Auston Matthews Discussion Thread

[Dreakmur]

Washington has great depth. Islanders are decent. Fla is meh

Keefe would put Huberdeau-Barkov-Hornqvist on one line and play them 25 minutes a game with 3 useless lines

I guess it’s easier to balance at 5 on 5 when you know the top guys will perform on the PP.

 

[egd27]

In his defense when he claimed this JT was healthy. JT going down drastically changed the dynamics here.

But when the dynamics changed, why didn't the strategy?

 

[Stonehands1990]

Agreed, he should have been locked up before the season even if it put Nylander behind. They needed to be tiered as we all knew it was coming.

With that said, I don't understand why Nylander wasn't locked up the offseason or season prior.

Because you can’t force players to sign contracts 1 season early. Most skilled players will bet on themselves to play the season and raise their value

 

[Gallagbi]

Because you can’t force players to sign contracts 1 season early. Most skilled players will bet on themselves to play the season and raise their value

True, do you remember any rumblings or discussions about negotiations or attempts to sign him the summer prior or during the season?

 

[DarkKnight]

At the time I laughed. Now it pisses me off.
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At the time, I was like “nothing phases him”. At the end of the series, I was like “nothing phases him”.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

But when the dynamics changed, why didn't the strategy?

I'll tell you....it's called patience. That's what they preach because the numbers tell them to. It's almost comical that they think they have a team that can contend when you look at the way the other teams play in the post season. They keep pointing to tampa as the end goal of team building...yet they don't see the Patrick Maroon's etc on the team. They look at the Tyler Johnson's and get excited thinking the same will happen to us with smaller players.

 

[DarkKnight]

I'll tell you....it's called patience. That's what they preach because the numbers tell them to. It's almost comical that they think they have a team that can contend when you look at the way the other teams play in the post season. They keep pointing to tampa as the end goal of team building...yet they don't see the Patrick Maroon's etc on the team. They look at the Tyler Johnson's and get excited thinking the same will happen to us with smaller players.

The part they leave out, TB didn’t get turfed in the first round every year, 2015 lost in Finals, 2016 lost Conf Finals, 2018 lost Conf Finals. There is no analogy to our situation, it’s a bastardized security blanket for people who can’t accept realities. The Leafs have NO peer, not TB, not Washington, not Detroit, not even as an SJ or Canucks. We stand alone in our ineptitude.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Keefe strikes me as an ineffective tinkerer who has also created a pyramid hierarchy at the top with a Big 2 in Marner and Matthews and kind of demoted Tavares and Nylander to a Medium 4 with Rielly and maybe Hyman.

It doesn’t feel like the most equitable dressing room from a distance since you have 2 guys feasting on ice time and special teams and running away with stats, the second line being asked to be more defensive and then a grab bag of veteran allies who love the boys and a bunch of interchangeable guys.

Keefe kind of comes across as a bit of a substitute teacher in this whole thing and feels like he’s in over his head as a National League coach.

He is in a tough spot I think.. rook coach .. with a GM who is clearly dictating lineup .. but agree you have to man up and make changes as necessary when things are going sideways .. but habs had a roof coach too

 

[Gallagbi]

But when the dynamics changed, why didn't the strategy?

Because our strategy led to carrying the play and chances?

 

[egd27]

Because our strategy led to carrying the play and chances?

So you don't think more "chances" could have been realized by getting M&M away from Danault more often line matching?

 

[Gallagbi]

So you don't think more "chances" could have been realized by getting M&M away from Danault more often line matching?

Possibly, but I saw them away from that line after icings and in offensive zone situations. The idea that the matchup was never broken is flawed.

 

[notbias]

So you don't think more "chances" could have been realized by getting M&M away from Danault more often line matching?

Go look at the chances.. how many more do you want? They outplayed Danault's line, Price just outplayed them. The problem was finishing, not getting the chances, this narrative that Danault shut them down is false.

 

[egd27]

Go look at the chances.. how many more do you want? They outplayed Danault's line, Price just outplayed them. The problem was finishing, not getting the chances, this narrative that Danault shut them down is false.

As many as it takes to win the game. How many do you want?

 

[notbias]

As many as it takes to win the game. How many do you want?

You're implying that Keefe should have moved Matthews' line away from Danault's like he was shutting them down, he wasn't, that line is still top 10 in chances for the entire playoffs.

Your opinion is not based on reality. Price shut down the Matthews' line, what adjustment was Keefe supposed to make to fix that?

 

[Stonehands1990]

True, do you remember any rumblings or discussions about negotiations or attempts to sign him the summer prior or during the season?

That’s irrelevant because media personalities are just talking heads who make educated guesses to get social media traffic. Nobody in a position of influence actually relays information to these guys

 

[Stonehands1990]

They have more good players. They aren’t rolling with 4-5 useless forwards like Toronto did this year.

They actually don’t they just have coaches who can coach. We have 5 guys we can spread around also. Mikeyhev potentially the 6th, give the kid some linemates that benefit his puck retrieval strengths

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

At the time I laughed. Now it pisses me off.
View attachment 451661

The opponent got the last last, as they typically do against Matty in the playoffs.

 

[Racer88]

Go look at the chances.. how many more do you want? They outplayed Danault's line, Price just outplayed them. The problem was finishing, not getting the chances, this narrative that Danault shut them down is false.

Sure would have been nice if some of those chances had went in the net

 

[egd27]

You're implying that Keefe should have moved Matthews' line away from Danault's like he was shutting them down, he wasn't, that line is still top 10 in chances for the entire playoffs.

Your opinion is not based on reality. Price shut down the Matthews' line, what adjustment was Keefe supposed to make to fix that?

Ah yes, the "goalied" excuse. An oldie but a goodie.

M&M scored 1 goal in 7 games this playoff and 1 5on5 goal in 5 games last post season. They have simply not been successful together in 12 post season games now.

But it's just bad luck so let's not change anything.

You know that saying people like to use about doing the same things and expecting different results being insanity? I disagree, I think it's stupidity.

 

[Stonehands1990]

I'll tell you....it's called patience. That's what they preach because the numbers tell them to. It's almost comical that they think they have a team that can contend when you look at the way the other teams play in the post season. They keep pointing to tampa as the end goal of team building...yet they don't see the Patrick Maroon's etc on the team. They look at the Tyler Johnson's and get excited thinking the same will happen to us with smaller players.

Maroon, Coleman, Goodrow, Cernak, McD, Hedman, Killorn, Palat. Tampa is a pain the ass to play against

 

[Dreakmur]

They actually don’t they just have coaches who can coach. We have 5 guys we can spread around also. Mikeyhev potentially the 6th, give the kid some linemates that benefit his puck retrieval strengths

I don’t see Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Pierre Engvall, and Adam Brooks on those rosters…

 

[ToneDog]

Maroon, Coleman, Goodrow, Cernak, McD, Hedman, Killorn, Palat. Tampa is a pain the ass to play against

Engval, Soup, Kefoot, Nylander, Marner, Spezza, Brodie, Rielly, Sandin, Holl, Galchenyuk. The Leafs were not unless players chase Nylander around the perimeter of the ice.

 

[ToneDog]

Ah yes, the "goalied" excuse. An oldie but a goodie.

M&M scored 1 goal in 7 games this playoff and 1 5on5 goal in 5 games last post season. They have simply not been successful together in 12 post season games now.

But it's just bad luck so let's not change anything.

You know that saying people like to use about doing the same things and expecting different results being insanity? I disagree, I think it's stupidity.

I was told, by you can guess who, that the Leafs cannot be shutdown. Only a goalie going into goalie mode can stop Matty and company. Unfortunately that is most goalies in the playoffs.

 

[Stonehands1990]

I don’t see Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Pierre Engvall, and Adam Brooks on those rosters…

I only listed the top 9 on those rosters….

 

[Dreakmur]

I only listed the top 9 on those rosters….

Yes, I know.