Is Matthews the worst playoff performer ever?

[Leafshater67]

He’s been hurt the past few seasons.

That’s what I keep hearing but not once was he ever good in the playoffs or an important game. That’s just a shitty cop out.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

Matthews hasn't been healthy in the playoffs for the past few years. People are going to rip him for lack of numbers but it's not really fair to him.

Please. Everyone is injured in the playoffs.

 

[JianYang]

Matthews hasn't been healthy in the playoffs for the past few years. People are going to rip him for lack of numbers but it's not really fair to him.

I'm sure he is. Most players are carrying something right now. I suppose he could have something extremely dehabilitating each year but I somehow doubt that tells the whole story.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

At the end of the day your opinion won’t change. I’m providing perspective.

I’m not happy with his performance either, but also know that isn’t as simple as “he doesn’t have it”

I think him being injured this year would hold more weight as an excuse if it was an outlier, and when he's healthy he's actually dominant in the playoffs. The problem is his performance seems to be the same whether he's "healthy" or "injured".

As for the thread question, I don't think he's the worst playoff performer ever. That's hyperbole. However, in comparison to his peers (the guys he's constantly being mentioned on the same tier as), his entire playoff career has been massively disappointing in comparison. He's yet to have a playoff run where people look at the performance and think, "Jesus, he's taken his game to another level and flat out dominated".

For what it's worth, as far as the lingering wrist injury goes, Crosby apparently had a bum wrist that he sustained on a Ryan Reeves slash back in 2014. He would opt for the rest and rehab routine, but finally got it scoped a couple of years ago. So Crosby was able to play through a lingering wrist injury that hampered his game a bit (probably part of why he dropped from perennial 100 point guy to a 85-90 point guy around that time), but he still managed to find a way to help his team in the playoffs during that stretch.

 

[Maplebeasts]

No and anyone who thinks so doesn't know puck.

 

[jalapenoWithAnH]

Relative to expectations: yes.

I'm still mystified he keeps getting ranked as a top 10 player. Who HAVE to take the playoffs into account when making these rankings.

If you factor in both regular season and playoffs his ppg is still top 10 in the 2020s. (not including these playoffs)

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

He's a good little Phil Danault like player , nothing to be ashamed about

 

[behemolari]

according to Avs fans Rantanen is

 

[Puckstuff]

He's a good little Phil Danault like player , nothing to be ashamed about

Matthews has 34 points in his last 33 playoff games with elite defence and Danault has 28 points in 62 playoff games. Nice troll though

 

[karhukissa]

according to Avs fans Rantanen is

And they won the Stanley Cup. But it was all McK and Makar.

 

[thaman8765678]

He has never been a good player. He's the 3rd best player on his own team.

 

[Cool Hand Puke]

While you’re technically correct, your username won’t do you any favors

 

[jalapenoWithAnH]

And they won the Stanley Cup. But it was all McK and Makar.

I doubt anyone says this seriously as Rantanen had more points than MacK during that run.

 

[pelderhostiga]

according to Avs fans Rantanen is

Especially during the past two years, while still leading the Avs in playoff points during that time period.

 

[reino]

He's not even Kessels level in the playoffs

 

[SatanicToedrag]

I doubt anyone says this seriously as Rantanen had more points than MacK during that run.

You'd be amazed the kind of shit people say seriously

 

[Arthur Morgan]

you certainly expect more out of a 13+m player in the playoffs

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

That’s what I keep hearing but not once was he ever good in the playoffs or an important game. That’s just a shitty cop out.

Or it’s bad luck.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I'm sure he is. Most players are carrying something right now. I suppose he could have something extremely dehabilitating each year but I somehow doubt that tells the whole story.

He was hurt last year for sure. This year he falls to only 30 goals? He’s a much better player than that. He’s not healthy.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

Well, he’s injured now so I don’t think it’s changing this year.

As others have pointed out, everyone is injured at this point in the season.

And if Matthews's supposed health issue was so debilitating, he wouldn't log around 20 minutes of ice time per game. He even managed to log 23:32 of regulation ice time in the 2nd game against the Panthers.

The yearly "but he's injured!" excuse from message board doctors isn't cutting it anymore.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

As others have pointed out, everyone is injured at this point in the season.

And if Matthews's supposed health issue was so debilitating, he wouldn't log around 20 minutes of ice time per game. He even managed to log 23:32 of regulation ice time in the 2nd game against the Panthers.

The yearly "but he's injured!" excuse from message board doctors isn't cutting it anymore.

You can log 25 minutes a night with a wrist injury. You just won’t be able to score.

As for it not ‘cutting it with the board’ who gives a shit? Either the guy is healthy or he’s not. Not all injuries are the same.

Yeah, this board is going to do what it does best - pile on. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been hurt and there aren’t legitimate reasons for his production falling off. It’s not ‘excuse making’ to say it.

 

[BLNY]

Nylander is clearly "the guy" on that team right now. Matthews should be taking notes from him.

He's been their most visible forward in the playoffs since 2020.

 

[Lshap]

Matthews' production dips during the playoffs, that's true. However, it's also true that his dip leaves him at a PPG player. He's still one of the Leafs' best players except, unlike McDavid, Matthews' scoring can be shutdown somewhat by the opposition keying on him.

I'm sure it's frustrating for Leafs fans hoping for superstar Matthews to score a timely goal, like they needed last night. Instead, they have to settle for plain ol' 1st-line, two-way Matthews.

"The worst ever"? Honestly that tag applies more to this thread title than to Matthews.

 

[D Wakaluk]

He is dominating again, like always

PPG, Selke defence and his adjusted goals put him at 10 goals these playoffs. Only Rantanen is anywhere close.

This guy is a playoff beast and deserves to be the highest paid athelete in hockey

 

[Leafshater67]

Or it’s bad luck.

Yeah, bad luck he’s been conveniently inured every single playoffs in his entire career. That’s probably the worst luck on the planet