Auston Matthew 50 in 50 watch (37 in 42 so far)

[yeaher]

… there’s only so many power plays for him to be on. He already plays an executive shift on every one. There’s literally just not that many power-plays.


To elaborate on this, I don’t think there’s some sort of conspiracy against the leafs, but I do think it’s easier to just not call penalties against the Leafs because it’s quieter. Imagine the noise if Toronto was the top team in power play opportunities every year like Colorado. This place would be an absolute zoo every time a penalty was called. As it stands, very few penalties are called and people still lose their mind. Take a look at the Boston board out of town thread for example after a leaf game (I like reading their board, because it’s generally pretty knowledgeable/ mature, even at that, there is almost always a ‘of course the leafs get that call’ type comment). It’s easier for a ref to just not make a call, than it is to put his nuts on the line and have to face the firestorm.

You'd probably lead the league in power plays every year if you were as good of a skating team as Colorado, but you haven't been close over the last five years

 

[The90]

You'd probably lead the league in power plays every year if you were as good of a skating team as Colorado, but you haven't been close over the last five years

Lol. Pump that chest all you want, that’s an unexplainable amount of variance for 2 teams who are routinely top 5-10 in the league standings.

 

[Strangle]

Is that good?

It’s the greatest season of hockey any player has ever played

 

[Strangle]

3 guys that played in some of the lowest scoring eras in league history. Matthews plays in the high flying 80s compared to the late 90s/00s

It’s kinda on those guys for making it ‘some of the lowest scoring eras in league history’.

The players I. Those eras could have scored more goals, but they didn’t. They tried, but they couldn’t do it. So it’s really on them and their peers, nothing to do with Matthews knocking the piss out of them on the stat sheet

 

[Strangle]

Why do the Leafs not maximize their best scorers’ time on the powerplay?

They do, but the leafs don’t get as much powerplay time as …. Pick a team, yup them.

 

[Strangle]

He's currently on pace for the same number of goals as Matthews is assists.



That's because you ignore the context of the polls, and whine about it everywhere as if the other 31 fanbases are wrong. lol

Show me a poll where any leaf player has won on hfboards

Hfboards just doesn’t have people who know very much about hockey

 

[Legion34]

You'd probably lead the league in power plays every year if you were as good of a skating team as Colorado, but you haven't been close over the last five years

And when they were close….. did they?

Show me a poll where any leaf player has won on hfboards

Hfboards just doesn’t have people who know very much about hockey

Kessel lost to Higgins and cammalleri

 

[Namikaze Minato]

He's currently on pace for the same number of goals as Matthews is assists.

I actually find that hilarious, Matthews is gonna have to pick up his goal scoring to catch up to Mcdavids assist rate though

 

[Strangle]

And when they were close….. did they?



Kessel lost to Higgins and cammalleri

Was it when Kessel was playing for the penguins? Or the bruins? Lol

 

[All Mod Cons]

You'd probably lead the league in power plays every year if you were as good of a skating team as Colorado, but you haven't been close over the last five years

I don't think Leafs fans are really asking them to lead the league every year. Just be a like a top 12 or 14 team, instead of bottom 3 or 4.

 

[authentic]

You'd probably lead the league in power plays every year if you were as good of a skating team as Colorado, but you haven't been close over the last five years

Toronto has had some great skating teams actually. Only over the past few seasons have they lost some of their speed.

 

[Regal]

I don't think Leafs fans are really asking them to lead the league every year. Just be a like a top 12 or 14 team, instead of bottom 3 or 4.

They’re low this year, but were 18th in PP opportunities last year. 21st the year before. 20th the year before that. It’s not great but it isn’t bottom of the barrel and the impact isn’t that huge. If they were 12th in opportunities last year with the same PP%, they would have scored 4 more goals. Considering Matthews scored about 20% of the Leafs PP goals last year, it’s essentially 1 extra goal for him. This year if they were 12th in opportunities, it’d be 19 more opportunities and another 5 goals based on the same percentages and since Matthews is scoring 28% of the PP goals it’d be either 1 or 2 more.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

But only when your players loses. lol

That just speaks to bell curves and intelligence.

 

[pcruz]

Toronto has had some great skating teams actually. Only over the past few seasons have they lost some of their speed.

To add to this, the only penalty that can really be associated with skating/speed is hooking.

And every team has sufficient speed to induce hooking penalties, Toronto included.

Infractions like slashing, cross-checking, holding are heavily correlated to teams with higher puck possession, and Toronto has been one of the very best teams in this regard over the last 8 seasons.

Charging, roughing, high sticking, interference have no relation at all to whether your team is quick or lethargic.


The notion that Toronto either doesn't have the player traits or team mentality to draw penalties is folly and completely driven by willful ignorance.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I don't know if he gets it, 50 in 50, but he's the best goal scorer in the league now.

 

[I am Bettman]

Show me a poll where any leaf player has won on hfboards

Hfboards just doesn’t have people who know very much about hockey

Considering that there are more Leaf fans than any other team on Hfboards, I have to agree with you here.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

None tonight so he stays at 37

 

[Mr Buckles]

And one so far tonight, so up to #38

 

[Mirka the Turka]

40 goals in 50 games in this era is more impressive than 50 in 50 in previous eras.

 

[NylanderBros]

I was told on this site he only score goals at this rate cause he’s in the north division, what happened?

 

[Coffey]

What a monster.
Question to Leaf fans, how many less points do you think the team have without AM on the team?

 

[pcruz]

What a monster.
Question to Leaf fans, how many less points do you think the team have without AM on the team?

He's scored nearly 25% of the team's goals this year.

He's won maybe 4 or 5 games on his own and saved the team in maybe half a dozen other games to salvage a point.


You could likely attribute 15 points to his offense, and most likely a few more to his defensive play as well.

 

[logan5]

He can strip pucks off of guys, but other than that is Matthews good defensively? Is he good on the PK? That's a good indicator of good defensive instincts.

 

[Coffey]

He's scored nearly 25% of the team's goals this year.

He's won maybe 4 or 5 games on his own and saved the team in maybe half a dozen other games to salvage a point.


You could likely attribute 15 points to his offense, and most likely a few more to his defensive play as well.

Glad he’s recovered from last seasons injuries.

 

[pcruz]

He can strip pucks off of guys, but other than that is Matthews good defensively? Is he good on the PK? That's a good indicator of good defensive instincts.

Well, he has consistently been in the top of the league in stats like takeaways and blocked shots, also part of a few of the lowest "scoring chance against" lines over the last 3 seasons.