Auston Matthews x2 Rocket winner appreciation thread

[Glacious]

Matthews won the Rocket with a 60 goal season, but while his playoffs improved it likely cost him the Hart trophy.

Matthews was likely the favourite for the Hart entering the playoffs, so lucky voting had completed, because after watching McDavid produce 2 or more points in 6 of the 7 games and carry his team back from 3-2 down in the series to advance to the next round he likely would have recaptured the Hart trophy with that performance as league MVP. IMO

Is this a serious post? I can't quite tell if there's sarcasm here that I'm missing (apologies if so). Playoffs have nothing to do with Hart voting and it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison given the differing level of competition (Tampa and LA are completely different tiers of playoff opposition).

 

[keonsbitterness]

Matthews won the Rocket with a 60 goal season, but while his playoffs improved it likely cost him the Hart trophy.

Matthews was likely the favourite for the Hart entering the playoffs but after watching McDavid produce 2 or more points in 6 of the 7 games and carry his team back from 3-2 down in the series to advance to the next round he likely recaptured the Hart trophy with that performance as league MVP. IMO

The Hart vote (and Norris, Calder, etc) happens after the regular season and before the playoffs start. How do you not know that?

 

[Superstar]

Matthews won the Rocket with a 60 goal season, but while his playoffs improved it likely cost him the Hart trophy.

Matthews was likely the favourite for the Hart entering the playoffs but after watching McDavid produce 2 or more points in 6 of the 7 games and carry his team back from 3-2 down in the series to advance to the next round he likely recaptured the Hart trophy with that performance as league MVP. IMO

You can't be serious...voting was done before playoffs started...and I would love to play the Kings in the first round instead of Tampa Bay, heck even playing the Oilers in the first round wouldn't be so bad.

 

[Aashir]

I think it's especially sad when we allow our frustrations to take away our empathy. I'm pissed off as hell too, but there are healthier ways to show it than this. Knowing that he was emotional is actually a bit reassuring to me.

It means that he really cares, and in some way makes him more relatable. In past years I haven't always gotten that impression. I do believe that he left it all on the ice this year and that's a small sliver of positivity I can take from this.

What?

Him crying means this is not as big of an issue?

He’s not some 20 year old sophomore who’s only lost 1-2 times

He’s a 24 year old who’s choked back to back to back to back to back, Washington excluded

6 first round series, 6 times we’ve lost

And if he gave it his all, and we still lost. Sure I respect him and the team for leaving it on the ice, but that just proves these guys together aren’t good enough. So move some pieces and make the team better

Relatable or not, our boys are golfing tmrw and many ex leafs are contending for a cup

 

[keonsbitterness]

You can't be serious...voting was done before playoffs started...and I would love to play the Kings in the first round instead of Tampa Bay, heck even playing the Oilers in the first round wouldn't be so bad.

Sometimes I think Mess is a parody account.

 

[Morbo]

Poor Mess.

 

[ruaware41]

Sometimes I think Mess is a parody account.

the guy cracks me up. Hard to get a good read on him

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

I swear, its hard to get through to these people on the mains about Matthews vs McDavid. I know the fundamentals: pp time, QoC in playoffs, imaginary goals, etc. but what are some readily avaliable facts I can put in my arsenal to counter them. callinf @zeke here

 

[BlueBaron]

Well I guess he's Rocketman now.



No doubt we have a summer of how "Dra will win next year" ahead of us.

 

[Legion34]

Crazy stats. Matthews at 259 goals would be the top scorer In all drafts up to 2010.

He would be top 5 in every draft dating back to 2000 at least

I really wonder about his next contract. The Projection is that the cap will jump 1-2 years after he signs his next contract. I wonder if he wishes he just signed the full 8?

Say the cap goes

Year 1: 84.5
Year 2:85.5
Year 3: 90
Year 4: 93
Year 5: 96
Year 6: 99
Year 7: 102
Year 8: 105

In year 1 he could sign max 20% so 16.9…… by the end of that contract he would be at about 16% of the cap. Which I guess kind of makes sense?

If he really wanted to go to market he could sign for 15 million ish for 3 years. Then the max salary would be 18.6. Which would be about 12 million in potential salary

I honestly wonder if he isn’t sure. If he signs a 3 year deal to break the leaf goal records. And then. Maybe go to market at a much bigger cap.

Or they keep it down to take back escrow. It’s fascinating

 

[MikonD600]

Matthews was injured for sure. That injury late in the season spelled the end for the Leafs. But Matthews still had a very solid series.

Oh now that Matthews was a dud in the biggest game of the series all of a sudden he gets a pass for some mystery ailment? Is there any accountability to the best players on the team? This is why Leafs brass knows they can lose forever and the fans will justify it somehow.

 

[pcruz]

The only good thing about the Leafs losing in the playoffs?

I can clean up my feed by loading up on the ignore list.

It must be 15-20 people a day that get ignored....

 

[ULF_55]

Is Matthews able to score regardless of his linemates or is his success dependent on marner?

Answer can determine who is untouchable if anyone on a team who can't win a single playoff series.

 

[BlueBaron]

Crazy stats. Matthews at 259 goals would be the top scorer In all drafts up to 2010.

He would be top 5 in every draft dating back to 2000 at least

I really wonder about his next contract. The Projection is that the cap will jump 1-2 years after he signs his next contract. I wonder if he wishes he just signed the full 8?

Say the cap goes

Year 1: 84.5
Year 2:85.5
Year 3: 90
Year 4: 93
Year 5: 96
Year 6: 99
Year 7: 102
Year 8: 105

In year 1 he could sign max 20% so 16.9…… by the end of that contract he would be at about 16% of the cap. Which I guess kind of makes sense?

If he really wanted to go to market he could sign for 15 million ish for 3 years. Then the max salary would be 18.6. Which would be about 12 million in potential salary

I honestly wonder if he isn’t sure. If he signs a 3 year deal to break the leaf goal records. And then. Maybe go to market at a much bigger cap.

Or they keep it down to take back escrow. It’s fascinating

Most of the insiders have said we plan to make him the highest paid player until McD reups so we are looking at 14+. Moving cities doesn't help him if he wants to win a cup. Who can pay more and have a much better team? the answer is almost no one. He also loves being a Leaf. Don't worry about Auston, leaf that for the trolls.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

Most of the insiders have said we plan to make him the highest paid player until McD reups so we are looking at 14+. Moving cities doesn't help him if he wants to win a cup. Who can pay more and have a much better team? the answer is almost no one. He also loves being a Leaf. Don't worry about Auston, leaf that for the trolls.

We will have to trade Nylander before his contract expires (but Dubas made that stupid promise). Still he makes very few mistakes.

 

[mclaren55]

Since this is an appreciation thread,

Thanks for having one of the best seasons I’ve seen a player have for the leafs. Also thanks for playing your heart out in the playoffs. I loved seeing you crunch guys finally, knew you had it in ya!

 

[BlueBaron]

We will have to trade Nylander before his contract expires (but Dubas made that stupid promise). Still he makes very few mistakes.

Tough to say. That is a pretty specific psychic prediction so you'll understand if I have doubts.

 

[Stephen]

Most of the insiders have said we plan to make him the highest paid player until McD reups so we are looking at 14+. Moving cities doesn't help him if he wants to win a cup. Who can pay more and have a much better team? the answer is almost no one. He also loves being a Leaf. Don't worry about Auston, leaf that for the trolls.

The amount of cap space the Leafs need to find to give Matthews a record breaking cap hit is pretty small under any circumstances. The amount of cap space 31 other teams need to carve out to fit Matthews in is massive.

 

[Mess]

The amount of cap space the Leafs need to find to give Matthews a record breaking cap hit is pretty small under any circumstances. The amount of cap space 31 other teams need to carve out to fit Matthews in is massive.

Depending on their own UFA's of course.

Take LA for example Anze Kopitar age 36 in 2 years makes $10 mil AAV becomes a UFA and Matthews $11.6 when he hits UFA at age 26,

PLAYER	TEAM	AGE	POS	HANDED	GP	G	A	P	P/GP	+/-	Sh	Sh%	TOI	CLAUSE	EXPIRY	CAP HIT	SALARY
1. Auston Matthews	TOR	26	C	Left	0	0	0	0	0.00	0	0	0.00		NMC	UFA	$11,640,250	$7,975,000
2. Anze Kopitar	LAK	36	C	Left	0	0	0	0	0.00	0	0	0.00		M-NTC	UFA	$10,000,000	$7,000,000

What's to stop LA from moving on from Kopitar who might retire, and investing his cap into Matthews and bring him to Hollywood similar to how Wayne Gretzky left Edmonton for California?

If being closer to friends and family in Arizona then you only need 1 team not 31 others.

 

[Zur En Arrh]

The only good thing about the Leafs losing in the playoffs?

I can clean up my feed by loading up on the ignore list.

It must be 15-20 people a day that get ignored....

That's it? I lurk the mains and I ignore easily 50 to 100 a day. There is zero! Zero moderation on least hate. Like less than zero.

 

[Stephen]

Depending on their own UFA's of course.

Take LA for example Anze Kopitar age 36 in 2 years makes $10 mil AAV becomes a UFA and Matthews $11.6 when he hits UFA at age 26,

What's to stop LA from moving on from Kopitar who might retire, and investing his cap into Matthews and bring him to Hollywood similar to how Wayne Gretzky left Edmonton for California?

If being closer to friends and family in Arizona then you only need 1 team not 31 others.

What are the chances the LA Kings commit zero cap dollars in free agency over the next 2 years? Are they holding free cap over that time, and are they even a good team in the ice? How much of Kopitar's $10 million is conservatively spent on Byfield, Kaliyev re-signing modest RFA contracts that summer even if Kopitar retires or goes on a league minimum deal? How much do they need to pay Kempe? When was the last time a superstar free agent even picked the Kings? Screw LA.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Finished 10th in Selke voting

 

[Gabriel426]

What are the chances the LA Kings commit zero cap dollars in free agency over the next 2 years? Are they holding free cap over that time, and are they even a good team in the ice? How much of Kopitar's $10 million is conservatively spent on Byfield, Kaliyev re-signing modest RFA contracts that summer even if Kopitar retires or goes on a league minimum deal? How much do they need to pay Kempe? When was the last time a superstar free agent even picked the Kings? Screw LA.

Sometimes I wonder do Oilers fans worry that both Drai and McD will come to the Leafs since both JT and MM contract expire at the same time as Drai and a year before McD.

 

[Racer88]

The only good thing about the Leafs losing in the playoffs?

I can clean up my feed by loading up on the ignore list.

It must be 15-20 people a day that get ignored....

Pick me, pick me……..

Sometimes I wonder do Oilers fans worry that both Drai and McD will come to the Leafs since both JT and MM contract expire at the same time as Drai and a year before McD.

I would make that trade all day long

 

[hockeywiz542]

Could Nick Robertson play in the top six? Should Leafs draft a goalie? Mailbag

Answering subscribers' questions on the Maple Leafs' prospects, goalies, offseason and more in the latest mailbag.

theathletic.com

Would you trade Auston Matthews for Owen Power, Dylan Cozens, a first and a prospect or two? I really don’t think he’s staying after this contract. — Shawn C.

I genuinely enjoy spending time in the Queen City and with the good people there, but I wouldn’t trade Auston Matthews if the package was Owen Power, Dylan Cozens, a first-round pick, any one of the Sabres’ prospects, a lifetime supply of wings from Gabriel’s Gate and a dedicated lane to call my own at the Peace Bridge.

I get that there are only two years left on Matthews’ contract so consternation among the Leafs fan base is only going to increase. But how many players in the NHL can literally win a game on their own and appear to only be getting better? The Leafs should be considered capable of making a playoff run as long as Matthews is on the roster. Instead of abandoning that approach because the time on his contract is ticking away, the Leafs should, and I imagine will, do everything in their power to build a roster around Matthews that shows him how serious they are about winning a Stanley Cup.

Now, I suppose if we get a public declaration from Matthews ahead of the 2024 trade deadline that he has no intention whatsoever to re-sign with the Leafs and if the offer for him includes unlimited slices from both Bocce Club and La Nova, we might have the framework for a deal … but even then.

As an aside, because these kinds of proposals are certainly going to continue: I’ve got a buddy who is also a long-suffering Leafs fan. Sitting at a bar in 2018, he was lamenting the Leafs’ then-lack of blue-line depth and proposed, without flinching, that the Leafs should package Matthews for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and a first-round pick.

I saw this buddy of mine at a cottage last weekend and, close to four years later, I continued to grill him and his trade proposal. Be careful with your proposals, especially when dealing with a generational player.