Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[leafs in five]

Let's take a step back and just be honest, the Leafs superstars on the big stage are not where we want them to be. They aren't among the big dogs running the show.

I don't see why we shouldn't just assume people are posting their honest opinions

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

He's looked pretty good defensively. Frustrating watching him shut down the likes of McDavid and MacKinnon last game.

 

[ITM]

I can’t decide if I want to see Matthews prove me wrong and go off and dominate the next two and prove what he can do, win with Team USA in a lead role and build momentum for a Leaf run or just confirm my suspicions he isn’t a viable big game player and Team USA will see first hand. Very conflicted.

About to have dinner but the thought occurred, Matthews and Marner come into the league full of p&v, then get the big money and obviously invest time in the business/marketing side of it...

And that's the point of change isn't it?

From young hockey ideologues and then...business men? And seemingly without the capacity to turn back time. Almost like "forbidden knowledge" spoiling them?

 

[Stephen]

About to have dinner but the thought occurred, Matthews and Marner come into the league full of p&v, then get the big money and obviously invest time in the business/marketing side of it...

And that's the point of change isn't it?

From young hockey ideologues and then...business men? And seemingly without the capacity to turn back time. Almost like "forbidden knowledge" spoiling them?

Two options. They’re either not as good as we had hoped, having missed many opportunities to hit new levels and stagnated, or in the case of Matthews in particular, he’s taken a few steps back due to injury and whatever other factors.

Or they’re over-coddled by the Leafs organization and held to a lower standard than they ought to be which makes them not that special when swimming in a pool with the best vs the best.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

He's looked pretty good defensively. Frustrating watching him shut down the likes of McDavid and MacKinnon last game.

$13.25M Rob Zamuner

 

[Funk21]

Two options. They’re either not as good as we had hoped, having missed many opportunities to hit new levels and stagnated, or in the case of Matthews in particular, he’s taken a few steps back due to injury and whatever other factors.

Or they’re over-coddled by the Leafs organization and held to a lower standard than they ought to be which makes them not that special when swimming in a pool with the best vs the best.

Over-coddled and to quote shorey they love winning more than hate losing. Neither one IMO have the drive to take this team to the next level. In our entire recent playoffs history neither of them have put this team on their back. If McDavid is contemplating testing free agency we need to do everything in our power to sign him. I would rather have

McDavid
AM

Than
AM Marner

 

[Stephen]

And now he's too banged up to play a meaningless game for Team USA, which means he's being load managed to achieve a Saturday-Thursday game to game schedule.

 

[leafan11]

Another reason not to go all in this year , Matthews is damaged goods

 

[Aashir]

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to cheer for this guy

He no shows playoffs, he no shows this tourney, f*** he no shows every other regular season

And he is hurt again

Maybe I was wrong, maybe Treliving was a genius for the 4 year term, I would not sign him back, he’s too damaged to play hockey

 

[Stephen]

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to cheer for this guy

He no shows playoffs, he no shows this tourney, f*** he no shows every other regular season

And he is hurt again

Maybe I was wrong, maybe Treliving was a genius for the 4 year term, I would not sign him back, he’s too damaged to play hockey

So to recap, Matthews is playing well below his capabilities because he's not healthy, but never discloses what his injuries are so there's no closure and acceptance on what the timetable for full health, nor can you support him in fighting through whatever it is.

Presumably, the nature of his injuries are left a state secret so he can keep his options open and play in this all important 4 Nations Faceoff, and once he gets there, is unimpressive and needs load management to skip meaningless games in a not particularly meaningful tournament.

 

[Confucius]

So to recap, Matthews is playing well below his capabilities because he's not healthy, but never discloses what his injuries are so there's no closure and acceptance on what the timetable for full health, nor can you support him in fighting through whatever it is.

Presumably, the nature of his injuries are left a state secret so he can keep his options open and play in this all important 4 Nations Faceoff, and once he gets there, is unimpressive and needs load management to skip meaningless games in a not particularly meaningful tournament.

Anytime I tune into a game I hope to be entertained if I thought they were meaningless I wouldn’t watch.

 

[Stephen]

Anytime I tune into a game I hope to be entertained if I thought they were meaningless I wouldn’t watch.

I'm using those terms facetiously since our guys have always been excused for poor regular season games because they were "meaningless." Meaning is always derived from the competition that's invested on the part of the players and the emotional energy we invest alongside.

 

[mjd1001]

Did anyone ever establish when he was injured or re-aggravated his injury last year? I'm not sure if it was ever posted, but it seems to look like it was the Detroit game the last week of the season? Not only was that the game that it appears his play turned down, he also had less ice time after that game, AND his stats turned at almost that exact moment:

Last year through that Detroit game (game #80): 79 games, 69 goals, 38 assists 107 points, +22 (72 goal, 39 assist per 82 pace).

Since then (including playoffs but not the 4 nations games: 45 games, 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points, -1 (38 goal, 51 assist per 82 pace)

 

[Stephen]

Did anyone ever establish when he was injured or re-aggravated his injury last year? I'm not sure if it was ever posted, but it seems to look like it was the Detroit game the last week of the season? Not only was that the game that it appears his play turned down, he also had less ice time after that game, AND his stats turned at almost that exact moment:

Last year through that Detroit game (game #80): 79 games, 69 goals, 38 assists 107 points, +22 (72 goal, 39 assist per 82 pace).

Since then (including playoffs but not the 4 nations games: 45 games, 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points, -1 (38 goal, 51 assist per 82 pace)

Yeah I speculated on that too. He went upper back, neck into the boards looking for the 70th goal and has never quite been the same since.

Well actually he was still hunting that 70th goal furiously over the next few, but got wrestled to the ice by McAvoy behind the net in the Boston series, had the meltdown on the bench with Marner and Nylander and then took the next couple off.

 

[horner]

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to cheer for this guy

He no shows playoffs, he no shows this tourney, f*** he no shows every other regular season

And he is hurt again

Maybe I was wrong, maybe Treliving was a genius for the 4 year term, I would not sign him back, he’s too damaged to play hockey

Hie next contract will be a boat anchor

 

[horner]

Another reason not to go all in this year , Matthews is damaged goods

I completely agree
I would love to sign Bennett
Build our center position for the future as well
Our D needs some young up and coming players.
Goaltending looks great
Defense is good but needs a top 2 D and can PP
We need center man hoping to Minten keeps improving I think Cowen will be a C
A year in the minors .
I really don't think Mathews will lead us to a cup

 

[killer1980]

I don't see why we shouldn't just assume people are posting their honest opinions

Making Matthews captain of the All-Star Team is the biggest joke since John Scott. He probably had a hissy fit like he did in Toronto. He's a 3rd liner all-star at best.

 

[mjd1001]

Making Matthews captain of the All-Star Team is the biggest joke since John Scott. He probably had a hissy fit like he did in Toronto. He's a 3rd liner all-star at best.

I don't know what happens in the room obviously, but it seems like the Tkachuks are at least the media face of Team USA, and Jack Eichel is the best overall player (you can use him on the first line, switch up his wingers, PK, penalty kill, he has some size and a lot of speed, etc).

Again, I don't know the politics behind the scenes, but Eichel seems to be the on-ice leader and the Tkachuks the media facing leaders, not Matthews.

 

[Evilhomer]

I think people are reading a bit too much into this. Like M. Tkachuk, I think Matthews is not playing because this game means absolutely nothing.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Another reason not to go all in this year , Matthews is damaged goods

Is he injured AGAIN?

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to cheer for this guy

He no shows playoffs, he no shows this tourney, f*** he no shows every other regular season

And he is hurt again

Maybe I was wrong, maybe Treliving was a genius for the 4 year term, I would not sign him back, he’s too damaged to play hockey

Instead we'll have Magic Mitch for 8 years................

Mr. Perimeter quarterback.

Mr Muffin.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Making Matthews captain of the All-Star Team is the biggest joke since John Scott. He probably had a hissy fit like he did in Toronto. He's a 3rd liner all-star at best.

What All-Star team?

Are you watching something else?

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I think people are reading a bit too much into this. Like M. Tkachuk, I think Matthews is not playing because this game means absolutely nothing.

It's normal for a Captain to rest while representing his country for the first time in a decade...in a 2 week tournament.

 

[killer1980]

I think people are reading a bit too much into this. Like M. Tkachuk, I think Matthews is not playing because this game means absolutely nothing.

So what's been his excuse for the 40 games he's played for the Leafs this season?

 

[arso40]

It's normal for a Captain to rest while representing his country for the first time in a decade...in a 2 week tournament.

I’m glad he’s resting as much as id love for him to be playing I rather save him for actually matters all though not sure it’ll make a difference but better to be cautious

 

[Aashir]

I’m glad he’s resting as much as id love for him to be playing I rather save him for actually matters all though not sure it’ll make a difference but better to be cautious

This is like worst case scenario

Either sit out the entire thing (petro and William karlsson style) and recover

Or

Play and be a big factor (McD, Mack, Crosby, Tkachuk, Eichel, Werenski, Helle)

Don’t play, be invisible and than get hurt

This just builds another excuse for when he comes back and isn’t playing up to standard.