Auston Matthews Discussion Thread

[Stephen]

Matthews is a star player who had a good series but wasn't a star, which happens all of the time to star players every year. He still did lots of good things and was overall a net positive. Marner is a completely different story, as he was absolutely terrible in many key aspects of the game and was overall a net negative. From a star player and leader, that never happens and is completely unacceptable

Guys like Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Kopitar, Kane and Stamkos have all pulled a disappearing act here and there. Sometimes a teammate picks up the slack and carries them to a series victory and they can live to fight another day and sometimes it’s an early summer. I’d say Matthews dropped off at the worst possible time and it’s bad and not really excusable but it’s more in the work in progress category.

Marner just looked physically, athletically, emotionally overwhelmed as the series went on and didn’t impact anything other than the PK which is low hanging fruit. If you looked at Marner and Caufield and said one was an $11 million underachiever and the other was a 19 year old NCAA call up, you’d probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. That’s not a work in progress. That’s a worrying sign.

 

[DarkKnight]

One gets double teamed because no one has to cover the other.

Double teamed, man that’s a hoot. He’s still good on the screen and roll though eh?

 

[DarkKnight]

Guys like Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Kopitar, Kane and Stamkos have all pulled a disappearing act here and there. Sometimes a teammate picks up the slack and carries them to a series victory and they can live to fight another day and sometimes it’s an early summer. I’d say Matthews dropped off at the worst possible time and it’s bad and not really excusable but it’s more in the work in progress category.

Marner just looked physically, athletically, emotionally overwhelmed as the series went on and didn’t impact anything other than the PK which is low hanging fruit. If you looked at Marner and Caufield and said one was an $11 million underachiever and the other was a 19 year old NCAA call up, you’d probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. That’s not a work in progress. That’s a worrying sign.

That makes it worse in some ways, perhaps Marner isn’t strong enough physically and can’t succeed. What’s the huge guy’s excuse? He isn’t strong between the ears and I see nothing that resembles a young Yzerman so far.

 

[egd27]

How anyone can come out so listless and flat in the game of his life is unreal. The last three games he literally was waiting for the game to come to him. No champion thinks that way, they grab the game. I think things have come too easy for Matthews, perhaps he lacks the royal jelly. Returns aren’t good so far, people can say he was good before, all I know he’s the big dog on a team that can’t win a round.

Well he was reportedly going to wear the C but his immaturity and poor decision making cost him that as well.
I'm firmly of the belief that he's off to somewhere in the southwest US as soon as he's able.
Climate, money, much less pressure.....seems like those could very well be his priorities.

 

[DarkKnight]

Well he was reportedly going to wear the C but his immaturity and poor decision making cost him that as well.
I'm firmly of the belief that he's off to somewhere in the southwest US as soon as he's able.
Climate, money, much less pressure.....seems like those could very well be his priorities.

It all remains to be seen, he isn’t going anywhere. He can still find it, but it’s a bad look at the moment.

 

[Gabriel426]

Well he was reportedly going to wear the C but his immaturity and poor decision making cost him that as well.
I'm firmly of the belief that he's off to somewhere in the southwest US as soon as he's able.
Climate, money, much less pressure.....seems like those could very well be his priorities.

I think he wants to win. This guy played with an injured wrist, trains with McDavid in the off season bc he wants to win.

 

[egd27]

I think he wants to win. This guy played with an injured wrist, trains with McDavid in the off season bc he wants to win.

Everybody wants to win. Not everyone is willing to sacrifice to win.

When JT went down, I posted that this was AM's chance to prove that it was really his team even though John wore the C. It looked like he was going to at first, but then I guess it just got too hard.

 

[ACC1224]

Everybody wants to win. Not everyone is willing to sacrifice to win.

When JT went down, I posted that this was AM's chance to prove that it was really his team even though John wore the C. It looked like he was going to at first, but then I guess it just got too hard.

I can’t believe one of the vets didn’t pull him aside after one of his laughing incidents and explain to him that it wouldn’t hurt to return a face wash once in a while. He’s a big dude, put a dudes head against the glass. You don’t need to fight, just don’t be a p***y.

 

[Gabriel426]

Everybody wants to win. Not everyone is willing to sacrifice to win.

When JT went down, I posted that this was AM's chance to prove that it was really his team even though John wore the C. It looked like he was going to at first, but then I guess it just got too hard.

Cant disagree with that. I was expecting him to take over the series even before JT went down.

 

[Gabriel426]

I can’t believe one of the vets didn’t pull him aside after one of his laughing incidents and explain to him that it wouldn’t hurt to return a face wash once in a while. He’s a big dude, put a dudes head against the glass. You don’t need to fight, just don’t be a p***y.

I know what you mean.
It is like in Braveheart where Wallace tells Robert to just stand there in battle field and others will follow bc you are their King. Leafs needs a Wallace to inspire AM or AM will just become Prince Edward with his chief advisor Philip(Marner).

 

[egd27]

I can’t believe one of the vets didn’t pull him aside after one of his laughing incidents and explain to him that it wouldn’t hurt to return a face wash once in a while. He’s a big dude, put a dudes head against the glass. You don’t need to fight, just don’t be a p***y.

You're right. At the time I thought it was funny, but in hindsight, it certainly made it apparent the Habs didn't have to worry about taking liberties.

 

[Stephen]

That makes it worse in some ways, perhaps Marner isn’t strong enough physically and can’t succeed. What’s the huge guy’s excuse? He isn’t strong between the ears and I see nothing that resembles a young Yzerman so far.

I don’t want to give Matthews a pass here. But on the Yzerman timeline, Stevie Y was drafted in 1983. 5 years out from that it was still 1988. So if this Leafs team is on track for that time table, we still have 9 years of playoff misery before winning that first cup.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Matthews shouldn't be untouchable, but he's definitely harder to replace and more untouchable than Marner.

Yeah, it's not unreasonable to think that Arizona might give us better value than Matthews does over the next three seasons.

 

[DarkKnight]

I don’t want to give Matthews a pass here. But on the Yzerman timeline, Stevie Y was drafted in 1983. 5 years out from that it was still 1988. So if this Leafs team is on track for that time table, we still have 9 years of playoff misery before winning that first cup.

I used Yzerman because he failed early on but he still had the heart of lion. I’ve yet to see that from our young leader. You’re right though early days, plenty of time to change the narratives, suppose for Mitch too.

 

[Stephen]

I used Yzerman because he failed early on but he still had the heart of lion. I’ve yet to see that from our young leader. You’re right though early days, plenty of time to change the narratives, suppose for Mitch too.

I remember Detroit was so fed up with losing to teams like Toronto and San Jose in the first round that they were ready to move Yzerman to Ottawa as late as 1995 for Alexei Yashin. That would have put Stevie Y at about 30. We obviously don’t want to be waiting that long. But if Matthews can bottle up Game 2 and bring that every year at least we have a recent benchmark for what he needs to do. Scanning around the past few seasons and there’s not a lot of games where Marner was the best player on the ice as he himself describes his benchmark as.

 

[egd27]

So if this Leafs team is on track for that time table, we still have 9 years of playoff misery before winning that first cup.

Only have 3 more years before AM heads to the SouthWest and Willy heads for a big US market like NYR or BOS

 

[Scott r]

Marner has 25 career playoff points in 32 games.

Matthews has 24 career playoff points in 32 games.

Let's not pretend one is untouchable.

Get this...I was..a huge ny rangers fan...and we battled islanders 80 to 84. Stats tell a chapter 1. 2. 3. In a 10 chapter book. Marner and matthews awful...never had a feeling they would score...marner should just pass puck always....

 

[Scott r]

I remember Detroit was so fed up with losing to teams like Toronto and San Jose in the first round that they were ready to move Yzerman to Ottawa as late as 1995 for Alexei Yashin. That would have put Stevie Y at about 30. We obviously don’t want to be waiting that long. But if Matthews can bottle up Game 2 and bring that every year at least we have a recent benchmark for what he needs to do. Scanning around the past few seasons and there’s not a lot of games where Marner was the best player on the ice as he himself describes his benchmark as.

Matthews is 99.8 percent chance going nowhere. Hes a huge ticket item..young..it would be a bad decision on so many levels...

 

[Scott r]

Only have 3 more years before AM heads to the SouthWest and Willy heads for a big US market like NYR or BOS

Right...ill have a hot girlfriend in 3 years .um..I won't even have a girlfriend...stop making up stuff and worry about now

 

[Scott r]

How anyone can come out so listless and flat in the game of his life is unreal. The last three games he literally was waiting for the game to come to him. No champion thinks that way, they grab the game. I think things have come too easy for Matthews, perhaps he lacks the royal jelly. Returns aren’t good so far, people can say he was good before, all I know he’s the big dog on a team that can’t win a round.

I have seen the signs of his very avg play away from puck. Matthews is kike a hot looking.girl with nothing else...as long as she's hot..we r good..as long as he scores people go blind. He.never gave impression he's a star and his post interview game 7 looked like a lost soul. YouTube this..bossy scores in air vs Vancouver 82 finals...thats a winner.

 

[Gabriel426]

I don’t want to give Matthews a pass here. But on the Yzerman timeline, Stevie Y was drafted in 1983. 5 years out from that it was still 1988. So if this Leafs team is on track for that time table, we still have 9 years of playoff misery before winning that first cup.

Or we speed up by getting 5 Russians that can play as a 5 men Unit

 

[Gabriel426]

Right...ill have a hot girlfriend in 3 years .um..I won't even have a girlfriend...stop making up stuff and worry about now

I think I will a billion dollars in 3 years. Should start spending all my money, lol

 

[member 298589]

I really wonder about the people suggesting we trade Matthews. Whether they watched the series or have any hockey knowledge at all.

 

[meefer]

You're right. At the time I thought it was funny, but in hindsight, it certainly made it apparent the Habs didn't have to worry about taking liberties.

I came here to say the exact same thing. It worries me.

 

[Superstar]

Or we speed up by getting 5 Russians that can play as a 5 men Unit

We already have Mikheyev, so we only need 4 more...and Dubas shouldn't have traded Barabanov...dang it!