Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[Larcos_Unal]

A healthy Auston is the best player I've ever seen on the Leafs and it's not even close.
He's also shown very little in the way of leadership skills and clutch performance that I want to see in our Captain.

Both things can be true sadly.

 

[Budz]

I want them to put him on LTIR until the playoffs.

Trade for C.

 

[centipede2233]

When Berube coaching style was only for half a season with stlouis and had RoR, Schenn, Tarasenko, Bozak, Perron, Parayko and Piet, you can win a cup. Berube coaching style for a full season with the softest core on earth aint winning crap.

Berube has one 7 game playoff series win in his coaching career when he has coached a full season.

 

[Racer88]

So rest up so he’s good enough to play in 4 Nations and then after that the maple leafs get whatever version of Matthews is left. If he wants to set an example rest and don’t participate in 4 nations.

The route he chooses will show what his priorities are

 

[BraveCanadian]

The route he chooses will show what his priorities are

I think we already know what his priorities are based on his past two contracts and his play in general.

 

[Racer88]

I think we already know what his priorities are based on his past two contracts and his play in general.

I’m the eternal optimist and am hoping it’s the Leafs

 

[Leafs98]

I want them to put him on LTIR until the playoffs.

Trade for C.

2 weeks ago I cringed at the idea but I think to salvage a season thats the way to go. Not having 13 mill on the books consistently or at 70% is not sustainable. They'll drop alot of games.

Any leading rumors on that ? How exactly does the "Stone" move work anyways. Is it no cap for playoffs ?

 

[horner]

I think original problem here is they never took the opportunity to explain what his playoff injury actually was. Because you hear gruesome injury reveals after every playoffs and you gain an appreciation for what guys played through, have an idea of what kind of rehab they need in the offseason.

If you’re hurt in May and are feeling injury issues during the first scrimmage of training camp in late September, all that tells people is you might be dealing with something serious. Or the summer was not utilized to get right for camp. That’s almost 5 months of rest, relaxation and or surgery and rehab time.

The whole thing is a mess.

I think it was the Detroit game in the regular season when he went in back first hitting the boards.
He should have been shut down then to make sure that he was healthy for the playoffs but that is not a leaf thing to do .

It will be the same thing this year the 4 nations.

 

[Hellcat]

#regularseason #sh*tteams

Not to mention Keefe never demanded his top guys to be physical actually the opposite, the one year where a new coach demands physicality he can’t seem to handle it

Coincidence probably, none of the top 5 players have picked up their physicality this year. Not sure Berube's coaching style from a physical stand point has had any impact on Matty. He's a PPG player this year. Matty got hurt, any player can get hurt at any given time, as a result he is not playing at the level we are accustomed to. Pretty simple IMO.

Comments from Versteeg on Matty's injury. Not sure it matters if the Leafs are being deceptive or not, end of the day he is hurt.

Former Leafs Forward Claims the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews Are Deceiving Fans

Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kris Versteeg is questioning the exact nature of Auston Matthews' injury status, and what exactly is going on with the captain.

www.hockeypatrol.com

 

[BallardEra]

I don't think this is a different injury. Same one and he's tried to battle through it. He clearly doesn't want to have surgery and this is exactly why they are looking at different options.

Ultimately, surgery might be the only way forward.

 

[Sypher04]

#regularseason #sh*tteams

Not to mention Keefe never demanded his top guys to be physical actually the opposite, the one year where a new coach demands physicality he can’t seem to handle it

lol. Terrible take
Matthews has clearly had an injury the entire year from preseason that he is trying to play through, but sure let’s just erroneously attribute it to the fact the coach wants more physicality, while ignoring the fact that Matthews has played physical with zero issues before.

If you don’t think he has, go back and rewatch the last 2 years playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

lol. Terrible take
Matthews has clearly had an injury the entire year from preseason that he is trying to play through, but sure let’s just erroneously attribute it to the fact the coach wants more physicality, while ignoring the fact that Matthews has played physical with zero issues before.

If you don’t think he has, go back and rewatch the last 2 years playoffs.

The frustration with Matthews is that he ended last season's playoffs injured and he entered the new season injured, with a heavy blanket of secrecy. So there was no closure on 2024, no clean slate on 2025 or any kind of idea why the summer wasn't used to get right.

Yeah Matthews has played the power game in the past and you can reference certain windows where it was on display. But he's got to take the next step and play that level consistently. That consistency, power, intensity (and now health) is what holds him back from being in the Mackinnon, Draisaitl level. For what he's capable of, he's not realizing his full potential.

 

[HolyCrap]

I heard on Sirius NHL radio this morning that Berbube let slip it was a back injury he’s been dealing with. Anyone else hear that?

 

[Apex Predator]

I heard on Sirius NHL radio this morning that Berbube let slip it was a back injury he’s been dealing with. Anyone else hear that?

I think it’s one of those situations where everyone knows but no one wants to confirm it. It’s the worst kept secret.

 

[HolyCrap]

I think it’s one of those situations where everyone knows but no one wants to confirm it. It’s the worst kept secret.

You’re probably right.

 

[Stephen]

I think it was the Detroit game in the regular season when he went in back first hitting the boards.
He should have been shut down then to make sure that he was healthy for the playoffs but that is not a leaf thing to do .

It will be the same thing this year the 4 nations.

He didn't seem that bad right away after that collision but obviously didn't score any more goals. In any case if that was the original injury or the injury happened between then and Game 3 of the playoffs there would have been many months off in the summer to get healthy. But we don't know what it is.

 

[rocketman588]

He needs to get serious about his off season conditioning and training.

Dude often comes to camp carrying extra weight which increases his injury risk. I assume he was injured heading into this year but still hasn't helped him in the past as well.

Marner decided to start taking this seriously only this year as well when money was in the line