The Official 2026 Off-Season Thread: Revenge of the Nerds
- Thread starter MindzEye
- Start date
LeafGm
Well-known member
Sad that this dude totally was looking like the next Bobo at one point. Now exposed as a click-hunting fraud after his performance this off-season.
zeke
Well-known member
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
I would pay a good amount to know what the backstory is between Matty, Marner, and Willy. That holds the key to everything that’s happened and probably will happen.
Willy never looked like he was close to Matty or Marner.
Matty and Marner looked like best buds. The rift between them and Willy seems to be fully on display in the stop crying bro video, where Matty and Marner look aligned.
Matty signs a short extension. Willy signs a long extension. Marner signs no extension.
Marner forces his way out in the worst possible way for his hometown team and only team he’s ever known, and for his teammates.
Tavares and Knies re-up on super team friendly deals in the same offseason.
Matty is in limbo because of two years left on his term, and tons of noise erupts over his desire to leave, which he never bothers to snuff out with a simple statement or casual tv interview ostensibly to discuss new GM, Mats, 1st overall.
Willy, Knies, Tavares and others like OEL have been vocal about wanting to stay Leafs. Matty has been in hiding since the exit interviews, where he said he was still honored being the captain. So why not come out and say it one more time for the people who didn’t hear you?
Marner’s father is shitting on Matthews multiple times daily, which normally would indicate that Matty and Marner hate each other, which normally would be supported by the fact that Marner happily ditched and never looked back. Which normally would leave Matty in a good spot being separated from the toxic character and having the undisputed reign as captain. And yet, he allows all the talk to continue.
There’s something broken in the chain here but it’s impossible to discern what it is. The only thing that I think someone would objectively have to concede is that there seems to be something wrong with Matthews. Is it simply that he’s injured and pissed and wants to be forceful in pushing the team back in the right direction, or is he actually wanting out? Again, all it would take is a simple statement to shut everyone up.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
He vividly remembers every slight from when he was here.
I'll keep saying it...I don't care what he does in Vegas, he wouldn't have done it here and I'm glad he's gone. The org definitely fucked up in how these guys were developed, how we built around them, etc. But he couldn't handle this market and needed to be somewhere 1 beat reporter was covering the team and no one recognizes him when he's out.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Re: Matthews the only feasible explanation that could somewhat salvage CJ is that Auston's camp fed him trash info knowing that he'd release it, so that pressure is put on Chayka to fire Berube. Then Berube got fired and all of a sudden everything is great and perfect and he'll now suddenly honor his contract and accept a paycheck rather than hold out.
It still looks bad on CJ because he was uses and abused by the Matthews camp, but that's the best case scenario for him.
It still looks bad on CJ because he was uses and abused by the Matthews camp, but that's the best case scenario for him.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Ok so if mission accomplished and all he aimed for was eliminating Biff from the equation, why hasn’t he emerged to just say something, anything in public? He should be thrilled now, especially with a top player being added for free via first overall. The only thing that could logically be said in support of your theory is that he’s holding back until they hire a coach he likes.
hockeylover
Well-known member
Couldn’t Matthews have just immediately had his agent say to Chayka privately though that he wouldn’t re-sign under Berube tho?
Like why would that have had a different result without the media circus he’ll have now all season long?
Like why would that have had a different result without the media circus he’ll have now all season long?
Preston
MBow30 alt account
I have no idea, I don't think it's the most likely explanation. I'm sure Matthews still wants the team to be good and stuff, that the more likely explanation here. And Matthews did say that in his end of season presser. So after firing Craig and talking to John (who outlined his plans to get the team faster and more skilled) Auston is probably intrigued and willing to see how it plays out. Which he was always gonna do, mind you. Since he's under contract.
In any case, his agent still fed that horse shit to CJ and probably some others to put pressure on the org. And CJ is the dummy that reported it as fact.
In any case, his agent still fed that horse shit to CJ and probably some others to put pressure on the org. And CJ is the dummy that reported it as fact.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
All of it was unnecessary tho. The team played a garbage non nerdy style, favouring anti nerd personnel and deployment
Matthews doesn’t need to play 5D chess. He’s not solving the Middle East crisis.
Just a frank 10 min zoom call with John and Mats. Let’s not pretend coaches who don’t make the playoffs don’t get fired unless some Machiavellian plot is involved
Feyd
Well-known member
I could see Auston being pretty open minded about whatever coach the org decides to go with as long as it wasn't the guy that derailed his career the last two seasons. Never got the vibe he's some kind of coach killer like the group out west. But who knows this is all closed door stuff that'll we'll only ever find out about if he pulls a Marner and drags the team in his new environment.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
Occam’s Razor says these writers have nothing but they still need clicks because their precious jobs are on the chopping block in this challenging media environment, so they make stuff up (or more precisely, they take an eye roll and harvest 2 weeks of click bait from it)
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
That’s exactly what I said. In fact they may see it as necessary to their professional survival