Trade Mathews or nylander and sign marner. Can't lose assets for free.
Player Discussion Auston Matthews (Captain Edition)
- Thread starter Aashir
- Start date
Kurtz
Registered User
- Jul 17, 2005
- 10,095
- 8,012
Yes, he dominated and then caught the plague and wasn't the same. And the training camp injury this season. The one valid critique of Matthews is that he's injury prone; otherwise he's an MVP-level player on par with anyone but McJesus.
If you're trading him, you better get a similar guy in return, like one of the Colorado's M's. Trading him for a hodgepodge where the best asset is Barzal pushes you in a building direction of a Jersey or Carolina, which isn't great imo.
But lets see how McDrai do agains't Florida's shutdown line this time around.
- Dec 12, 2017
- 23,520
- 13,440
Sounded like it’s a possibility, to me. We can keep our fingers crossed that both parties are willing to part ways.
Tak7
Registered User
...did you watch the same thing as the rest of us?
There wasn't a single comment, or answer, that was suggestive that they're ready to move off matthews.
- Dec 12, 2017
- 23,520
- 13,440
Said he wanted to change the DNA. That sounds to me like they’re open to anything and hopefully that includes a possible Matthews trade.
BlueForever75
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2017
- 5,814
- 2,469
Some people really need to get off the drugs.
Matthews even though he didnt produce offensively as he has in the past he still was above average all season long. Playoffs is a different game and yes he could have done more on that side of the game but so could have half of our forwards that were poor. Where was Nylander the last 4 games of Florida series???
At least Matthews tried in his 200ft game night in and night out. He wasn't floating around waiting for breakaways like others (Nylander). Go watch every game in the playoffs, Matthews was relevant icing line to icing line every game. I want more of him in our lineup. And he was doing it at 70% as we all know he was injured. What was others excuses for the "passengers" like Matthews pointed out?
Matthews is not the issue. Marner and Nylander???? Well there is the issue. Love Willy when hes scoring and taking over games. But that is when he feels like it!!!! But when he doesnt feel like it, he floats. Plays no D. Marner is much of the same. He is the first player to stray from system, always!!!! His mistakes whether it be 5vs5 or on PP are what kill the Leafs in their game. If hes going good we are awesome, but if he doesnt produce offensively he is a liability. Forgets to play system and tries the impossible which in turn kills us.
Matthews plays the game right, and all of us on this board should appreciate his game. He shows up every game regardless if hes scoring or not.
Tak7
Registered User
What is this crap. Matthews goes from top 3 player in the world regular season to top 20-30 in the playoffs.
He's been terrible in the postseason for like 4 straight series.
Any talk about defence just shows how far our rocket winner has fallen.
BlueForever75
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2017
- 5,814
- 2,469
You serious, If we had 2 more Matthews on this team we would be better off. Where have you been?
Do star players not get locked down in playoffs? Some of the best ever to play the game have come up silent offensively in the playoffs. You speak of "rocket winner"!!!! What about the greatest goal scorer of all time in Ovi? Go check his stats over his career in the playoffs. Cause I dont have time to. But he was a colossal failure in the playoffs for years. Couldnt get his team out of first round or second round for years. ... until of course his Stanley Cup win. But what year was that in???? Let you look that up too.
Some people have no clue.
- Dec 12, 2017
- 23,520
- 13,440
Exactly .Basically everything is on the table. Hopefully, he gets an offer that he can’t refuse for Matthews
No shit if we had 3 #1C's our team would be better off.
Colossal failure???? They lost to the prime penguins, not crippled Boston or Tampa or MTL.
Idk, we literally can look at Kuch, Mack, Rant, McDavid, Drai as players who are performing radically better than Matthews. No talk about defence pls. He's 28, not 35.
Where exactly do you see a playoff failure? 2011-2012? 2014-2015? Everything else is good for the most part.
I see a guy who's mostly played well and lost in the 2nd round. Not our players who mostly play bad and lose in the first round.
BlueForever75
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2017
- 5,814
- 2,469
Just to give some stats to those that want to bash a Matthews:
Ovi in his first 2 seasons in the NHL led a team to miss playoffs all together.
Ovi in the next 10 seasons. Missed playoffs 1 time. Lost in first round 4 times. Lost in second round 5 times.
So in his first 12 seasons, the greatest goal scorer of all time missed the playoffs 3 times, lost in first round 4 times, and lost in second round 5 times.
Then came the cup.
Damn Matthews has played in only 9. His team has never missed the playoffs. Gotten to second round 2 times. And out in first round the other 7. 4 of the 7 in a 7th game.
But yet lets trade our "rocket winner" . Lol
Ovi in his first 2 seasons in the NHL led a team to miss playoffs all together.
Ovi in the next 10 seasons. Missed playoffs 1 time. Lost in first round 4 times. Lost in second round 5 times.
So in his first 12 seasons, the greatest goal scorer of all time missed the playoffs 3 times, lost in first round 4 times, and lost in second round 5 times.
Then came the cup.
Damn Matthews has played in only 9. His team has never missed the playoffs. Gotten to second round 2 times. And out in first round the other 7. 4 of the 7 in a 7th game.
But yet lets trade our "rocket winner" . Lol
Says nothing about how Ovi or Matthews performed in those games.
They lost to Crosby and Malkin. We lost to CBJ and MTL. I'm not saying trade Matthews, I'm saying the comparison to Ovi is nonsense.
It is straight bullshit to compare Marner or Matthews to Ovi. If M&M played as well as Ovi did in those losses to the Penguins(a straight better team) than no one would have a problem running it back.
BlueForever75
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2017
- 5,814
- 2,469
Lol. Colossial Penguins, here we go!!!!
And what are the Bruins, Lightening and Panthers the past 9 years? Any one of those teams have been in the finals 7 of the 9 Auston Matthews years. Not to mention, the toughest division to get to the conference finals the past 9 years runs through the Atlantic division.
As you have seen the past 3 years especially.....the playoff format is flawed. Toronto and Florida should have been your conference finals this year. Not Carolina playing garbage teams to get there. Washington included.
Do not throw Penguins as the reason why Ovi got no where. Cause as every Leaf fan knows. Us having to play Boston, Florida or Tampa is what caused us to get no where because NHL playoff format is flawed.
And just because Ovi scores does the end result matter??? They still couldnt get it done.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 80,107
- 68,070
I don’t think I would go so far as to trade him but I do have major issues with the way he’s managed his health and decline in play and lack of big game ability. And if people are saying he doesn’t work as hard as McDavid and Mackinnon add that to the list.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 80,107
- 68,070
Blaming Toronto’s failures on the division isn’t the best approach. Rewind to 2017, the first year the Leafs had this core, Toronto and Boston were the only teams to make the playoffs out of Toronto, Boston, Tampa and Florida. Tampa flamed out that year but point stands the Leafs were supposed to be the class of the Atlantic.
What about CBJ and MTL?????? We lost to LAST YEARS BRUINS. Literally who was their #1C? No Tampa in 2023 was not a Finals team lol.
Yes, that's true. Still we almost choked to Ottawa.
???? The Penguins are a legit dynasty with 4 Stanley cup appearances and 3 wins. They probably win 2 more without Crosby's injuries.
Uh what????????? Our playoff chokers is what caused us to get no where. The playoff format doesn't help obviously, but we've lost to CBJ and MTL lol.
Being completely results oriented is also stupid, it's a process. Actually yes, Matthews scores and Marner scores and we lose, it's a lot easier to keep going. That's the process part you look at and say it's worth gambling it's fixable. No goals and lose = hopeless. Goals and lose = maybe you can fix it.
Tak7
Registered User
I've got 0% interest in trading Matthews. If we do it should be after this upcoming season where he rebuilds his value.
I still believe the problem is not just on the ice, but off the ice, and "in the room". It may be subtle, but what Matthews shows publicly is concerning: he is as robotic as Tavares, he rarely ever talks to players on the bench, ROR referred to him as "one of two players on the Leafs who will never win the Stanley Cup", there is that history of an uncomfortable faux pas with female security guards, he is reticent, a terrible choice for captain. The captain does not have to be the "best player", just the player who puts out the most consistently. I think the Matthews - Marner axis is the problem on this team. They are great players, but they present themselves as above the rest.
Comments here seem not to see that if you trade Matthews and let Marner go, you get up to 4 for 2, and 4 good players, spread down the line up, which is exactly what we need. This idea that we get nothing if Marner leaves doesn't seem to see an extra 11 million to spend. Look at the Oilers depth at forward compared to the Leafs. Look at the scoring distribution.
This team will not win with Matthews as the main star. I hope I'm wrong.
Comments here seem not to see that if you trade Matthews and let Marner go, you get up to 4 for 2, and 4 good players, spread down the line up, which is exactly what we need. This idea that we get nothing if Marner leaves doesn't seem to see an extra 11 million to spend. Look at the Oilers depth at forward compared to the Leafs. Look at the scoring distribution.
This team will not win with Matthews as the main star. I hope I'm wrong.
Matthews in 21-22: Hart Trophy
Matthews in 22-23: 'Only' scores 40 goals, Sens fans take Stutzle and cap space LOL
Matthews in 23-24: 69 goals, phenom
Matthews in 24-25: Only 33 goals, in what is clearly a season where he wasn't healthy... but he adapts his game to offer the team the value he can
Say what you want about the injuries, it's all fair. He's had trouble staying healthy. But to shit on him given the season he's had this year is a head-scratcher. I'm guessing he'll come back strong next year.
Matthews in 22-23: 'Only' scores 40 goals, Sens fans take Stutzle and cap space LOL
Matthews in 23-24: 69 goals, phenom
Matthews in 24-25: Only 33 goals, in what is clearly a season where he wasn't healthy... but he adapts his game to offer the team the value he can
Say what you want about the injuries, it's all fair. He's had trouble staying healthy. But to shit on him given the season he's had this year is a head-scratcher. I'm guessing he'll come back strong next year.
People discussing a Matthews trade like we won't get a massive, massive package for this guy.
Notice his health? Worry about his decline at all? There's some real possible upside to selling now before his value falls off a cliff.
Obviously, he's likely to bounce back and score 50g next year and a few more times, I don't think he's actually going to fall apart entirely, but we have to consider that the best days of a 27 year old (28 when next season starts) player are behind him.
It really all comes down to the question of how much this team actually needs to change. Letting go of Marner and Tavares is a big start on the culture change, but if you want to change the DNA, that involves Matthews. This has been his team since the moment he hung four on the Sens.
Burn another year of his prime, of his contract and trade value on the hopes that he can do it with just Nylander, Knies, and what we scrounge from the UFA pool? We went "all in" this year and have no draft picks, there's no reinforcements coming at the deadline. OR cut bait and get the biggest package possible of talented young players that can reinvigorate this team.
Notice his health? Worry about his decline at all? There's some real possible upside to selling now before his value falls off a cliff.
Obviously, he's likely to bounce back and score 50g next year and a few more times, I don't think he's actually going to fall apart entirely, but we have to consider that the best days of a 27 year old (28 when next season starts) player are behind him.
It really all comes down to the question of how much this team actually needs to change. Letting go of Marner and Tavares is a big start on the culture change, but if you want to change the DNA, that involves Matthews. This has been his team since the moment he hung four on the Sens.
Burn another year of his prime, of his contract and trade value on the hopes that he can do it with just Nylander, Knies, and what we scrounge from the UFA pool? We went "all in" this year and have no draft picks, there's no reinforcements coming at the deadline. OR cut bait and get the biggest package possible of talented young players that can reinvigorate this team.
- Dec 12, 2017
- 23,520
- 13,440
