Anyone else concerned about Matthews?

[Gabriel426]

Yeah that's been the ironic part, I know people are saying he's focusing more defensively and eyetest wise that does somewhat follow, but his results aren't very good lol. He's much better off being the dominant 60 goal scorer who tilts the ice so significantly the other team never generates chances


I don't think this stat means too much, last year he was 2nd in the league behind Ovechkin for shots missed wide. Shooters shoot, and they will miss the net a lot

I think this is one of those cases you just need to watch the player and see. Most of us have been watching almost every Matthews game since his rookie season, we know how powerful and accurate his shot can be. We haven't seen it to the same extent for the majority of the season

I'm going to cope and choose to hope that he's just saving his shot and finishing ability for the playoffs. But logically, I'm not sure how much that tracks

If he is missing a lot of shots, won’t that just show he is not scoring and being efficient like last year instead of mentally checking out

 

[Notsince67]

I don't agree with it. If Matthews truly needs Marner to be an elite scorer, then he's not worth the money he's making now, let alone what he'll command on his next contract.

Not to mention, the team is better off with Matthews and Marner on separate lines. We've tried it the old way in the playoffs and it hasn't worked. What's the definition of insanity?

I don't think scoring is a complete picture. The top guys have shown that they can score a lot. What isn't talked about is the defensive balance. Matthews defensive numbers have declined and Willy never really had great ones. O'Reilly has great defensive chops so a rebalancing can better balance the mitigation of opposing teams scoring chances.

 

[leafsfan5]

If he is missing a lot of shots, won’t that just show he is not scoring and being efficient like last year instead of mentally checking out

I don't think he's mentally checked out, he's making an increased effort to block shots and focus in his zone. That doesn't correlate with a player who is focusing elsewhere. The shots would also agree with not being checked out like you said

I think the posts saying he wants to leave and such are ridiculous. I think what's much more likely is he has some kind of wrist injury that can't be dealt with till the offseason

 

[Gabriel426]

I don't think he's mentally checked out, he's making an increased effort to block shots and focus in his zone. That doesn't correlate with a player who is focusing elsewhere. The shots would also agree with not being checked out like you said

I think the posts saying he wants to leave and such are ridiculous. I think what's much more likely is he has some kind of wrist injury that can't be dealt with till the offseason

That’s what I believe too. Bc last season or the season before, you can see the snap in his shots. Something that I have not seen this year.

 

[leafsfan5]

That’s what I believe too. Bc last season or the season before, you can see the snap in his shots. Something that I have not seen this year.

Exactly, watching Matthews shoot these past couple of seasons was a spectacle, every time he fired it I 100% believed it was going in. That's not there this year and I worry he's in the same situation he was in during the bubble (needed offseason wrist surgery)

 

[Dekes For Days]

What's the definition of insanity?

The definition of insanity would be avoiding using your best combination together because you didn't win a playoff game in the past for completely unrelated reasons.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

I don't think he's mentally checked out, he's making an increased effort to block shots and focus in his zone. That doesn't correlate with a player who is focusing elsewhere. The shots would also agree with not being checked out like you said

I think the posts saying he wants to leave and such are ridiculous. I think what's much more likely is he has some kind of wrist injury that can't be dealt with till the offseason

So do you wanna pay a player with what appears to be a chronic wrist condition $15 million, or even $11.6 million for that matter?

 

[Skullz]

Interested to see how the new look lines shake out. Have been a little down on AM, but no doubt he has been really committed defensively, lots of blocked shots and leads the league in D-zone puck touches for forwards I believe.

I think these new lines make work better. Willy's defensive limitations (although he has been so, so good) can be covered by ROR, and now we get Mitch and Auston back together again. However, if the JT - WN chemistry looks like it used to, break it up. Can't do that again. Hoping the addition of ROR to the line helps.

 

[Notsince67]

Matthews has had a better season with Nylander as his winger than Marner this season. It has nothing to do with his wingers or linemates. he himself isn't playing up to his own standards. I am pretty sure it is due to his offseason training and conditioning work. Matthews gets gassed if he a bit longer on ice and can't keep up.

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews WOWY[/TD]
[TD]Michael Bunting[/TD]
[TD]William Nylander[/TD]
[TD]Mitchell Marner[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]TOI With[/TD]
[TD]603.60[/TD]
[TD]456.87[/TD]
[TD]298.47[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]TOI Away[/TD]
[TD]186.02[/TD]
[TD]332.75[/TD]
[TD]491.15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]CF% With[/TD]
[TD]52.67[/TD]
[TD]51.24[/TD]
[TD]55.81[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews CF% Without[/TD]
[TD]51.91[/TD]
[TD]54.44[/TD]
[TD]50.68[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]CF% Without Matthews[/TD]
[TD]47.83[/TD]
[TD]53.85[/TD]
[TD]50.13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SF% With[/TD]
[TD]54.28[/TD]
[TD]54.64[/TD]
[TD]51.59[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews SF% Without[/TD]
[TD]51.15[/TD]
[TD]51.94[/TD]
[TD]54.68[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SF% Without Matthews[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]55.94[/TD]
[TD]52.51[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]GF% With[/TD]
[TD]68.97[/TD]
[TD]73.91[/TD]
[TD]57.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews GF% Without[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]56.25[/TD]
[TD]72[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]GF% Without Matthews[/TD]
[TD]61.54[/TD]
[TD]59.09[/TD]
[TD]62.16[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SCF% With[/TD]
[TD]56.1[/TD]
[TD]54.68[/TD]
[TD]59.82[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews SCF% Without[/TD]
[TD]57.92[/TD]
[TD]59.33[/TD]
[TD]54.62[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SCF% Without Matthews[/TD]
[TD]51.3[/TD]
[TD]56.2[/TD]
[TD]55.75[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]HDCF% With[/TD]
[TD]56.47[/TD]
[TD]58.02[/TD]
[TD]55.03[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews HDCF% Without[/TD]
[TD]60.22[/TD]
[TD]56.29[/TD]
[TD]58.62[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]HDCF% Without Matthews[/TD]
[TD]61.36[/TD]
[TD]61.4[/TD]
[TD]54.27[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

xgf% tells a different story

To much randomness in your numbers

Interested to see how the new look lines shake out. Have been a little down on AM, but no doubt he has been really committed defensively, lots of blocked shots and leads the league in D-zone puck touches for forwards I believe.

I think these new lines make work better. Willy's defensive limitations (although he has been so, so good) can be covered by ROR, and now we get Mitch and Auston back together again. However, if the JT - WN chemistry looks like it used to, break it up. Can't do that again. Hoping the addition of ROR to the line helps.

I think JT-WN chemistry is overblown. I think Kerfoot-JT-WN was the problem.

 

[therealkoho]

The 1001th time will make it come true

Wouldn't that be great!

 

[PromisedLand]

xgf% tells a different story

To much randomness in your numbers

xgf is "expected" stat. numbers i posted (not my made up numbers btw its from naturalstattrik); are observed numbers not based on "expectations"

expectation versus reality you are free to pick what you think is more valuable

 

[therealkoho]

You have me confused with somebody else I have NEVER wanted Nylander at center

OK, but the thing is he's finally ready for to play C in the NHL

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

OK, but the thing is he's finally ready for to play C in the NHL

It's failed every time It's been tried because he is a winger, a fantastic winger but STRICTLY a winger, I'm aware he was drafted as a center that doesn't make him a center.

 

[hullsy47]

Until they win a Playoff round at the absolute bare minimum, there's going to be constant negativity and paranoia in here.

Get used to it.

And there should be .going all in to try to win 1 round is also a bit troubling and embarrassing quite frankly

Agree completely.

ROR is what we wanted from JT.

Starting to think Willie might just be better off with Kampf and Engvall and just let him lose and he will end up dominating plays even more.

Chemistry isn't great with mathews and Bunting quite frankly

 

[Gabriel426]

And there should be .going all in to try to win 1 round is also a bit troubling and embarrassing quite frankly


Chemistry isn't great with mathews and Bunting quite frankly

Bunting is another player who didn’t play like last season.

 

[mikeyz]

And there should be .going all in to try to win 1 round is also a bit troubling and embarrassing quite frankly


Chemistry isn't great with mathews and Bunting quite frankly

That's why I said "At the absolute bare minimum"

But at least it would be progression if they did.

 

[Menzinger]

Worth noting Mirtle has said similar things on podcasts over the last couple months

 

[Racer88]

The definition of insanity would be avoiding using your best combination together because you didn't win a playoff game in the past for completely unrelated reasons.

Or doing the same thing over and over and over and over again and getting the same losing result

 

[Brew]

Huh? My take that what other people are saying is assinine is what makes you not post much here? Lol

People here are acting like he’s a shoe in to leave, or he’s purposely not playing to the standard he put up last year, or he’s mad they got O’Reilly. It’s all ridiculous

Nah, the asinine posts are what stopped me. I’m agreeing with you, but the collective IQ on HF isn’t high so don’t be surprised.

 

[123offtheglass]

Only thing that has concerned me with Matthews is his durability & what he may be playing through, particularly his wrist that he seems to tweak & linger pretty often over the past while.

Don't give a damn what regular season point or goal totals he's putting up, just wanna see him healthy & perform like he's capable of in the playoffs.

I'd be more concerned if he were in his 30's but he's 25 years old.

 

[LeafEgo]

Please expand in depth about his increased defensive play this year, u sound like Sportsnet, talking nonsense to cover the players faults.

I'd be interested in an expansion on that as well. I could be missing some of the technicals but I thought he was pretty good defensively last year. He was great on the dot and led all nhl forwards in takeaways. Doing that while goal scoring like peak Ovi I doubt anybody sat him down in the off season.

If he just tried to repeat last year every year I think that would work.

It's always concerning when your star player underperforms for a long stretch of time, but don't need to panic on the titanic just yet.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

If he's playing through something that's affecting his shot, he should be shut down til playoffs. I think that's part of the reason they traded for ROR and not a winger, it's insurance.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Or doing the same thing over and over and over and over again and getting the same losing result

For the record, the phrase "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result" is often misunderstood.
It refers to a process where all inputs and outputs are 100% consistent. That is not hockey, and thus, the phrase is not applicable to hockey. Something is always different and outcomes are always variable and uncertain.
Unfortunately, the meaning of this phrase often gets twisted in an attempt to argue in favour of changing something specific and significant that the individual personally wants, that doesn't actually need changing, that can't be supported or justified otherwise.

 

[Notsince67]

xgf is "expected" stat. numbers i posted (not my made up numbers btw its from naturalstattrik); are observed numbers not based on "expectations"

expectation versus reality you are free to pick what you think is more valuable

Your number factor in goalie performance and puck luck

 

[Notsince67]

Matthews is block more, coming down to support more and really engaged in the scrambly zone coverage but it doesn't seem to cleanly translate into a counter rush so there isn't a big reward for all the defensive work.

Also notice some miscues between his back pressure work where there's a gap between his back check and where the defenseman is supposed shut it down. It only looks wrong when things have broken down for a goal against so I can't point to any systematic breakdown but does seem frequent enough that I have a mental note.

Long story short, I don't think he's abandoned the Rocket pursuit to win Selkes, but he is contributing on D and is taking some of the hard tasks, so I won't question his commitment to something, anything to help.

I wouldn't question his commitment either. He is blocking a ton. That takes will. His d numbers were ultra elite last year and they dropped off considerably. They eye and the stats back it up. He is moving but while he isn't uneffectual, he is certainly less effective