Larcos_Unal
Excuses are for losers
Tax aside, depth aside, cap hit aside, do you honestly feel that Matthews is living up to his contract this playoff season?
Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)
- Thread starter Aashir
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DarkKnight
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His rapid stick handling exhibitions that go nowhere, rather than a true north south attack, that's the problem. He's trying to dazzle, recall how Sundin would use that frame to lean in, rather than curl back.
He isn’t but he hasn’t all year and flew to Germany mid season the years been a wash in my opinion anything you get is a bonus that’s why we gotta rejig the lineup put marner with someone he can work with nylander can score Matthews can defend
Stephen
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- Feb 28, 2002
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His razzle dazzle stick handling is becoming easier to defend because he stops moving his feet powering north. Once confronted he curls back and looks for a random pass swinging around or drops it off.
Mats Sundin would shovel it along before popping out the hip, lowering the opposite shoulder and just try to get through the crowd.
Even a Jack Eichel. He’s a fussy stick handler but he doesn’t stop moving his feet and can change his angle of attack with speed.
DarkKnight
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Exactly, nobody bites on his dazzle and it fizzles out.
weems
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You can really see it when there's a straight line to a puck and instead of keeping his speed and winning the 50/50 puck race, he'll slow up, jump around the defender and attempt a stick lift/puck swipe all in one motion.
Mats Sundin had an unreal ability to get to the net no matter who was trying to stop him. Matthews has the size to do that, but he reminds me more of early career JVR; he COULD do it, but just chooses not to.
Stephen
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He did that in vs Ridly Greig in Game 4 vs Ottawa in the first minutes of the game and I said - it’s going to be one of those nights.
Stephen
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Honestly I would just say Mats just played to his size potential whereas Matthews is about that size but is wired with the mentality of a smaller finesse player.
Tak7
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How many goals did he score or setup in game 4?
It's great that they've maximized their depth scoring up to this point, but most of their roster is playing at their peak and giving you their maximum.
It's now time for him to score - he needs to have a much bigger impact at 5on5. They don't win with out it.
Larcos_Unal
Excuses are for losers
C'mon man, Matthews is the goal scorer and Marner is the setup man. Don't play coy.
3 goals in his last 20 playoff games which is a 12 goal pace over an 82 game season. Simply unacceptable.
Stephen
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We need Matthews to go ape and break out like Mikko Rantanen. Just live up to your potential, build that positive legacy and take Leafs Nation on that journey. It’s just extremely frustrating to see your most important player not able to contribute the way he’s supposed to.
- Nov 15, 2020
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Well how many goals did Marner score in game 4? Or Knies, Nylander, Tavares, etc?
Game 4 is pretty clearly an outlier game given they spent the entire first period short handed and most of the players sat on the bench cold and could never get up to speed that entire game.
If the teams defense are pressuring Matthews to take away his shot, his linemates will be getting chances and that has been what is happening. Both Marner and Knies are getting chances as the F1 and F3 because as soon as they enter the zone the defense is taking Matthews right away.
He has been doing a great job at holding onto the puck to draw in a guy and then finding one of his linemates with a bit of open ice. He has to take what is there.
Why is marner just the set up man Hes scored 30 plenty of times in his career
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colchar
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- Apr 26, 2012
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We need to change this thread title from 'Auston Matthews Captain Edition' to 'Auston Matthews Playoff Ghost Edition'.
Stephen
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We’re not going to go anywhere if the conversation is always about why can’t the other guy pull their weight. Marner has to take care of his own business too.
Which I agree with but everyone seems to be honing in on just the injured Matthews which is weird and absolving the injury free marner blame them both if you’d like but I’d think the injury free player would be able to compensate for the injured player just my presumption I guess
Stephen
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My guy, it’s an Auston Matthews specific thread. If you want to read Marner the riot act that place also exists. The criticism is there too.
My friend your missing the point I’m trying to make It’s pointless critiquing an injured player period he flew to Germany during the season while we were playing games and we’re still sitting here complaining that he isn’t doing enough he hasn’t all season that’s not gonna miraculously Change now
Stephen
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Well that raises even bigger fundamental issues.
Aka why did he go to Germany to look for exotic bandaid treatments when he had 6 months to seek a different path and get right for the Stanley Cup playoffs?
Oh right, prioritizing non Leaf commitments in an exhibition tournament.
definedMF
Registered User
Do you even follow the Leafs? He hasn't even scored 40 goals once, he is an average 28 goal scorer... lmao
Tak7
Registered User
Think the difference is you can't really reasonably ask for much more out of Nylander, Tavares or Knies.
Or, frankly, any of their other forwards - Bobby McMann aside, the rest have basically given you the best they've got.
That leaves 34 and 16, as this team's primary offensive threats and biggest stars, as the 2 that you can fairly ask for more, even if that ask is unreasonable given their lack of ability to fight through tight checking this time of year.
