Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[Stephen]

That's the thing with Matthews. We all knew he has that extra gear, but guys like McJesus and Nathan Mac switch up to that gear in the playoffs nightly. Matthews only does that once in every two years or so.

You can count on 2 hands the big superstar playoff games he’s had over the past 9 years. Averaging out to like 1 superstar playoff game per season.

OEL has more goals than Matthews and we are entering Game 6. He’s tied with Simon Benoit.

 

[ToneDog]

It would take a haul to acquire Matthews, I’d be open to it though if we don’t make it to the conference finals or put up a VERY good fight in round two (if we make it that far). I keep saying Dallas would be a perfect trading partner and a destination I could definitely see Matthews waiving his clause if he were approached to waive.

I like Matty to Dallas as well. Question is does Dallas want to upset their apple cart for a $13.25mx3 greedy, choker if they win the SC? Do they need to sell more jerseys?

 

[fahad203]

That's the thing with Matthews. We all knew he has that extra gear, but guys like McJesus and Nathan Mac switch up to that gear in the playoffs nightly. Matthews only does that once in every two years or so.

No love for Sebastian Aho. Dude has been lights out in playoffs for last 3 years
10 goals in 14 in clinching games.......... Dude's just money

Oh yeah, hes' also very responsible defensively.

 

[Funk21]

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.

View attachment 1027131

Guy scored 57 in his second year. Has a terrible team around him and is 6 years younger than AM. At this point we know what Matthews is. A guy who doesn’t deserve the money he gets, can’t lead a team and has never won anything….

I’ll take my chances with the home town kid who was at one point projected to go first overall, Berniers a big 1C who wasn’t hit that next level. Save the 5 million per year and add a deeper team for us.

 

[Stephen]

No love for Sebastian Aho. Dude has been lights out in playoffs for last 3 years
10 goals in 14 in clinching games.......... Dude's just money

Oh yeah, hes' also very responsible defensively.

Guys like Aho, Suzuki have a little bit of that Bergeron way about them where they just play the game in a smart heads up way and aren’t trying to cheat the game playing lazy, then try to force a video game move for the win.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

This whole "we won three, they won two" thing reeks of arrogant stupidity.

These are the types of comments that come back and haunt you. It's like Matthews thinks it's still a sure thing for them to win the series. Ignoring the fact they just lost two games and looked horrible doing it.

Hard to believe they still aren't humbled yet.

How many clinching games do they have to blow? How many game sevens do they have to lose? How many series have to be choked away?

How many times do these guys need to be humiliated before they finally get it?

All Matthews had to say was "we didn't play well tonight and intend on giving a much better effort next game so we can wrap things up". Instead he basically stuck his chin out and said "hit me" despite winning on the score card already. There's confidence and then there's cocky arrogance.

Matthews is full of himself and comments like these show it.

 

[Tak7]

Living in denial can be wonderful! Or it's insanity.

If it's one thing Leafs Nation collectively knows by now, it's the definition of insanity.

 

[Ports]

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.

He’s not a top 20 player in the playoffs. A goal scorer who only scores 2 goals in his last 15 playoff games isn’t that. I’m not sure he ever was. His drop off in play from regular seasons to playoffs is probably unprecedented.

 

[The Shadow]

Actually I found this and was shocked to see Matthews doing anything physical to show some fight in the playoffs.

I forgot this ever happened apparently

 

[TMLAM34]

They aren't going to move the Captain one year after taking it away the C away from Tavares.

I highly doubt it’ll happen, and to be honest I really don’t want it to happen as Matthews is probably the best Leaf player to ever put that jersey on but if Ottawa completes a comeback or the Leafs get completely shutdown against Florida in round 2, hard not to blow this shit up.

 

[Tak7]

This whole "we won three, they won two" thing reeks of arrogant stupidity.

These are the types of comments that come back and haunt you. It's like Matthews thinks it's still a sure thing for them to win the series. Ignoring the fact they just lost two games and looked horrible doing it.

Hard to believe they still aren't humbled yet.

We don't want them humbled.

We know what humbled looks like - those long pan shots of them on the bench, staring blankly into the distance, like deer caught in the headlights. Makes me sick just thinking about it.

If they want to embellish their own confidence and trick themselves into thinking they are okay, that's fine by me - they are fundamentally incapable of performing when the chips are down & expectations are firmly on their shoulders, so maybe this other approach is how they break through?

Clutching at straws, I know.

 

[ToneDog]

No love for Sebastian Aho. Dude has been lights out in playoffs for last 3 years
10 goals in 14 in clinching games.......... Dude's just money

Oh yeah, hes' also very responsible defensively.

And he is playing for a team that Rantanen and Marner wanted no part of and for less money. What a moron. He needs some serious mentoring from our 3 super, duper, elite forwards.

 

[Tak7]

Actually I found this and was shocked to see Matthews doing anything physical to show some fight in the playoffs.

I forgot this ever happened apparently

Everytime this clip comes up, watching Mitch always disappoints me - pleading to the refs for help and just standing there.

 

[Ports]

This whole "we won three, they won two" thing reeks of arrogant stupidity.

These are the types of comments that come back and haunt you. It's like Matthews thinks it's still a sure thing for them to win the series. Ignoring the fact they just lost two games and looked horrible doing it.

Hard to believe they still aren't humbled yet.

How many clinching games do they have to blow? How many game sevens do they have to lose? How many series have to be choked away?

How many times do these guys need to be humiliated before they finally get it?

All Matthews had to say was "we didn't play well tonight and intend on giving a much better effort next game so we can wrap things up". Instead he basically stuck his chin out and said "hit me" despite winning on the score card already. There's confidence and then there's cocky arrogance.

Matthews is full of himself and comments like these show it.

And he and the other star players never seem angry after a loss like the leaders on other teams do. They just make excuses and say how close they were.

 

[Ports]

Actually I found this and was shocked to see Matthews doing anything physical to show some fight in the playoffs.

I forgot this ever happened apparently

This is the one where there were scraps all over the ice and Matthews was skating around picking up loose sticks like he was part of the cleaning crew. Then he gets attacked by Stamkos and slaps back a couple of times. This is not an instance of Matthews standing up for himself or his teammates. It was embarrassing how he was forced into dropping his gloves and then had no clue what to do.

 

[Ports]

Everytime this clip comes up, watching Mitch always disappoints me - pleading to the refs for help and just standing there.

Both of their gloves are glued on. Throw Nylander in there too. Sometimes players have to push back but they never will.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

And he and the other star players never seem angry after a loss like the leaders on other teams do. They just make excuses and say how close they were.

These players like winning.

But they don't hate losing so accept it. When really they should be doing everything they can to not lose. That means winning at all costs.

Winning should be a bi-product of not losing instead of an end of it's own.

 

[1specter]

This is the one where there were scraps all over the ice and Matthews was skating around picking up loose sticks like he was part of the cleaning crew. Then he gets attacked by Stamkos and slaps back a couple of times. This is not an instance of Matthews standing up for himself or his teammates. It was embarrassing how he was forced into dropping his gloves and then had no clue what to do.

Dude is charmin soft

 

[ToneDog]

I highly doubt it’ll happen, and to be honest I really don’t want it to happen as Matthews is probably the best Leaf player to ever put that jersey on but if Ottawa completes a comeback or the Leafs get completely shutdown against Florida in round 2, hard not to blow this shit up.

These guys were fine until the Leafs cleared the decks, overpaid them and made them the alpha dogs, which they are not. All 3 are Phil Kessels who you can win with if they play with true alpha dogs who can lead. The 3 amigos only know how to lead on the way to the bank.

 

[A1LeafNation]

They aren't good enough to win a cup.

This is why I'm willing to give Willy a look with a refreshed top 6.

 

[Superstar]

And he is playing for a team that Rantanen and Marner wanted no part of and for less money. What a moron. He needs some serious mentoring from our 3 super, duper, elite forwards.

He's one of those players who are just very grateful to be playing in the NHL and earning a great living. Like a kid who just loves playing hockey.

 

[Stephen]

This is the one where there were scraps all over the ice and Matthews was skating around picking up loose sticks like he was part of the cleaning crew. Then he gets attacked by Stamkos and slaps back a couple of times. This is not an instance of Matthews standing up for himself or his teammates. It was embarrassing how he was forced into dropping his gloves and then had no clue what to do.

I don’t understand how he channels his emotions because it’s very un-hockey.

If you have nerves, get physical. Bump along the wall a little bit, battle for space and channel that Michael Jordan “I took that personally.” Soon those excess jitters burn off and you’re just playing and having fun.

And breaking sticks on the bench? How about just run a guy over?

His tendency to want to stay cool and never use his emotions physically is just not how most players do things.

 

[ToneDog]

This is why I'm willing to give Willy a look with a refreshed top 6.

Every time I see Sam Bennett score a playoff goal I am reminded by what Zeke said about him when the Flames made him available and many Leafs fans wanted to acquire him because he was better in the playoffs than in the regular season. Zeke said "Sam Bennett is bad at hockey". Since then he tucked his tail between his legs and has never been heard from again.

Sam Bennet is the type of player the Leafs lack and might help our 3 frauds play an inch taller if he wants to come home.

 

[horner]

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.

We will get inbearest if we show up and beat Ottawa.

 

[Stephen]

Every time I see Sam Bennett score a playoff goal I am reminded by what Zeke said about him when the Flames made him available and many Leafs fans wanted to acquire him because he was better in the playoffs than in the regular season. Zeke said "Sam Bennett is bad at hockey". Since then he tucked his tail between his legs and has never been heard from again.

Sam Bennet is the type of player the Leafs lack and might help our 3 frauds play an inch taller if he wants to come home.

I remember watching a lot of playoffs in the 2020 pandemic year and Bennett was really good. So was Corey Perry. Flames played Dallas at some point. And I think Bennett also played in an Edmonton series really hard as well and really popped. I forget what year. And when Toronto was looking to retool for 2021 I thought they should go after those guys. Bennett was a complete after thought piece at that point.