I think landing the #1 pick makes the decision for them, at least in the short term 2 years (AM contract)
I also think how dire the leafs situation is, is being overstated, its the trendy thing to do right now.the Matthews wants to leave narrative is also softening already, I never bought into it, to me it was just like Mcdavid last year.. they wanted change and to see that the team wants to win.
They can trade Matthews, but will never have a player like him again, and will never get anywhere close to fair value.Berube fired I think for AM was a big part, he stunk and so did AM with him as coach.
It’s not overstated. It’s actually understated because people are waking up to how fucked this team is but the Leafs themselves are still stuck in this bullshit PR story about a retool.
It’s not trendy. It’s damn accurate. The Leafs have no farm system, they have no draft capital, they have an aging team with a trash blueline that can’t be fixed. They also have a star player who seems unhappy and rapidly approaching free agency. The last time the Leafs played with that fire, they got 3rd degree burns as we can see Marner leading the playoffs in scoring while the Leafs sit as the 5th worst team in the NHL. Their goalies are generally unhealthy and their depth is non-existent. That’s not trendy thoughts. That’s reality.
Matthews should want to leave. It’s in his best interest to get the fuck out of Toronto ASAP. It’s better for his career, better for his UFA status and probably better for his odds of winning a Cup if he joins a REAL contender. McDavid is not comparable. He went to the Cup Final twice in a row. He has faith in his core guys still. Matthews has nothing in Toronto to fight for anymore. They already ran his best playmaker out of town and clearly the team sucks without him.
Berube was a problem but the Leafs have been through a lot of coaches with no real difference. They all lost when it counted because this group of guys doesn’t work.