Is Auston Matthews One of the Most Overrated Players in Recent History?

[FerrisRox]

Hes clearly been injured all year, and his shot has been awful because of that.

What is his "injury" and why did the Maple Leafs let him play all season injured instead of letting him rest and heal?

Why on earth did he play in the Four Nations Cup if he's clearly injured?

 

[HockeyVirus]

Matthews has literally been outscored by nearly 100 players come playoff time, this has likely now gone up that his gpg has dropped even further this year. He is the 6th fastest to 400 goals in NHL history, an insane feat and yet 100 guys are outscoring him in his prime? Terrible.

The Leafs have never gotten truly pumped in any series, even in the Florida series which everyone cites as some lopsided beatdown, the Leafs lost 3 games by 1 goal (1 in OT) and 1 by 2 goals. Matthews went for 0 goals and 2 assists.

He has never gone gpg or had a massive series which he single handedly won
He has gone .5gpg (below his season average of .64gpg) 4/11 playoff series so far
He has exceeded his season .64 gpg in 1/11 playoff series
He has done all of this in his prime with an insanely talented team

His only way out is a cup win or insanely massive performances because he is one of the biggest disappointments in NHL playoff history.

Some people may hate him because he is a Leaf and that's its own bias, but he objectively has failed considering his contract/talent level/stacked offensive team.

Matthews has never been alone in that crap, and picking this season when he clearly is not right and hasn't been able to shoot all season is dumb. He is getting chances he can't hit the net.

Is what it is I don't care as long as they keep winning.

People also discount he is the best two way center in the league

 

[FerrisRox]

Another cherry picked stat used to start a thread. Conveniently uses a sample size that ignores half of a playoff run

When did Auston Matthews have a "playoff run?"

What are you talking about?

 

[FerrisRox]

People also discount he is the best two way center in the league

Even Matthews himself acknowledges that Barkov is the best two way centre in the league.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

What is his "injury" and why did the Maple Leafs let him play all season injured instead of letting him rest and heal?

Why on earth did he play in the Four Nations Cup if he's clearly injured?

He didn’t play all season, he missed a bunch of time

Either way, not every injury is gonna get fixed with in-season rest, or can be made worse by playing through it

 

[bert]

Quite easily the most overrated player in hockey. Its not particularly close either. Great player but he doesnt dominate games or produce points anywhere close to the guys he is compared to on a regular basis.

 

[HockeyVirus]

When did Auston Matthews have a "playoff run?"

What are you talking about?

I am saying Matthews was massive in the Tampa series and it gets cut off because doesn't fit narrative. He had 5 goals in 6 games including 2 goals to force OT in a massive comeback in game 5 and opening the scoring in game 6.

I legit do not care, not sure why I bothered to open the thread. Mains gunna main. Like I said, just keep winning.

Even Matthews himself acknowledges that Barkov is the best two way centre in the league.

What player comes out and says they are the best? lol even last year when he almost hit 70 he was asked who the best goal scorer in the league is and picked someone else.

 

[Peasy]

What is his "injury" and why did the Maple Leafs let him play all season injured instead of letting him rest and heal?

Why on earth did he play in the Four Nations Cup if he's clearly injured?

Did you forget when he went to Germany to see a specialist mid season?

Why was Jesper Bratt playing when he needed shoulder surgery?
Why did Jack Hughes play nearly all of last season but then get sent to have surgery the second they were eliminated from playoff contention?

Is this a serious question ? You don't know that players will play through nagging injuries during the season and then deal with them in the off season?

 

[Lahey]

It hurts dosen't it , that nobody respects the player you love so much...I know it hurts you that everybody knows that Phil Danault would put AM34 in a little box with one hand behind his back if they ever played again , like clockwork

Sounds like you’re the one really mad. Maybe join your fellow habs on the golf course, take a breath and chill out, bud.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

How many rocket richards, calders, etc does Philip Danault have. I swear you’re actually just t wording

He’s done a lot more in the playoffs lol

 

[RedHawkDown]

It’s hard to defend his playoff play. People dog on Marner but Matthews has been way worse in every leafs playoff run.

 

[Lahey]

He’s done a lot more in the playoffs lol

I’m sorry has he won anything? Including a cup? Or am I hallucinating?

 

[FerrisRox]

Did you forget when he went to Germany to see a specialist mid season?

Did you forget when he returned from that injury?

 

[FerrisRox]

I am saying Matthews was massive in the Tampa series

So when you say "playoff run" what you mean to say is "First round of the playoffs?"

 

[voxel]

Overrated? I dunno.

If you think he's better than "Draisaitl, Kaprizov, Kucherov, Rantanen"- then yes he's overrated. He's on that tier of Hart/Richard/Lindsay winners.

Below McDavid and MacK of course.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

First in goals overall (401) and goals at even strength (295) since entering the league. I think most fans view Matthews as a really, really good goal scorer.

During certain times of the year yes

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Lmao no.

 

[UED]

Philip Danault offers the same defensive play. He gets paid 5 Million and isn't a top 50 player in the NHL.

Congrats on discovering the problem with offensive players! Way too expensive for an extra goal or 2 per series! By the way, Danault is a lot better than Matthews defensively. Danault is probably the best in the world for forwards. He's just not a two-way player. Pure defensive player so he has a terrible hockeydb page. If he scored 20 more points per year he would have 3 or 4 Selkes and counting.

 

[ORRFForever]

YES !

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Auston Matthews is a paper tiger.

For a 70 goal scorer, he doesn't score any goals when the pressure is on.
During the 4 nations cup, he wasn't even trying to score a goal against Canada, he kept deferring to Brady or missing the net.

He has 3 goals in his last 17 playoff games.
2 of those goals were complete flukes.

For being paid 13.5 Million, he is completely overrated, and can't overtake a game offensively like Draisaitl, MacKinnon, Kaprizov, McDavid, Kucherov, Rantanen, etc.

He's always failed to score when the pressure gets high.
25 Goals and 50 points in 60 career playoff games is a joke for someone paid 13.5M.
As well as 3 goals in his last 17 games, he has to be the most overrated player in the NHL.

More recently, he's trying to turn his game away from scoring, and, towards a defensive/Philip Danault type player.

He didn’t score 70 goals, he scored 69, which is still very nice.

I don’t watch him closely enough to have an opinion, but I did hear someone raving about his defense and team play. Which is great, but isn’t the idea that you add that while still scoring goals? That’s what got Jack a cup. Idk, it is a bit bizarre how the blame game goes Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Reilly, pass on Matthews he’s our sweet boy, back to Marner, Nylander, etc.

 

[McShogun99]

It’s hard to defend his playoff play. People dog on Marner but Matthews has been way worse in every leafs playoff run.

Marner has always been the best player on the Leafs. They're going to regret it if he signs somewhere else.

 

[fbuford]

Congrats on discovering the problem with offensive players! Way too expensive for an extra goal or 2 per series! By the way, Danault is a lot better than Matthews defensively. Danault is probably the best in the world for forwards. He's just not a two-way player. Pure defensive player so he has a terrible hockeydb page. If he scored 20 more points per year he would have 3 or 4 Selkes and counting.

"The problem with offensive players"

You do realize that Philip Danault and the Kings have lost 4 years in a row, in the 1st round to the Oilers.
And the Oilers are comprised mainly of Offensive players in McDavid, Draisaitl, Kane, etc.

The issue with Matthews, is that he is NOT an offensive threat in the playoffs. He turns into a Phillip Danault.

 

[SEALBound]

Nah, I'd say Zegras and Bedard are more over-rated.

 

[NVious]

Matthews has never been alone in that crap, and picking this season when he clearly is not right and hasn't been able to shoot all season is dumb. He is getting chances he can't hit the net.

Is what it is I don't care as long as they keep winning.

People also discount he is the best two way center in the league

He's not alone but he is probably THE highest paid, most talented and surrounded by most talent to produce such low numbers in the playoffs.

Matthews season wise might be entering top 10 of all time goal scorer category already, he was the 6th fastest to 400 goals and the 5th highest goals per game. Should someone of that stature been outscored by over 100 players come playoff time? The answer is obviously hell no.

 

[JKG33]

I find it funny that you have “leafs and kings” in your profile yet you’re in every leafs thread bashing them.

Give me a list of “lesser” players - he’s been ppg or higher in 3 of the last 4 playoffs.

Check your facts, bud.

These Leafs "core 4" are so despicable that I cant in good conscience cheer for them. Im excited for the day theyre gone. Money hungry, lazy, unmotivated, and disappear the moment the going gets tough.

He's 15th in playoff points per game over the last 4 years. Behind "inferior" players like Kempe, Marchand, Bouchard, Nylander, Guentzel, Eichel, Marner, and Landeskog. Not good for a guy paid like a top 3 player.

Ya'll also tout him as a great goal scorer.. yet in those 4 years is 21st in playoff goals per game. Behind "inferior" players like Guentzel, Kempe, Nuke, Kreider, Hyman, Stamkos, Marchessault, Nylander, Stone, Landeskog, Lehkonen, Verhaeghe, the shitty Kane, Debrusk, and Trochek. Some of those names... yikes.

So no, "bud," youre the one who needs to check your facts.