Has Matthews struggled in the playoffs?

[Sansbacon]

Unless you know, his boss told him he can't.

Did anyone address the media last night?

 

[Plural]

Did anyone address the media last night?

I don't see how that's relevant.

 

[branch]

I give you credit for taking the time to do all this.

But as in life, hockey interviews are incredibally contrived, they feel like acting audtions, line rehearsals.

To the point where Crosby, McDavid all get notes from Gretzky on how to talk and handle the media when you are truly exceptional.

Austin was SMART enough to know that after his four goal game, losing 5-4 he was going to blame himself.

It's a way to look good.

It's not hard to figure out. He owned his mistake there, fine. I know it's an incredible accomlishment but your need to repeat it over and over borderlines obsession.

Sam Gagner had 8 pts in one game. Sometimes these things happen. How many 4 goal games has Auston put up since?

Sometimes these things happen. It's not like he broke in the league and kicked the door down, like the media portray it.

So far his team has been bailed out by a total pro Goaltender (The game of hockey is largely about goaltending) something I attribute the Leafs making the playoffs, far more then Auston Matthews. Mitch Marner AINT A BAD guy to have around, neither is the leadership from Lou, Shanahan, Babcock, Reilly and a host of others., (Third liner JVR scoring 30 goals) the team is pretty damn stacked.

But Auston Matthews is the front and center and that's the way YOU, the Media and everyone else want to write the show.

Guess what?

Auston Matthews may not even be a top 2 player on his teaam.

It's extremely arguable Marner and Anderson are more valuable. Marner has been in Auston's shadow his entire playing time.

But the Media will never ever write it that way, of course not. People talk about hyperbole,and use that word over and over but look in the mirror for crying out loud.

You talk about my childish agenda and you fail to realize Mattthews acting like a baby after Game 2. His comments after his first game, I knew right away That's how you look good to a coach, and the league.

Did you expect Auston to go, Yeah we lost 5-4 but HELL YEA, FOUR GOALS BABY!

No, your a pro of course your going to be humble.

Austin can do no wrong, ever in your eyes.

After the misery and suffering your franchise has gone through, seeing someone do fairly well has got to be a relief so I can understand all of you instantly falling in love with him.

But love does a funny thing. It alters perceptions and its abundantly clear here that you and other Leaf Fans, will find a way, any way, it could be BS stuff like Cori, or finding these useless interviews which again, that's great of you to find them but they proved nothing.

If Auston was in Jack's shoes, not only would the Sabres be worse IMO but I believe his lack of accountability (Spare him trying to look good in his debut to everyone) WHICH HE DID, is bad.

Auston would probably be booed by everyone in Bufffalo. Eichel actually owns his faults. But losing game after game is frustrating, especially when your an elite talent like Jack. If Auston was losing the games Jack is due to goaltending, coaching, and yes even Auston;s play, he'd be just as mad.

And his actions as of late CLEARLY show he would handle it probably a hell of a lot worse.

No agenda, just facts and basic logic.

Were done here.

Ulnless the AM tinted glasses go in the garbage.

Have another beer

 

[Whileee]

Who cares if he declined to speak to the media.

The hordes of crazed media folks in Toronto / Canada that hound the Leafs like a swarm of black flies on a Moose. They put a lot of pressure on players that are expected to be the leaders and the stars, and some players struggle with that sort of pressure. I think it's a heavy lift for a young player like Matthews who is just learning how to deal with that level of scrutiny and pressure.

 

[Habs10025]

Auston Mathews is a very good player that 's had a poor playoffs more was expected from him this series no doubt.

Having said that Mathews is 20 yrs old in his 2nd playoffs fans don't want to hear this but its a learning experience not just for him but for the other young players on the team.

Mathews not speaking to the media after the game likely wasn't his decision and was made by management to protect him.
Was that a mistake ?

Toronto are lucky to have Mathews if he were made available the other 30 teams would be trying to get him. If some say he failed to lead the team this series they may be right but I'm sure Mathews in the future will be the reason Toronto win in the playoffs more than they lose .

 

[Whileee]

This is on Kadri more than Matthews. He made the kid's job that much harder. Leafs will be back next year and much better if they find themselves another good defenseman. And theyre not technically dead yet so there's that

Great point. Kadri's selfish and dumb play has really put a huge load on Matthews for the past 3 games.

 

[Sansbacon]

I don't see how that's relevant.

Matthews is the face of the franchise. Lou doesn’t want him to speak to the media, but others were allowed to? Like I already said, the optics are bad.

 

[smack66]

Auston Mathews is a very good player that 's had a poor playoffs more was expected from him this series no doubt.

Having said that Mathews is 20 yrs old in his 2nd playoffs fans don't want to hear this but its a learning experience not just for him but for the other young players on the team.

Mathews not speaking to the media after the game likely wasn't his decision and was made by management to protect him.
Was that a mistake ?

Toronto are lucky to have Mathews if he were made available the other 30 teams would be trying to get him. If some say he failed to lead the team this series they may be right but I'm sure Mathews in the future will be the reason Toronto win in the playoffs more than they lose .

I feel a little dirty saying this but I have to agree with a Habs fans assessment of a Leafs player.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I keep reading the Leafs did not make Matthews available after the game. Is there confirmation of this? Or is this just speculation? I have not read one source that has indicated Matthews was barred from talking to the media.

 

[Plural]

Matthews is the face of the franchise. Lou doesn’t want him to speak to the media, but others were allowed to? Like I already said, the optics are bad.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing that it was dumb to not allow him to talk to media (if he in fact was told by management not to), just saying that your idea of him being able to talk to the media if he really wanted to is stupid. Matthews might or might have not decided himself not to address the media. If Lou told him he can't do it then he can't do it. In that scenario (which is just as plausible as Matthews deciding it himself) he can't talk to the media no matter how much he wants to. Lou is his boss.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Do we know it was Matthews who declined?

If the team intervened its arguably worse

 

[Whileee]

Auston Mathews is a very good player that 's had a poor playoffs more was expected from him this series no doubt.

Having said that Mathews is 20 yrs old in his 2nd playoffs fans don't want to hear this but its a learning experience not just for him but for the other young players on the team.

Mathews not speaking to the media after the game likely wasn't his decision and was made by management to protect him.
Was that a mistake ?

Toronto are lucky to have Mathews if he were made available the other 30 teams would be trying to get him. If some say he failed to lead the team this series they may be right but I'm sure Mathews in the future will be the reason Toronto win in the playoffs more than they lose .

I think it's always a mistake to try to avoid the Toronto media when things aren't going well. The Leafs should maybe just give him some media training, since he perhaps didn't grow up listening to the endlessly boring ways that NHL players respond questions from a skeptical Canadian media.

"We all need to be better, and give it 110% next game."

"It's a seven game series and it's not over yet."

"The Bruins are a great team and it'll take a great effort to beat them."

"We need to play better and give it 110%."

Rinse, and repeat.

 

[Plural]

I keep reading the Leafs did not make Matthews available after the game. Is there confirmation of this? Or is this just speculation? I have not read one source that has indicated Matthews was barred from talking to the media.

I don't think there is confirmation one way or the other. It would be fitting to Lou to not allow Matthews to talk to the media. But we don't know. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter either way. Matthews has to make a statement on the ice not in front of the media.

 

[Plural]

If the team intervened its arguably worse

Wouldn't be at all surprising though.

 

[PKWeber]

Too bad there’s no Alzner on the ice for Matthews to get easy goals.

 

[Loosie]

Matthews is the face of the franchise. Lou doesn’t want him to speak to the media, but others were allowed to? Like I already said, the optics are bad.

The optics are bad only to those with some kind of agenda against him.

 

[paragon]

I don't see how that's relevant.

I don't think it's that relevant, but it makes this even more funny--> https://www.bardown.com/patrik-lain...ead-of-tonight-s-jets-vs-leafs-game-1.1043262

 

[Plural]

I don't think it's that relevant, but it makes this even more funny--> https://www.bardown.com/patrik-lain...ead-of-tonight-s-jets-vs-leafs-game-1.1043262

Haha. That pigeon xbox thing is beautiful.

All the on-ice stuff aside, I agree that Laine's personality probably wouldn't have meshed well with Lou and the Leafs. Laine excels when he can just be himself and when he's himself he says some weird and funny stuff.

 

[Sansbacon]

The optics are bad only to those with some kind of agenda against him.

Alex Jones, is that you?

 

[Plural]

Alex Jones, is that you?

Hardly a conspiracy idea when you clearly seem to have some sort of agenda against him.

 

[CupInSIX]

Auston Mathews is a very good player that 's had a poor playoffs more was expected from him this series no doubt.

Having said that Mathews is 20 yrs old in his 2nd playoffs fans don't want to hear this but its a learning experience not just for him but for the other young players on the team.

Mathews not speaking to the media after the game likely wasn't his decision and was made by management to protect him.
Was that a mistake ?

Toronto are lucky to have Mathews if he were made available the other 30 teams would be trying to get him. If some say he failed to lead the team this series they may be right but I'm sure Mathews in the future will be the reason Toronto win in the playoffs more than they lose .

you can say that again.

But people are talking like the series is over. Even if the Bruins close it out, Matthews can put up a fight.



Anyway I don't see what the big deal is with media availability for a young player that needs to focus for an elimination game.

 

[Loosie]

I keep reading the Leafs did not make Matthews available after the game. Is there confirmation of this? Or is this just speculation? I have not read one source that has indicated Matthews was barred from talking to the media.

The only Post Game interviews the Leafs uploaded to youtube are Babcock, Andersen, Marner, JVR and Plekanec.

Looking back at the previous games he did post-game interview for Game 2 and 3 but not 1. So I really don't see why this is being brought up as an issue.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Too bad there’s no Alzner on the ice for Matthews to get easy goals.

Or tired Carey price

 

[Sansbacon]

Hardly a conspiracy idea when you clearly seem to have some sort of agenda against him.

I have absolutely no agenda against Matthews. I’m in the same boat as the people who can enjoy the young talent in the league. Obviously, I want my guy to be better, but not at the expense of tearing down another. He is a fantastic talent.

Shutting him off from the media just seems weird to me, especially when you consider that he’s likely their next captain. It creates more questions than anything.

A bit off topic: Marner has been the standout Leaf for me in this series. That kid is really fun to watch.

 

[JamieG19]

I keep reading the Leafs did not make Matthews available after the game. Is there confirmation of this? Or is this just speculation? I have not read one source that has indicated Matthews was barred from talking to the media.

Of course.

It obviously went like this:

Matthews: I'm on my way to talk to the media so that I can get asked why I didn't step up tonight and get 200 hundred questions about how it's disappointing.

Leafs Mgtm: No Auston, you can't!!!

Matthews: How dare you?!? I really, really, really want to go in front of the media and basically have them ask me about how it feels to not be stepping up like many expected! I'm going out!

Leafs Mgtm: No Auston!!!! We forbid you!! We will fine you if you defy us!!!!

Matthews: Oh fine! Bunch of meanies!

Obviously that's the truth about how it went. Totally believable. Poor Auston prevented from speaking.