striking fear into the Bruins defenders but he simply isn't. Bozak and JVR are doing more for this club in third line roles with only 15:22 and 14:46 ATOI each. I would like to see those two given top line minutes along with Kadri. Babcock is still trotting Matthews out there at 17:34 ATOI and Nylander at 15:57 ATOI. Rubbish. Go with the hot hand. Why isn't Marner getting 18 minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobie Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 1 hour ago, WordsOfWisdom said: Why isn't Marner getting 18 minutes? Penalties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Are you sure you guys aren't Flyer fans, what with all this complaining about the refs?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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