Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[Ports]

How can he have PTSD from losing? He’s never won anything in his life.

He has PTSD from failing. You don’t get PTSD from winning.

 

[Ports]

That is just this year!

Not in the playoffs. It’s every year.

 

[Ports]

What saves this core at this point?

Certainly not just getting by Ott. Will it take beating Fla? Is that enough?

Or is it Finals or bust to take the bad taste out of everyone's mouth?

Beating Florida would be a pretty big accomplishment for them. Defending cup champs and maybe the favourite to repeat. That would definitely be progress but that doesn’t mean they have to re-sign Marner or JT.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Ovechkin has scored to give his team a lead in an elimination game. What a concept. You’re captain and best player executing in a high-leverage game.

 

[Ports]

Ovechkin has scored to give his team a lead in an elimination game. What a concept. You’re captain and best player executing in a high-leverage game.

What he’s doing at his age is remarkable. He’s definitely the Russian machine that never breaks.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

If they lose this series I’d seriously consider approaching him about a trade.

This is what I cooked up:

TML
AM

Seattle
Berniers
Wright
2026 1st

Berniers had a down year after signing his 6 year deal but he is another big C. Wright is a hometown kid and can fill that two C role. We also recoup another 1st. Both are NHL ready and would fit right in if we decide to sign Marner and JT. We would also save about 5 million per year for this year and next I believe with wright still under his ELC.

Add 2 more 1sts or Tre laughs and hangs up

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Can someone photoshop earrings, a purse, and an ugly mustache onto this picture.

 

[Jojalu]

Not in the playoffs. It’s every year.

That was my point. That is just this year.

 

[ITM]

Define toxic ?

1) 6-3 225 plays like Gary Coleman
2) close out games, vanishes
3) Any type of push back, vanishes
4) Team with grit, vanishes
5) Contract time, pay me like Mcdavid

Oh no you didn’t! Lmao!

 

[ITM]

Add 2 more 1sts or Tre laughs and hangs up

I think we’d want Dunn wouldn’t we?

And make them take Reilly?

 

[mikeyz]

He's a 5 tool player with no heart. If you ever questioned if intangibles were real, you just have to look at AM34's career to see what having every advantage but no heart looks like on the ice at the first sign of pressure.

This is such a bang on accurate description of him.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Hes the one guy in the core that's likely not 100% healthy, but it still doesn't excuse his attitude and his poor in game decision making.

Maybe it was a terrible idea for him to play through his injury for most of the season and then be unable to score if a goalie is even looking in his general direction.

 

[ToneDog]

Nice that after years of coddling, Matthews is finally being put on the spot for his half-ass bullshit

Versteeg was hard on the coaching and core on yesterday's Bunkis podcast. Worth a listen. No way they beat Florida playing the way they have been playing for half a decade in the playoffs.

 

[horner]

Does everyone remember when we won the lottery to draft Mathews .
I remember on this board cry when we drafted Mathews some saying this was our Stanley Cup.to today.
To me the shine wire of for me was 4 yrs ago.
We have blown so much draft capital on this idiot , whom if people were honest with themselves we knew it was never going to work.
Even the captaincy was not for him , he dosent have the blood of a captain.

HE HAS NEVER BEEN A LEADER.

 

[Funk21]

Add 2 more 1sts or Tre laughs and hangs up

This is the problem with TML fans. If the name was McDavid then sure you could ask for that. You are getting a kid who was taken 2nd OA and another Top 5. Plus another 1st.

AM has proven nothing in the playoffs, less than a PPG. Can’t put a team on his back. Getting essentially 3 1st and what amounts to two top Cs is a solid return when you add the additional 1st. It keeps us in contention and actually may make us a stronger overall team plus we get younger and change things up.

 

[Dayjobdave]

You guys are so hard on our second line center behind Tavares, and soon McDavid.

Straight up talent, he’s the best Leaf I’ve seen and I go back to the last big M people didn’t think had enough heart.

Eventually the Sun will explode and this won’t matter. Until then, we really don’t have to feel this bad until late Saturday night.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

This is the problem with TML fans. If the name was McDavid then sure you could ask for that. You are getting a kid who was taken 2nd OA and another Top 5. Plus another 1st.

AM has proven nothing in the playoffs, less than a PPG. Can’t put a team on his back. Getting essentially 3 1st and what amounts to two top Cs is a solid return when you add the additional 1st. It keeps us in contention and actually may make us a stronger overall team plus we get younger and change things up.

The problem with TML fans is coming up with idiotic trade proposals.
You don't trade the best goal scorer in the league, a 200 foot center, for a couple of 45 point players ffs.

 

[A1LeafNation]

The way I see it, the problem is Matthews and Marner lack the intensity to win a closeout game. This team has everything needed to win, with the exception of the top 6.

You are not trading Matthews. So the best you ca do is hide him in the playoffs.

Knies ________ Nylander
Tavares Matthews Cowan

Do we know any intense #1Cs better than Matthews that we can sign in a year or so...

 

[Tak7]

The way I see it, the problem is Matthews and Marner lack the intensity to win a closeout game. This team has everything needed to win, with the exception of the top 6.

You are not trading Matthews. So the best you ca do is hide him in the playoffs.

Knies ________ Nylander
Tavares Matthews Cowan

Do we know any intense #1Cs better than Matthews that we can sign in a year or so...

They don't hate losing enough.

MacKinnon is poking his own teammates on the bench, demanding better from everyone, and dragging them all into the fight alongside him.

McDavid and Leon are inspiring from within, and have a rage about them when things aren't going well.

Matthews and Marner don't have that. Nylander doesn't have that. Tavares is so even keel, which is fine, but these guys don't have a magical new level or gear they can hit this time of year.

That's what makes game 6 so utterly terrifying. You'd love for these guys to come out and be pissed off and just ruthlessly end this thing the way Florida or Washington did last night.

But they don't have it in them. They never have.

 

[A1LeafNation]

They don't hate losing enough.

MacKinnon is poking his own teammates on the bench, demanding better from everyone, and dragging them all into the fight alongside him.

McDavid and Leon are inspiring from within, and have a rage about them when things aren't going well.

Matthews and Marner don't have that. Nylander doesn't have that. Tavares is so even keel, which is fine, but these guys don't have a magical new level or gear they can hit this time of year.

That's what makes game 6 so utterly terrifying. You'd love for these guys to come out and be pissed off and just ruthlessly end this thing the way Florida or Washington did last night.

But they don't have it in them. They never have.

We know Matthews and Marner don't have it. I believe Nylander does have it though.

For years we spend all resources around Matthews and Marner. Nylander always got the remaining spare parts.

This should change now.

 

[inthe6ix]

The way I see it, the problem is Matthews and Marner lack the intensity to win a closeout game. This team has everything needed to win, with the exception of the top 6.

You are not trading Matthews. So the best you ca do is hide him in the playoffs.

Knies ________ Nylander
Tavares Matthews Cowan

Do we know any intense #1Cs better than Matthews that we can sign in a year or so...

Somehow we gotta get rid of 34 and 16 and get McJesus to come home and lead us back to glory.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Somehow get rid of 34 and 16 and get McJesus to come home and lead us back to glory.

I think of 34 as Pittsburgh's Kessel. In the right environment.. you could get alot out of him.

 

[Tak7]

We know Matthews and Marner don't have it. I believe Nylander does have it though.

For years we spend all resources around Matthews and Marner. Nylander always got the remaining spare parts.

This should change now.

He hasn't had it this series - recreational skate for 5 games.

 

[A1LeafNation]

He hasn't had it this series - recreational skate for 5 games.

I agree. But overall body of work suggests to me that he can get things done.

 

[mjd1001]

Game after game, year after year, nothing that happens with Matthews surprises me or changes my mind on him:
-In the regular season, he is a top 10 player, with the potential to have 'streaks' that put him into the top 3. But overall, including the fact he misses some games, I do not see much overall separation in his game, nor would I want him a LOT more than guys like McKinnon, Draisaitl, Kucherov, and maybe even Makar or Pastrnak.
-In the playoffs, he turns into a 'top 20' player, and by top 20, I mean you can throw him in with ANY Of the guys you would rank 10-20 overall.

To me that is still who he is. Top 5 talent. Lacks that 'extra gear' to push himself to a higher level and carry a team vs almost any other very good-to-great team.

I'm waiting for a few instances to change my mind. Closing out Ottawa isn't going to cut it, he needs to show up and carry the team to victories in 1-2 more series against top teams.

Bottom line for me, he is overpaid for his production/contribution to wins (compared to other stars) in my opinion, and he does so being one of the least 'likeable' superstars at the same time.