Speculation: Are Matthews and Marner Choke Artists in Playoffs?

[GardinerTheForward]

I have to wonder if Matty is hurt.
I think Mitch is a bitch. Straight up scared to get hit

 

[Maple Leaf]

Mitch will score some assists soon

 

[Hockey Crazy]

This fan base is so toxic. We need to win a couple of rounds to get rid of this stuff.

didn’t Matthews score like 5 goals against Boston last time?

 

[Leafshater67]

Marner does nothing every season come playoffs. I’m just glad 4 goal-Freddy isn’t in net

 

[HandshakeLineRespect]

Brutal just a brutal take. Boo this man.

 

[BudForLife]

Up 3-2 because of our leading scorers Nylander and Kerfoot, steady D in Rielly, Muzzin & Brodie and great goaltending. OP is just asking if we’re getting our 22 million dollars worth in the playoffs and it’s a fair question

Yes I get it.
However, too much negativity while we are still playing.
I’m just saying how about we wait till we’re done before we make judgement on our players.
I think that’s fair.

 

[FlareKnight]

I'm going to hold off on going too far on this one until the Leafs season ends. However it ends.

Not a lot of complaints about Matthews. Obviously does need to put the puck in the net even if guys are all over him since that's how it goes in the playoffs. Marner...I think he needs to bring way more.

Again though they still have time to show it. So will wait and see. But will certainly have more thoughts regardless of which way things fall for them and this team.

 

[1specter]

Matthews shouldn't be lumped in with Marner even though he's been poor this series. The only other playoff series where he was bad was 2018 Bruins where he was playing injured

 

[Stonehands1990]

Yes I get it.
However, too much negativity while we are still playing.
I’m just saying how about we wait till we’re done before we make judgement on our players.
I think that’s fair.

Totally fair. However this is the 5th playoffs with this core. Matthews has proven he can produce. Marner has not. People are frustrated

 

[ruaware41]

And there it is

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Relax.

Just breathe. It's going to be okay.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Matthews is totally going to keep shooting 4% moving forward... just be ready to be wrong on so many levels op.

 

[hfman]

Brutal just a brutal take. Boo this man.

TO THE DUNGEON WITH HIM

 

[BlueSeal]

OP, whatever drugs you’re on, for the love of Hid, keep them for yourself. I don’t need that brand of crazy in my life lol

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Sure as heck looking like these guys don’t have what it takes to even win a round. Just pure crap play. They look lazy and uninvolved in every way. $22,000,000 of giveaways and missed shots. Incredible how they choke and don’t rise to the top. That was a disgusting game. Unfortunately it’s a pattern. All talk from them two and no action. If we win they won’t be the ones that helped.

Lots said on here in the regular season that they don’t care how good we finish the regular season and it’s about what we do in the p,ayoffs. I didn’t agree, i am starting to see what they meant watching these guys disrespect the fans with this crap efforts they produce

You’ve already told us you aren’t watching the games. Go enjoy the weather and beers as you said bro.

Hockey ain’t for you, quite clearly.

 

[meefer]

Stevie Y and Alex O say hello.

 

[Atomos2]

I've been as critical of Marner as anybody, but could we atleast wait til the series is over before we start our lynch mob?

 

[Bluelines]

Marner hasn’t scored in 16 playoff games. Fancy pants can’t bring any jam in the playoffs by looks of it. Matthews shutout 4 straight and looking like a deer in the headlights more with every missed shot. Mentally weak or not prepared who knows but it is not looking very good

Not so sure its mentally weak as it is they have not figured out how to play playoff hockey. There is more focus on the stars and players like Matthews and Marner. Much tighter checking. they will figure it out, and they will be dominant. Questions is: Is it this year, next year, years down the road? Matthews and Marner are too good offensively to have this a every playoff thing. Maybe they need to change their game plan, Perhaps Matthews is the heavy forechecker and Hyman sits in front of the net for the pass/tip. Sometimes you need to reinvent yourself in sports to be effective.

I have noticed Marner seems to be shooting A LOT more in the paly offs, perhaps that is why Matthews is scorign less?

 

[Captain Crunch]

Matthews and marner both with 4 points in 5 games, winning 3 games out of 5, matthews extremely dominate numbers, marner is shutting them out on the pk. It’s like you think leafs have to be 16-0 and avg 2 pts a game to be successful. The other teams are good too and trying their best to shut them down. Any team we ever face has a plan all around how to shut this pair down. Calm down plZ

The only thing I’m going to say is, if you want TOP money, then you need to be the TOP player. I will reserve judgment until end of playoffs. I have no qualms with Matthews. A true #1 center gets paid, and Matthews is that (offense has always been there, but huge improvement on defensive side this season).
Marner on the other hand. If you want to be paid all that money, then you damn well better be more than a fancy stick handler/passer and a good PKer. You better produce. We don’t need/can’t afford to be paying $11 million for that.
Having said that, again, I will wait until their playoff season is over. And I’ve said this before, I love Marner, was ecstatic when we drafted him. But wanting and getting all that money, thus aiding in our extremely tight cap situation, has caused me to see things a little differently.

 

[Scott r]

Matthews without puck above avgbat best...awesome when he shoots and has time to shoot...but defensively can be weak.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Leaf fans are the worst.

 

[Cappuccino]

Leaf fans are the worst.

Every Leafs fan was at least hoping Nylander was signed (before the start of the season, not at the last moment) for 6M, Matthews accepting 10.5M and Marner 9.5M.

They didn’t accept that salary and they basically said to the fans “don’t worry, just trust us, we will get it done, we make sure that extra 3M is not needed in the line up, we will provide that extra spark”

and here we are. They need to deliver.

Maybe we need to trust them a bit more and we certainly need to hope they succeed and not hope they fail, just for the sake of wanting to say: “I told you so”...

 

[VanW27]

O

Calm down. They play against the top pairing lines and are given extra shoves, sticks to the nuts, cross checks and added pressure.

They are still young. Take a look at OVI. Takes time. It’s a team game. This isn’t the NBA where one or two players is all it takes.

Matthews and Marner 30 game playoff career:
Matthews - 13G, 23pts
Marner - 5G, 25pts

Ovechkin first 3 playoffs (28 games)
20G, 40pts

Contrary to what the common narrative might be, the caps lost in the playoffs early in his career in spite of Ovi carrying them on his back because the rest of the team didnt show up.

 

[Rude Dog]

Haven’t been on the ice for a goal against all series. Doing something right.

 

[GojuLeaf]

You know who had half as many points as either marner or matthews this playoffs? And a +/- 4 points lower than each of them? 3x cup winner Sidney Crosby...