Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)

[authentic]

I’m just imagining if Matthews reads these comments why would he even want to try for a fanbase as insufferable as this anyway

 

[TheGreatOne11]

All time playoff choke artist. Our Captain.

He doesn't have it between the ears. He can't elevate his game.

I hate when he's mentioned in the same breathe as McDavid and MacKinnon. Those two elevate their game. One has a cup. The other a conn smythe. Matthews is not the same, the league needs to stop pretending. This man has never earned anything.

 

[BallardEra]

Heck Matthews scored 6 goals in his last 11 games.

Think he really wanted to hit career goal #400 before the year was out.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Yeah if he wanted to the Zach Hyman strategy is available to score garbage goals. Don’t see that level of commitment though.

Who’s shooting the puck in that situation? We trying to deflect some smouldering Carlo and Marner blasts here?

 

[Tak7]

Would love to know what injury is preventing him from scoring / going to the hard areas, but seemingly has no issues on his ability to win faceoffs or play well defensively and along the walls.

In a league where Bergeron played with a punctured lung, Matthew Tkachuk played with a broken collarbone, and Leon Draisaitl played with a high ankle sprain, it's becoming more and more frustrating seeing people use injuries as an excuse at this time of year when everyone's banged up

 

[Stephen]

Who’s shooting the puck in that situation? We trying to deflect some smouldering Carlo and Marner blasts here?

Probably random point shots by committee and Knies.

 

[Stephen]

Would love to know what injury is preventing him from scoring / going to the hard areas, but seemingly has no issues on his ability to win faceoffs or play well defensively and along the walls.

In a league where Bergeron played with a punctured lung, Matthew Tkachuk played with a broken collarbone, and Leon Draisaitl played with a high ankle sprain, it's becoming more and more frustrating seeing people use injuries as an excuse at this time of year when everyone's banged up

That’s the thing. The non specific injury is used a self generating excuse machine for not delivering offensively. Not by him but by everyone in orbit speculating openly every time he doesn’t play up to par. But we also didn’t see the injury treated with any care to get right for the playoffs. And no transparency so you can’t compare it other star players who also have injuries.

 

[Stephen]

I’m just imagining if Matthews reads these comments why would he even want to try for a fanbase as insufferable as this anyway

Yes, imagine underperforming out of spite because people are unhappy with your original underperforming ways. What a championship personality that would be.

 

[Captain14]

Boy, I sure do miss the days of Gilmour, Clark, Robert’s and Tucker in the playoffs.
Win or lose, they were nasty and brought it every shift. This roster is weak and Babcock knew it.

If we end up losing this series, it should be the catalyst for the widespread change to dump the President and half of the core.
Shanny,16, 34, and 44 at a minimum should be gone.
I don’t want to see the possible scenario of winning this series, losing in the semi’s and running it back AGAIN for next year. That cannot happen.

 

[authentic]

Yes, imagine underperforming out of spite because people are unhappy with your original underperforming ways. What a championship personality that would be.

I mean I doubt he reads them anyway, but it could atleast explain something if he did

 

[River Meadow]

I’m just imagining if Matthews reads these comments why would he even want to try for a fanbase as insufferable as this anyway

It doesn't work like that.

As an employee, you don't go... well, I need you guys to APPRECIATE me and hype me up and etc., before I produce good work.

Absolutely not.

 

[Tak7]

That’s the thing. The non specific injury is used a self generating excuse machine for not delivering offensively. Not by him but by everyone in orbit speculating openly every time he doesn’t play up to par. But we also didn’t see the injury treated with any care to get right for the playoffs. And no transparency so you can’t compare it other star players who also have injuries.

The moment he was allowed to go to the Four Nations, was the moment the injury excuse should have been voided.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

New excuse just dropped. Auston Matthews is playing poorly because everyone is a meaniepants poopyhead.

 

[BallardEra]

His career regular season shooting percentage is 15.8 and that drops to 9.3 in the playoffs.

Not good enough.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

I’m just imagining if Matthews reads these comments why would he even want to try for a fanbase as insufferable as this anyway

Low quality gas lighting. lol He should try because he was paid the highest AAV contract in the league. His obligation isn't to the fans, regardless of if they support him or not. His obligation is to his employers, since he's taken tens of millions of their dollars.

 

[thewave]

His career regular season shooting percentage is 15.8 and that drops to 9.3 in the playoffs.

Not good enough.

Is It other factors though? He is constantly with Marner can the possibility just simply not exist that Mitch being a liability and playing high in the POs causes AM to have to work harder and hurts production?

Why is practically forbidden to talk about this or suggest it. Why does it never happen.

 

[Ports]

He didn’t score a goal in the five game series against Florida two years ago. He and Marner disappear in physical playoff hockey. They’re not big game players or able to lead the team in the playoffs the way other superstars are able to. Having two of them taking up 30% of the cap hasn’t and won’t result in the Leafs winning a cup. Same old story.

 

[Stephen]

The moment he was allowed to go to the Four Nations, was the moment the injury excuse should have been voided.

Yupppp.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Is It other factors though? He is constantly with Marner can the possibility just simply not exist that Mitch being a liability and playing high in the POs causes AM to have to work harder and hurts production?

Why is practically forbidden to talk about this or suggest it. Why does it never happen.

Stop making excuses for Matthews, it's honestly embarrassing. Take off the blue-coloured glasses, take a step back and look at the decade that Matthews has been here through an objective lens. How many times since he's been here do you remember a playoff game where he put the team on his back and delivered them a win? You might say it's not fair to put all the pressure on one guy, but when you command the highest salary in the league, that is the pressure that comes with it.

Look at MacKinnon. He drives his line. He doesn't take shifts off. He oozes intensity. He lost both Landeskog and Rantanen and still dominates. He elevates the play of his line mates. That is the expectation when you are the captain, the highest paid player on your team and the highest paid player in the league. Speaking of Rantanen, look at what he's doing playing with 2nd line players. Good players, but certainly not superstars. He has put that team on his back and has delivered multiple games in these playoffs alone. Rants has more dominant games in this year's playoffs than Matthews has had in his entire decade long career.

Open your damn eyes and smell the coffee, already. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. Matthews is not the best player in the league or anywhere close. He's the best Casper cosplayer in April though.

 

[thewave]

Stop making excuses for Matthews, it's honestly embarrassing. Take off the blue-coloured glasses, take a step back and look at the decade that Matthews has been here through an objective lens. How many times since he's been here do you remember a playoff game where he put the team on his back and delivered them a win? You might say it's not fair to put all the pressure on one guy, but when you command the highest salary in the league, that is the pressure that comes with it.

Look at MacKinnon. He drives his line. He doesn't take shifts off. He oozes intensity. He lost both Landeskog and Rantanen and still dominates. He elevates the play of his line mates. That is the expectation when you are the captain, the highest paid player on your team and the highest paid player in the league. Speaking of Rantanen, look at what he's doing playing with 2nd line players. Good players, but certainly not superstars. He has put that team on his back and has delivered multiple games in these playoffs alone. Rants has more dominant games in this year's playoffs than Matthews has had in his entire decade long career.

Open your damn eyes and smell the coffee, already. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. Matthews is not the best player in the league or anywhere close. He's the best Casper cosplayer in April though.

I liked Matthews Nylander far better than I ever liked AM MM. I think with Knies AM WN would be awesome. It's just not ever allowed to happen. I like WN AM better in the POs too!

 

[Ports]

Yeah, this narrative that the injury is what's causing Auston to be shit in these playoffs holds little weight. Sure, the injury makes him even worse than usual, but let's not pretend that the guy is good in the playoffs usually. He's garbage (relative to his salary / position in the league). There's no way to sugarcoat it. And also, with regards to said injury, this organization once again has shown how inept they are in every conceivable facet (outside of selling jerseys).

Auston has clearly been hurt all year. Hell, possibly since last year's playoffs. Who knows at this point. The bottom line though is that it seems that surgery is overwhelmingly likely coming this offseason. If that's the case, you have to wonder why it was not handled earlier in the year / last offseason, why Auston was playing at the 4N and why he is seemingly calling the shots with regards to his health. It's quite clear that the inmates run the asylum in Toronto. And it's all because management is afraid of pissing off / pushing these guys out and potentially threatening their jersey sales. It's honestly just pathetic how management has allowed these players to dictate the entire direction of the organization since they've been here and it's why we haven't won a damn thing.

Is this going to turn into a Jack Eichel situation regarding surgery / no surgery / type of surgery ? It’s hard to see Matthews career ending well as a Leaf with an unreliable body and so little playoff success.

 

[Ports]

I’m just imagining if Matthews reads these comments why would he even want to try for a fanbase as insufferable as this anyway

Don’t worry. He’s not reading this and couldn’t care less about the fans. He likes to refer to the fans and media as noise and he doesn’t listen to the noise. Such a nuisance having fans that pony up thousands to watch you play so you can take home your paycheck of $2M a month. What a burden.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Is this going to turn into a Jack Eichel situation regarding surgery / no surgery / type of surgery ? It’s hard to see Matthews career ending well as a Leaf with an unreliable body and so little playoff success.

I honestly don't give a f***. This team would be better off without Matthews and his salary allocated to players who actually have some fire and passion. I've been saying it for years and eventually everyone else will see it my way.

 

[thewave]

Don’t worry. He’s not reading this and couldn’t care less about the fans. He likes to refer to the fans and media as noise and he doesn’t listen to the noise. Such a nuisance having fans that pony up thousands to watch you play so you can take home your paycheck of $2M a month. What a burden.

Marners attitude is even worse. Willy rides public transportation and chills with the common people and says this is the only place to win.

 

[mjd1001]

Look at MacKinnon. He drives his line. He doesn't take shifts off. He oozes intensity. He lost both Landeskog and Rantanen and still dominates. He elevates the play of his line mates. That is the expectation when you are the captain, the highest paid player on your team and the highest paid player in the league.

I'm a critic of Matthews. I think he is one of the least 'likeable' and 'relateable' superstars in all of hockey. Its been about a decade now and he doesn't produce in the playoffs.

However, with regard to elevating the play of his linemates, I don't want to brush that aside. The numbers/analytics, and the eye-test, show that Knies is who he is mostly because of Matthews:

-During this year's playoffs, when Knies is on the ice with Matthews, the Leafs score a goal about every 10 minutes of ice time.
-Knies has 43 minutes of play without Matthews...0 goals scored, 4 goals against.

Go back to the regular season:
-Knies and Matthews on the ice together: Leafs score a goal about every 10.5 minutes of ice time.
-Knies without Matthews (550+ minutes) Leafs score a goal about every 20 minutes.

For his career, regular season and playoffs combined, Knies is a positive player, postive goal differential player by far when on the ice with Matthews. When not on the ice with Matthews (even if its Marner, Tavares, WN, or others), Knies is a negative goal differential guy by far.

If you like what Knies is doing as far as production, all signs and numbers and analytics point to that only being done with him skating besides Matthews. As much love as Knies is getting on other threads, again, take him away from Matthews and the production, quite simply, isn't there.