Tribute Auston Matthews Discussion Thread II: Record Breaking Edition

[ACC1224]

If you just focus on what he brought to the table last night, we’d be packing our bags today. In the only game that mattered, he once again underperformed. He was probably our fourth best center last night, in a game we are fighting for our lives. Amazing.

yeah he needs to be better, everyone can see that.
I guess bright side is they are still in it even with his sub par performance.

 

[fahad203]

If Auston Matthews ever wanted to be the top 3 player in the league, it's really a matter of choice, not capability

Dude needs to step up. Not have decent shift, not have a decent game. But really step up
Grab the bull and run with it

 

[DarkKnight]

yeah he needs to be better, everyone can see that.
I guess bright side is they are still in it even with his sub par performance.

Exactly, he can win a game himself, let’s hope we see it, like found money now.

 

[Sypher04]

If you just focus on what he brought to the table last night, we’d be packing our bags today. In the only game that mattered, he once again underperformed. He was probably our fourth best center last night, in a game we are fighting for our lives. Amazing.

He needs to be better, production wise, but I don’t agree with your overall assessment; over the top imo. Matthews played ok but he was still clearly better than both Tavares and Kampf, and he was probably better than O’Reilly too, who didn’t really do anything especially noteworthy. People will point to RORs two way play, but Matthews has been excellent two way himself, it’s the production - most notably goal scoring - that we need to see come back this round. You’re just left wanting more because we know what he can do, but he has been good in most areas but goalscoring

 

[ACC1224]

He needs to be better, production wise, but I don’t agree with your overall assessment; over the top imo. Matthews played ok but he was still clearly better than both Tavares and Kampf, and he was probably better than O’Reilly too, who didn’t really do anything especially noteworthy. People will point to RORs two way play, but Matthews has been excellent two way himself, it’s the production - most notably goal scoring - that we need to see come back this round. You’re just left wanting more because we know what he can do, but he has been good in most areas but goalscoring

IMO, good isn't good enough.

 

[DarkKnight]

He needs to be better, production wise, but I don’t agree with your overall assessment; over the top imo. Matthews played ok but he was still clearly better than both Tavares and Kampf, and he was probably better than O’Reilly too, who didn’t really do anything especially noteworthy. People will point to RORs two way play, but Matthews has been excellent two way himself, it’s the production - most notably goal scoring - that we need to see come back this round. You’re just left wanting more because we know what he can do, but he has been good in most areas but goalscoring

So he played “ok” by your assessment and you feel that is good enough for a “do or die” game. Sort of proves my point, ok is packed bags. And no he wasnt better than Kampf or JT at all? He was fine defensively for the most part, but I never saw any urgency in his game, which is remarkable given the stage.

 

[Sypher04]

So he played “ok” by your assessment and you feel that is good enough for a “do or die” game. Sort of proves my point, ok is packed bags. And no he wasnt better than Kampf or JT at all? He was fine defensively for the most part, but I never saw any urgency in his game, which is remarkable given the stage.

I never said that ok is good enough. I very clearly said we are left wanting more and that we need his scoring to come back.

And he most definitely was better than both those 2, but we can agree to disagree there

 

[notdoneyet]

I love it when posters say matthews is a generational goal scorer and deserves his high price tag probably around 14 m on his next contract and they are satisfied with him being good defensively in a pivotal game. Then they try to give excuses by saying marner is the problem. Matthews doesnt have that leadership win att all cost attitude

I hope he shows up next game along with tavares. Nylander and marner showed up last game

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It's nice that even in his bad games he's the equivalent of a 3rd line defensive specialist and can contribute in other ways. But he just can't have four bad (by his standards) games in a row in the playoffs. Whether it's because of injury or something else, he has to overcome it and contribute offensively. Hopefully he can find his game and contribute like he did against Tampa, he can still potentially turn this series around

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I still don't think he's 100%, whether it's his wrist or his back he's just not skating or shooting like he was last year. It's not like he's over the hill, guy hasn't hit his prime yet.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

To be completely honest, he is the one player who can win this series himself. I dont trust marner at all in playoffs. He has scored 3 goals all playoffs and like 7 goals total on career playoffs. Nylander is good but cant dominate and score 6 goals in three games. Tavares is…..tavares.

If Matthews dominates then we win

 

[Sypher04]

I love it when posters say matthews is a generational goal scorer and deserves his high price tag probably around 14 m on his next contract and they are satisfied with him being good defensively in a pivotal game. Then they try to give excuses by saying marner is the problem. Matthews doesnt have that leadership win att all cost attitude

I hope he shows up next game along with tavares. Nylander and marner showed up last game

None of them have shown to have that at this point, not uniquely on Matthews.

Also I think you’d be hard pressed to find many people at all who say they are satisfied with him just being good everywhere but the scoresheet. Everyone really acknowledges he needs to bring more.

Also, as far as last game goes the only real difference between Marner’s game and Matthews’ game is Marner’s long range shot managed to find its way through traffic and into the net. Marner was a bit better, but all the core guys have to be and can be much better than we’ve seen to this point.

 

[Menzinger]

I still don't think he's 100%, whether it's his wrist or his back he's just not skating or shooting like he was last year. It's not like he's over the hill, guy hasn't hit his prime yet.

Of the main guys he definitely has the highest probability of being injured. He looked in agony on the bench near the end of game 3.

 

[authentic]

I still don't think he's 100%, whether it's his wrist or his back he's just not skating or shooting like he was last year. It's not like he's over the hill, guy hasn't hit his prime yet.

This is easily the reason for him not showing up this series. Don't know how people can't see it considering his play against Tampa (where he obviously still wasn't 100%), got tons of chances the first 2 games then boom hurts his hand early in game 3 and looks bad again by his standards.

 

[koyvoo]

The best that can be said about him when games matter is that he’s been ok. That’s he’s gotten a bit better over past few years.

I think only the delusional would say he’s produced to his abilities. That’s he’s done as much as he’s capable of. Again, he has the talent that suggest that he should be the best player on the ice more often than not, and it hasn’t been close to that case at all.

Then they’re the hope that he would be able to find even another gear when the results mean something. Actually playing above himself when it counts. I nice thought he would do those things. I don’t think even his biggest apologists would suggest he’s done that.

If him being fine is good enough for you, cool. This only because of a belief an illusion of a first overall player turning into a saviour. If his name was anything else, if he was drafted at any other draft position, there would be very few people who would find his production in the real games acceptable. Definitely not in relation to the expectations his skillset would suggest.

 

[Stephen]

I love it when posters say matthews is a generational goal scorer and deserves his high price tag probably around 14 m on his next contract and they are satisfied with him being good defensively in a pivotal game. Then they try to give excuses by saying marner is the problem. Matthews doesnt have that leadership win att all cost attitude

I hope he shows up next game along with tavares. Nylander and marner showed up last game

I think I would prefer that he gave us something like Draisaitl level offense and just had a burning desire to stats pad every chance he had than become less offensively dominant but more defensively aware.

The league wide trend is headed towards more offense and it would be easier to matchup your big dog in that role and cover up defensively than to have a power outage offensively and not play a full throttle offensive game.

 

[DarkKnight]

Tonight’s your night 34, bet he buries a couple. Law of averages.

 

[Stephen]

Tonight’s your night 34, bet he buries a couple. Law of averages.

He’s gotta come through on home ice in a do or die situation. That’s what legends are made of. Send it back to Game 6 and be a total animal down in Florida.

 

[ULF_55]

He's an okay player.

I believe I've read he's playing well defensively.

Kind of like Kampf?

 

[BraveCanadian]

He’s gotta come through on home ice in a do or die situation. That’s what legends are made of. Send it back to Game 6 and be a total animal down in Florida.

Here is hoping. He's due. Matthews can really impose his will when he is engaged and being a bit physical.. he just does it so rarely.

 

[Aashir]

This is the game we need him to show up. He’s gotta bury at least one. I don’t care how many or how little chances you get. Bury that.

 

[m1ker]

He's a beast defensively but how do you expect him to produce offensively when you got a non shooter, non forechecker, non guy that goes to the net in marner and a bottom 6 guy in Jarnkrok on his wing. Obviously hes easy to defend against with the softest line in the NHL.

 

[sxvnert]

He's a beast defensively but how do you expect him to produce offensively when you got a non shooter, non forechecker, non guy that goes to the net in marner and a bottom 6 guy in Jarnkrok on his wing. Obviously hes easy to defend against with the softest line in the NHL.

Toss speed on both wings. Matty just needs to lob it into the zone, Kerfoot & Lafferty hunt down the dump ins.

Kerfoot Matthews Lafftery
Bunting O'Reilly Nylander
Acciari Tavares Marner
Kampf Jarnkrok

 

[JT AM da real deal]

To me it is really really simple with Matty .. continue to play solid 2way C and keep game even with barkov's line .. BUT cut out da stupid passes and soft lobs in ur own end and make smart hockey plays coming out of your end every time .. AND throw your big body around on forecheck and dominate Cats D .. when he hits people he will get into game more and he will get more room to create .. he can't do it with another gear but he can with his body .. use it hard .. and goals will occur out of nowhere

 

[Stephen]

He's an okay player.

I believe I've read he's playing well defensively.

Kind of like Kampf?

I really don’t like recent trends where Matthews is always the player who is being hunted on a center on center matchup. Whether that’s Danault or Cirelli or Barkov or whomever is thrown out against him. He’s gotta be an animal out there offensively, be the aggressor and just chew through the opposition. Being defensively reliable and blocking shots is nice buy in stuff but it’s time to dominate.