Auston Matthews Discussion Thread

[2 Slick]

Matthews didn't have a great series. However, he has performed well in other series in the past. In the last series against Boston, he was one of the few players that showed up. Marner and Tavares were invisible the entire series. People remember every detail. Marner has been shit in the post-season virtually his entire career.

I think he brought Matthews down to his level. Keefe didn't adjust like any other common sense coach would and did not split them up. That's bad coaching, but Marner was also the driving force of why that line was so horrible.

Matthews wasn't great, but Marner was bad on epic levels beyond comprehension.

Game six, Marner has NO other player near him, tosses the puck over the net, back-breaking goal against.

Game seven Marner dangles at the offensive blue-line, gives up the puck and it's in the back of their net.

Game one Marner flings the puck over the glass several times in ONE single game.

Marner gets the shit most because he DESERVES it most.

 

[Sypher04]

Toronto isn’t good enough to win playoff rounds. Granted this year they should have won but Keefe didn’t do a great job and why was that PP bad for MONTHS without improving? It’s their most lethal weapon and they didn’t do a good enough job to address it. We could blame it on Tavares and Muzzin missing out but honestly the team isn’t a playoff powerhouse. Series was always a 50/50 imo.

I could not disagree more.
You are letting them off the hook way too easily. The Leaf were and should have been heavy favorites to win this series and they crumbled under the pressure of the moment.

The Leafs gave this series away

 

[janesy12]

I bet Matthews was playing hurt again as he hardly ever won any f/o, so if that's the case I would cut him some slack.

He was better than Marner...but Stamkos had a sports hernia limited him to just under 3 minutes of ice time in the entire playoffs.

Still scored as much as Matthews/Marner combined.

 

[ITM]

Connor McDavid was a disappointment this year and Alex Ovechkin once scored one goal and one assist in a seven game playoffs stretch.

Auston Matthews, like Jack Campbell and William Nylander, isn't THE problem with the club. They're part of the solution.

We lack in leadership from the back end and a true number one defenceman. Obviously, we're lacking in playoffs experience. The irony. And we're lacking - again - in chemistry in which pieces like Foligno have a season to affect the club wholesale. Thornton and Simmonds have contributed in spots, but Foligno and players like him would change the room.

We should give Spezza a letter for what it's worth.

This thread isn't necessary.

 

[DarkKnight]

Lol at those shitting on Marner while minimizing 34. He was awful!! They can both stink and they both DID.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Always good to know who reverts into toxicity and dudebro-ness immediately when critiquing a player. Pretty big tell about the type of person they are.

 

[koyvoo]

No, instead I’ll watch my superstar put in five years of postseasons well below his standards and abilities and pretend that if he wasn’t on my team I wouldn’t be chewing him out.

 

[hamzarocks]

People love Matthews simply due to him winning the Richard. As long as he's winning or close to winning that award, his super homer fans will continue to pretend he's a better player than he actually is.

Matthews made several terrible passes this series. He has such poor vision it is painful to watch sometimes. Matthews hasn't been an elite 1C that people try and make him out to be. If we continue to fall and Matthews ends up walking those fans will be walking with him. They're Matthews fans not leaf fans

I like you absolutely loved Marner, was my 2nd favorite player on the team even after the contract stuff. However, he is dead to me at this point and Matthews himself should be on the hot seat with how terrible his play was and always is come an elimination game

 

[DarkKnight]

People love Matthews simply due to him winning the Richard. As long as he's winning or close to winning that award, his super homer fans will continue to pretend he's a better player than he actually is.

Matthews made several terrible passes this series. He has such poor vision it is painful to watch sometimes. Matthews hasn't been an elite 1C that people try and make him out to be. If we continue to fall and Matthews ends up walking those fans will be walking with him. They're Matthews fans not leaf fans

I like you absolutely loved Marner, was my 2nd favorite player on the team even after the contract stuff. However, he is dead to me at this point and Matthews himself should be on the hot seat with how terrible his play was and always is come an elimination game

Yep, I’d at least consider trading Mitch as I sit here today, see what the options are. That said, Big Papi was so disengaged, so non chalant, I seriously question if this guy has another gear, the inner fire to win anything. His performance was disgraceful.

 

[Havoc]

Connor McDavid was a disappointment this year and Alex Ovechkin once scored one goal and one assist in a seven game playoffs stretch.

Auston Matthews, like Jack Campbell and William Nylander, isn't THE problem with the club. They're part of the solution.

We lack in leadership from the back end and a true number one defenceman. Obviously, we're lacking in playoffs experience. The irony. And we're lacking - again - in chemistry in which pieces like Foligno have a season to affect the club wholesale. Thornton and Simmonds have contributed in spots, but Foligno and players like him would change the room.

We should give Spezza a letter for what it's worth.

This thread isn't necessary.

Not sure how Campbell gets a free pass as a solution on this board.

The rational path is wait and see how he performs in real league settings before giving him keys to the team or a lengthy extension.

We haven't even seen him in a game where Leafs are matched in skill. The few games Jets were able to withstand our regular season dominance, he got lit up like Swiss Cheese by Kyle Connor on every clean look. That's more indicative of what he will be seeing next season.

If he performs well back in the Atlantic then I will give him the A+ grade. Until then he's just a career backup in a light division. There wasn't much challenges for him to face. Even Jean Sebastian Aubin faced harder competition when he went on a tear for us but we never thought twice of saying he's the goalie of our future.

It baffles me the free pass Campbell is getting because he racked up some wins in easy games. Second seed got swept. 4th seed isn't even a real playoff team (which makes this loss even more depressing) and the third seed was one of the worst teams in the league to close out the season. Flames, Canucks...I mean, how are people so confident about this guy?

Leafs have to be 100% on the lookout for goaltending this off season. Banking on Campbell would be ridiculous. Right now you can pencil him in as a 1B/elite backup, but he's not integral to our future success if we can find a legit no.1

 

[hamzarocks]

Yep, I’d at least consider trading Mitch as I sit here today, see what the options are. That said, Big Papi was so disengaged, so non chalant, I seriously question if this guy has another gear, the inner fire to win anything. His performance was disgraceful.

The more I think about the fact that we actually lost to Montreal with their best forwards being Danult, Suzuki, Gallagher and Toffoli while ours are Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Hyman (JT injured) it just seems like someone is f***ing with me and I have to be high.

I had zero worries in game 5 and game 6. I thought for sure we were winning but as soon as they lost those two I knew the leafs were begging to be win back their title as the Joke of the NHL once again.

Matthews, Marner if they're on the team (Matthews 100% will be, Marner not sure), I seriously don't want to see them smiling in the regular season and enjoying themselves. It's time to go stoic, bland, boring, and just be preparing mentally for the playoffs. Build good habits and stop cheating for points/goals/awards and rather develop the intensity and ability to close out/start on time which might allow for us to avoid a 6th first-round exit.

The mood around the team as a whole has to be serious, pissed off, and fully focused on redemption. No more goofy skits and videos, no more documenting the importance of music in practice, just focus on redemption

 

[Stonehands1990]

Matthews didn't have a great series. However, he has performed well in other series in the past. In the last series against Boston, he was one of the few players that showed up. Marner and Tavares were invisible the entire series. People remember every detail. Marner has been shit in the post-season virtually his entire career.

I think he brought Matthews down to his level. Keefe didn't adjust like any other common sense coach would and did not split them up. That's bad coaching, but Marner was also the driving force of why that line was so horrible.

Matthews wasn't great, but Marner was bad on epic levels beyond comprehension.

Game six, Marner has NO other player near him, tosses the puck over the net, back-breaking goal against.

Game seven Marner dangles at the offensive blue-line, gives up the puck and it's in the back of their net.

Game one Marner flings the puck over the glass several times in ONE single game.

Marner gets the shit most because he DESERVES it most.

Although I agree he was terrible horrible coaching decisions didn’t help him

 

[ITM]

Not sure how Campbell gets a free pass as a solution on this board.

The rational path is wait and see how he performs in real league settings before giving him keys to the team or a lengthy extension.

We haven't even seen him in a game where Leafs are matched in skill. The few games Jets were able to withstand our regular season dominance, he got lit up like Swiss Cheese by Kyle Connor on every clean look. That's more indicative of what he will be seeing next season.

If he performs well back in the Atlantic then I will give him the A+ grade. Until then he's just a career backup in a light division. There wasn't much challenges for him to face. Even Jean Sebastian Aubin faced harder competition when he went on a tear for us but we never thought twice of saying he's the goalie of our future.

It baffles me the free pass Campbell is getting because he racked up some wins in easy games. Second seed got swept. 4th seed isn't even a real playoff team (which makes this loss even more depressing) and the third seed was one of the worst teams in the league to close out the season. Flames, Canucks...I mean, how are people so confident about this guy?

Leafs have to be 100% on the lookout for goaltending this off season. Banking on Campbell would be ridiculous. Right now you can pencil him in as a 1B/elite backup, but he's not integral to our future success if we can find a legit no.1

I think your concerns are legitimate but a bit imprecise.

It's Campbell's numbers as a Maple Leaf that get the pass and pass because the numbers don't provide an alternative conclusion. Sure, let's be on the look, at every position, for better depth options and better options outright where they can be had at prices we should pay. But, dismiss what Campbell's done as being illegitimate?

If he's a 1B and elite backup, then he's a very valuable piece. We know he's at least that given his numbers however slanted you believe them to be, when they're included under a statement like, "NHL Record", that's a comfortable qualifier I'm ok giving an extended look, aren't you?

So...I'm not sure what possible gripe there is in being comfortable with the type of goaltending Campbell provided. Until he disproves his play as a Maple Leaf, I think you err on the side of praise rather than doubt, don't you?

 

[Stephen]

The difference between Matthews and Marner is Matthews was really good and the Leafs were winning up until the start of Game 5. He had a coming out party, everyone loved seeing him lead the Leafs to victory. The back to back games were road wins in a 24 hour window where he didn’t produce but he hit, won faceoffs and was impactful. Then the radio shows started feeling good, the series felt like a lay up and the wheels completely fell off.

 

[DarkKnight]

The difference between Matthews and Marner is Matthews was really good and the Leafs were winning up until the start of Game 5. He had a coming out party, everyone loved seeing him lead the Leafs to victory. The back to back games were road wins in a 24 hour window where he didn’t produce but he hit, won faceoffs and was impactful. Then the radio shows started feeling good, the series felt like a lay up and the wheels completely fell off.

He was passable, real good is a stretch and if we’re using that metric then Marner was fine as well. He shot 2.9 percent for the series. He scored once. Other players were largely the reason we led 3-1, coming out party? Sorry, again this reads like amplifying one guy to obscure the other.

Big Papi doesn’t need Mitch to shield his play and I note nobody can comment on him without bringing in 16, which like I said is just lame cover imho.

 

[Bigmarycombo]

Matthews fanboys on his terrible performance
It was the coach
It was playing with Mitch
It was not getting a chance to play with nylander
Insert more excuses here

The truth
He is 6 ft 3. 220 lbs and when he gets ragdolled his response is to laugh at the other player.
Try doing that to mackinnon stamkos Pasternak heck even Marchand. They will face wash you, elbow you, get their stick in your face etc. None of those guys will let you get away with that and smile.

Matthews is gutless and not willing to pay the price to get to the next echelon

Gone as a UFA as soon as his contract is up. That’s why he had it negotiated that way

 

[DarkKnight]

Matthews fanboys on his terrible performance
It was the coach
It was playing with Mitch
It was not getting a chance to play with nylander
Insert more excuses here

The truth
He is 6 ft 3. 220 lbs and when he gets ragdolled his response is to laugh at the other player.
Try doing that to mackinnon stamkos Pasternak heck even Marchand. They will face wash you, elbow you, get their stick in your face etc. None of those guys will let you get away with that and smile.

Matthews is gutless and not willing to pay the price to get to the next echelon

Gone as a UFA as soon as his contract is up. That’s why he had it negotiated that way

I think he must have been hurt

 

[Stephen]

He was passable, real good is a stretch and if we’re using that metric then Marner was fine as well. He shot 2.9 percent for the series. He scored once. Other players were largely the reason we led 3-1, coming out party? Sorry, again this reads like amplifying one guy to obscure the other.

Big Papi doesn’t need Mitch to shield his play and I note nobody can comment on him without bringing in 16, which like I said is just lame cover imho.

I just don’t think we need to think of Matthews and Marner as a packaged duo requiring the same level of criticism. Matthews wasn’t good in Game 1, and no showed for Games 5, 6 and 7. He was an absolute disappointment when measured against Nathan Mackinnon based on what he showed he can do.

Marner is a different level of awful.

 

[DarkKnight]

I just don’t think we need to think of Matthews and Marner as a packaged duo requiring the same level of criticism. Matthews wasn’t good in Game 1, and no showed for Games 5, 6 and 7. He was an absolute disappointment when measured against Nathan Mackinnon based on what he showed he can do.

Marner is a different level of awful.

I didn’t mind Marner at all the first 4 games, he was really sound defensively, a stud on the PK, generating lots of chances. And in totality, the last three games, you could easily argue Marner wasn’t the worst of the two. Look, Marner was horrid last night, I still can’t believe it. Matthews is a separate question, and he was just as disappointing in his own way, he literally didn’t want the puck, it’s disturbing.

 

[Superstar]

Matthews was a big disappointment in this series, and I didn't like his contract when he signed it...too much money for the term. The Habs gave him no space, and his wingers in Hyman and Marner are not shooters, so they don't threaten anybody with their shots. He at least played sound defense and took the body, though that's not what he's paid for. He needs a winger that's at least another shooting option on his line and Marner ain't it.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Matty, like Mitch, got paid before he earned it .. they were both from financially struggling families which is a bigger push to get paid more and faster.. best bet is always to pay for performance once people have performed so you know they can .. until then bridge deals .. paying guys off before they have proven themselves is always a mistake .. makes them feel good financially but also impacts their motivation to get next contract

 

[Stephen]

I didn’t mind Marner at all the first 4 games, he was really sound defensively, a stud on the PK, generating lots of chances. And in totality, the last three games, you could easily argue Marner wasn’t the worst of the two. Look, Marner was horrid last night, I still can’t believe it. Matthews is a separate question, and he was just as disappointing in his own way, he literally didn’t want the puck, it’s disturbing.

I think we can all assign the share of the blame however we’re feeling it. There’s no right or wrong other than the two big guns let us down.

 

[DarkKnight]

I think we can all assign the share of the blame however we’re feeling it. There’s no right or wrong other than the two big guns let us down.

Agreed!

 

[HolyCrap]

Matthews fanboys on his terrible performance
It was the coach
It was playing with Mitch
It was not getting a chance to play with nylander
Insert more excuses here

The truth
He is 6 ft 3. 220 lbs and when he gets ragdolled his response is to laugh at the other player.
Try doing that to mackinnon stamkos Pasternak heck even Marchand. They will face wash you, elbow you, get their stick in your face etc. None of those guys will let you get away with that and smile.

Matthews is gutless and not willing to pay the price to get to the next echelon

Gone as a UFA as soon as his contract is up. That’s why he had it negotiated that way

I’m a huge Mathews fan. And your completely correct. Our core (including Mathews) has no pushback or willingness to take it to another level both physically, mentally and athletically. Other than Willy, who surprised me personally we need a core that is willing to fight. I find myself saying this every damn year and here we are again. No cup winner didn’t have a core and team around them that were soft. Even the physical players we brought in forgot how to play tough the moment they wore the Leafs jersey. When I say soft I don’t just mean physically I mean in general.

 

[Scott r]

Matthews didn't have a great series. However, he has performed well in other series in the past. In the last series against Boston, he was one of the few players that showed up. Marner and Tavares were invisible the entire series. People remember every detail. Marner has been shit in the post-season virtually his entire career.

I think he brought Matthews down to his level. Keefe didn't adjust like any other common sense coach would and did not split them up. That's bad coaching, but Marner was also the driving force of why that line was so horrible.

Matthews wasn't great, but Marner was bad on epic levels beyond comprehension.

Game six, Marner has NO other player near him, tosses the puck over the net, back-breaking goal against.

Game seven Marner dangles at the offensive blue-line, gives up the puck and it's in the back of their net.

Game one Marner flings the puck over the glass several times in ONE single game.

Marner gets the shit most because he DESERVES it most.

Tavares wasn't good in series ?? Are you confusing names....he was out wasn't he ??