Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[647Hockey]

Nathan MacKinnon makes less than our glorious leader. Now there's a win-or-die warrior, recent Stanley Cup winner and League MVP.

We have a silly frat boy as captain.

MacKinnon is also a super dynamic player who can skate, deke, score and pass. He can take the puck from his own end and score.

AM will score lots of goals too. But he needs to be set up by Marner or snipe on a PP. When that doesnt happen he typically does nothing, and isnt a playmaker either so he wont contribute that way too.

Both players have similar reguler season avg pts per year. But NM blow past AM in the playoffs. It's a lot harder in the playoffs to cherry pick goals or waiting for shot from the circle on the PP. Thats when AM dries up, but NM can keep trucking. NM's playoff stats are actually better on avg than his own regular season.

 

[wingman75]

MacKinnon is also a super dynamic player who can skate, deke, score and pass. He can take the puck from his own end and score.

AM will score lots of goals too. But he needs to be set up by Marner or snipe on a PP. When that doesnt happen he typically does nothing, and isnt a playmaker either so he wont contribute that way too.

Both players have similar reguler season avg pts per year. But NM blow past AM in the playoffs. It's a lot harder in the playoffs to cherry pick goals or waiting for shot from the circle on the PP. Thats when AM dries up, but NM can keep trucking. NM's playoff stats are actually better on avg than his own regular season.

Not sure that is true... the current lineup makes it true. When Mitch was out last season, or on another line, forget what was going on, but AM34 was running his own line and it was glorious. He owned the ice. He might not score as many goals without MM, but he is a more complete player imo.

That is why I have always felt each of 34, 16 & 88 need to run their own lines. They are each good enough to do it.

 

[ITM]

Captaincy and a new coach are definitely concurrent learning curves for AM, but I think he'll pull through. You can see it with a number of our forwards in what looks like difficulty handling/reading their d-zone assignments as if they're learning a new system.

 

[WillyC]

With the tying goal and then the OT giveaway… Matthews is really taking control of the game.

 

[LFKevin21]

What about the screen by Buchnevich too?
The entire TSN panel said it was Marners fault. With Pounder and Jeff O'neill being former pro hockry players. No mention of Matthews being at fault

Yes, Matthews helped Buchnevich screen the goalie? All Marner did was allow a shot on net from the point, of which St Louis had 26 other shots on net. Luckily Matthews didn't screen all of the other shots. I guess the panel didn't see Matthews screening the goalie.

 

[Bloomberg]

Should the team have supported Matthews better on that last play? Yes. But I would've still liked it if Matthews took responsibility for that play instead saying something along the lines of "I thought a teammate would be there". Kind of throwing around the blame. Not what you want to see in a captain

 

[Roo]

Should the team have supported Matthews better on that last play? Yes. But I would've still liked it if Matthews took responsibility for that play instead saying something along the lines of "I thought a teammate would be there". Kind of throwing around the blame. Not what you want to see in a captain

You don’t think he knows?

 

[Stephen]

Should the team have supported Matthews better on that last play? Yes. But I would've still liked it if Matthews took responsibility for that play instead saying something along the lines of "I thought a teammate would be there". Kind of throwing around the blame. Not what you want to see in a captain

As a captain, veteran whatever it would have been better had he just acknowledged the mistake and worn it a little bit, but based on history I don’t think this group is programmed to do a “my bad”.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Dumb play but it happens time to move on

 

[HockeyVirus]

People who said Matthews 69 goals meant nothing because of playoff result now freaking out not even through October.

Will anyone care about struggling defensive play or him "only" scoring 40 goals or whatever if we make the final 4? I very much doubt it

 

[Confucius]

Should the team have supported Matthews better on that last play? Yes. But I would've still liked it if Matthews took responsibility for that play instead saying something along the lines of "I thought a teammate would be there". Kind of throwing around the blame. Not what you want to see in a captain

Not only did he give the puck away but he stood and watched the shot and only got moving again when he saw the puck come out but by then pasta was in there for the 2nd attempt.

 

[keonsbitterness]

People who said Matthews 69 goals meant nothing because of playoff result now freaking out not even through October.

Will anyone care about struggling defensive play or him "only" scoring 40 goals or whatever if we make the final 4? I very much doubt it

Of course, but they gotta make a final four for that to happen.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Of course, but they gotta make a final four for that to happen.

They can't do that in October though is the point. It's a work in progress

 

[Stephen]

People who said Matthews 69 goals meant nothing because of playoff result now freaking out not even through October.

Will anyone care about struggling defensive play or him "only" scoring 40 goals or whatever if we make the final 4? I very much doubt it

Feels like there's some strange bargaining going on here... playing worse usually isn't a predictor of more success later.

 

[Moonman]

13.25 mil, can't even drive his own line.

 

[thewave]

13.25 mil, can't even drive his own line.

Either that or his line is driving him crazy. He needs a new line

 

[Moonman]

We don't have enough good players.

Either that or his line is driving him crazy. He needs a new line

Mats used to get it done, no matter the line mates he was good for 80 points.

Hoglund and Reichel? No problem. At least Mats had the semblance of a soul. Matthews is an empty shell that is only filled with money.

 

[thewave]

We don't have enough good players.


Mats used to get it done, no matter the line mates he was good for 80 points.

Hoglund and Reichel? No problem. At least Mats had the semblance of a soul. Matthews is an empty shell that is only filled with money.

We are far removed from that "less talented" 4x conference finals team. Kinda makes me sick

 

[Moonman]

We are far removed from that "less talented" 4x conference finals team. Kinda makes me sick

And?

Just saying he could drive a line with scrubs.

 

[thewave]

And?

Just saying he could drive a line with scrubs.

I think Matthews can do that if you give him the right scrubs.

 

[Moonman]

Matthews can't make plays for others

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Dumb play but it happens time to move on

Look I get that there was miscommunication on the pass and the other Leafs left Matthews unsupported. HOWEVER, the effort on the backcheck was piss poor. He literally let Pasta skate directly at the net unimpeded, he could have at least used his fat ass to cause a slight inconvenience.

This is the type of effort I cannot live with, not from a captain and not from our highest paid player.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1850355915544740327

 

[Stephen]

Look I get that there was miscommunication on the pass and the other Leafs left Matthews unsupported. HOWEVER, the effort on the backcheck was piss poor. He literally let Marchand skate directly at the net unimpeded, he could have at least used his fat ass to cause a slight inconvenience.

This is the type of effort I cannot live with, not from a captain and not from our highest paid player.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1850355915544740327

Whole sequence was horrawful. Came out to challenge Pastrnak, then lets him go to the net, loses him on the rebound.

 

[hfman]

maybe the exact same problem as Babcock here

these core 4 guys didn't like Mike and ran him out of town, even if it was justified they still got their way


Berube is similar to Babs in terms of cracking the whip.. and maybe they don't like it again


so what does this mean. They're gonna fire Craig now too? Repeat this vicious cycle?

Or has MLSE finally figured out the problem is with the players and not the coach... so no firing any coach this time round. Time to ship out these players

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Is he using new skates?