Is Matthews the worst playoff performer ever?

[sampollock]

I've seen lots of people speculate that McDavid will sign in Toronto as a UFA, but I'm not sure if any of them are sane. Personally I find the idea rather preposterous.

agreed
so many leaf fans feel they will get every top player in the league
been that way for 20 years

 

[Kennerback]

I've seen lots of people speculate that McDavid will sign in Toronto as a UFA, but I'm not sure if any of them are sane. Personally I find the idea rather preposterous.

I don’t understand why some think Edmonton would let that happen?

 

[Oilslick941611]

I've seen lots of people speculate that McDavid will sign in Toronto as a UFA, but I'm not sure if any of them are sane. Personally I find the idea rather preposterous.

I think if McDavid leaves the oilers, he isn't signing in Canada.

 

[Kennerback]

I think if McDavid leaves the oilers, he isn't signing in Canada.

So it would be a case where McDavid would refuse to sign any offer from Edmonton?

 

[Oilslick941611]

I don’t understand why some think Edmonton would let that happen?

To be fair, its not really up to Edmonton. The most they could do is trade him before the season is over and thats not happening. McDavid is likely re-signing anyway. He's done/said nothing for anyone to expect any different.

 

[Oilslick941611]

So it would be a case where McDavid would refuse to sign any offer from Edmonton?

I dont see it happening, but im not blind enough to suggest that it cant happen.

I think McDavid signs with the Oilers with a short term contract. The way the cap is going i think 8 year deals for stars are going to be rare, they leave too much money on the table if the cap continues to go up as the projection are predicting.

 

[sampollock]

I don’t understand why some think Edmonton would let that happen?

it is fig fans not oil fans
he is not coming to TO

 

[Kennerback]

To be fair, it’s not really up to Edmonton. The most they could do is trade him before the season is over and thats not happening. McDavid is likely re-signing anyway. He's done/said nothing for anyone to expect any different.

Open up the oil money vaults and let him take what he wants.

 

[bert]

Matthews is every bit as soft as Marner, Tavares and Reilly. You can't leave him out of that group. Nylander is the only one who's elevated his game.

Now I don't think they will move off Matthews, at least not in the next two years.

But Marner is as good as gone (if they lose this series) and probably Tavares as well. They'll fill those roles with different players, but IMO, I don't think it'll make that big a difference.

Matthews is their biggest issue.

You used the word alpha, and he has zero alpha in him. I don't understand why they ever thought it was a good idea to make him captain.

Even at the 4 Nations, it seemed like he was so happy to defer to guys like the Tkachuks and JT Miller.

He's the James Harden of the NHL. Insane individual talent. Some eye-popping numbers. But not a winner if he's your main guy.

Dont agree on any level Matthews is the biggest issue. Maybe if you dont believe in injuries you can subscribe to this hard line.

Tavares does not push back whenever he gets into a scrum and he is their most veteran player. Reilly bails on pucks in the corner their 2nd most veteran player.

If you replace those players with guys that compete harder and lead it will absolutely make a difference. I think you are having too good of a time wallowing in leaf negativity to view this objectively.

Matthews was way better than JT miller at 4 nations. He was all over the ice in the championship game.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Open up the oil money vaults and let him take what he wants.

Thats probably going to happen, but he has taken "less" in the past. So who knows what the final number is. He showed this year he doesn't care about regular season success and its all playoffs for him. So i don't think he's signing a contract that will handy cap ANY team he ultimately signs with. Which is IMO going to be the Oilers.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Matthews is every bit as soft as Marner, Tavares and Reilly. You can't leave him out of that group. Nylander is the only one who's elevated his game.

Now I don't think they will move off Matthews, at least not in the next two years.

But Marner is as good as gone (if they lose this series) and probably Tavares as well. They'll fill those roles with different players, but IMO, I don't think it'll make that big a difference.

Matthews is their biggest issue.

You used the word alpha, and he has zero alpha in him. I don't understand why they ever thought it was a good idea to make him captain.

Even at the 4 Nations, it seemed like he was so happy to defer to guys like the Tkachuks and JT Miller.

He's the James Harden of the NHL. Insane individual talent. Some eye-popping numbers. But not a winner if he's your main guy.

Absolutely crazy that he is 6’3 220 and plays like he’s the size of Nathan Gerbe too

 

[bert]

McDavid won the conn smythe on the losing team last playoffs while injured.

Its an attitude and sheer determination and Matthews doesn't have it.

Not every injury is the same. Ridiculous statement. From someone that for sure has never played a competitve sport. Some injuries you cannot play with or at your peak ability. Some you can.

You are the same guy that didnt think that getting traded or learning a new system for Rantanen takes time. You think these guys are robots you are lost. You thought that Rantanen was deciding to play bad just because. lol joke.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Dont agree on any level Matthews is the biggest issue. Maybe if you dont believe in injuries you can subscribe to this hard line.

Tavares does not push back whenever he gets into a scrum and he is their most veteran player. Reilly bails on pucks in the corner their 2nd most veteran player.

If you replace those players with guys that compete harder and lead it will absolutely make a difference. I think you are having too good of a time wallowing in leaf negativity to view this objectively.

Matthews was way better than JT miller at 4 nations. He was all over the ice in the championship game.

No one puts JT miller on the same tier people Matthews on...So him being better than Miller is expected. He shouldn't get any applause for that.

At the end of the day, The best player on your team needs to be the best player on the team. When it matters Matthews never steps up. He just doesn't have it. Hes a good goal scorer when the pressure if off, but with the pressure applied he disappears. His numbers are ugly for a guy as good as people say he is. He simply doesn't belong on the same lists as the best players in the game.

 

[Kennerback]

Thats probably going to happen, but he has taken "less" in the past. So who knows what the final number is. He showed this year he doesn't care about regular season success and its all playoffs for him. So i don't think he's signing a contract that will handy cap ANY team he ultimately signs with. Which is IMO going to be the Oilers.

Discussing the Oilers explains the Leafs. Oilers have two big names to worry about. Which is not easy. Maybe Habs will be in the same situation one day. Leafs have four. It’s a completely untenable situation in a cap world.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Not every injury is the same. Ridiculous statement. From someone that for sure has never played a competitve sport. Some injuries you cannot play with or at your peak ability. Some you can.

I’d be more likely to buy the injury excuse if Matthews had even once shown up in a big playoff game in the last 9 years.
Watching Draisaitl skating on one leg a couple of years ago and still putting up elite numbers shows that injured players can still have a big impact.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Not every injury is the same. Ridiculous statement. From someone that for sure has never played a competitve sport. Some injuries you cannot play with or at your peak ability. Some you can.

You are the same guy that didnt think that getting traded or learning a new system for Rantanen takes time. You think these guys are robots you are lost. You thought that Rantanen was deciding to play bad just because. lol joke.

100% I think Rantanen screwed the canes over. Whether it was him or his agent doesnt matter, he was traded there with the understanding that he would sign a deal with them. He didn't, he pouted and moped his way through his games with Carolina and you're right, I expect players to be ready to play and leave their baggage at the door of the arena. They are professional players and paid a lot of money, they can be sad on their own time.

Also we had 3 months of play to judge Rantanen on, He didn't start well in Dallas and woke up in last few games. So yeah, it was fair to judge him on the games he played.

Matthews legacy is injured when it matters.

 

[flyingfingers]

Dont agree on any level Matthews is the biggest issue. Maybe if you dont believe in injuries you can subscribe to this hard line.

Tavares does not push back whenever he gets into a scrum and he is their most veteran player. Reilly bails on pucks in the corner their 2nd most veteran player.

If you replace those players with guys that compete harder and lead it will absolutely make a difference. I think you are having too good of a time wallowing in leaf negativity to view this objectively.

Matthews was way better than JT miller at 4 nations. He was all over the ice in the championship game.

This is not Matthews' first go around in the playoffs. He's had seasons where he's put up (slightly) better numbers, but he's never driven play, he's never taken over games, he's never used his size to get into the middle of the ice or go to the net, he never engages.

All of the things you say about Tavares hold true for Matthews.

Toronto has added a ton of compete over the years. Now they have Nylander, Knies, Tanev, Laughton, OEL, McCabe, Carlo, Benoit and Domi surrounding that core. All high compete, "character" guys. In years past, it was O'Reilly, Foligno, Schenn, etc.

Matthews plays the same way he always has.

And you're right they should definitely swap Marner and Tavares out for two "harder" players.

But when they do that, those players will compete, but Matthews will keep playing the exact same way. Unless they're somehow bringing in a Mark Stone or Matthew Tkachuk, I don't see anyone who will come in and "elevate" Matthews or change his style of play or temperament. Even those guys might not do it.

He doesn't have another gear, or is not willing to go into another gear, and it's high time people stopped blaming everyone but him. And when you're making $13.25M... that's a big problem.

 

[MikeS24]

I've seen lots of people speculate that McDavid will sign in Toronto as a UFA, but I'm not sure if any of them are sane. Personally I find the idea rather preposterous.

We don't know what 97 is thinking, but why on Earth would he sign there?

Unless he thinks that roster (minus a marner or Tavares) can get it done with him being the cherry on top

He has a deep down dream to actually win TO a cup

He is entering his 3rd Conference finals in 4 years and the window is still open wit the cap going up. Best friend is on his team. Wives are buddies. His wife opened up an Oilers high end clothing line and is finishing up construction on a restaurant/bar in Edmonton.

I don't see him leaving when he is very close right now.

 

[um]

I think if McDavid leaves the oilers, he isn't signing in Canada.

I don't think he'd have any agenda against playing in Canada. Although, most Canadian teams don't really seem poised to win soon, besides Edmonton and maybe Montreal.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I don't think he'd have any agenda against playing in Canada. Although, most Canadian teams don't really seem poised to win soon, besides Edmonton and maybe Montreal.

I just see him as maybe wanting to get away from the media if he was going to sign elsewhere, which again, i don't think will happen.

 

[bert]

No one puts JT miller on the same tier people Matthews on...So him being better than Miller is expected. He shouldn't get any applause for that.

At the end of the day, The best player on your team needs to be the best player on the team. When it matters Matthews never steps up. He just doesn't have it. Hes a good goal scorer when the pressure if off, but with the pressure applied he disappears. His numbers are ugly for a guy as good as people say he is. He simply doesn't belong on the same lists as the best players in the game.

I didnt make the comparison. I was answering someone.

Your takes just arent worthwhile for me based on our other interactions. You dont seem to understand there is a human element to the players.

I dont think Matthews has been great but he isnt the only one and isnt the only problem. And HE IS INJURED

 

[bert]

100% I think Rantanen screwed the canes over. Whether it was him or his agent doesnt matter, he was traded there with the understanding that he would sign a deal with them. He didn't, he pouted and moped his way through his games with Carolina and you're right, I expect players to be ready to play and leave their baggage at the door of the arena. They are professional players and paid a lot of money, they can be sad on their own time.

Also we had 3 months of play to judge Rantanen on, He didn't start well in Dallas and woke up in last few games. So yeah, it was fair to judge him on the games he played.

Matthews legacy is injured when it matters.

He had no idea he was getting traded there. another swing and a miss.

Again proving you have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to changing cities systems etc. Its not automatic, countless examples of players taking time to get settled in.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I didnt make the comparison. I was answering someone.

Your takes just arent worthwhile for me based on our other interactions. You dont seem to understand there is a human element to the players.

I dont think Matthews has been great but he isnt the only one and isnt the only problem. And HE IS INJURED

Im gonna let you in on a little secret, every player in the playoffs is injured to some degree, the greats all find a way to contributed and push through. If you want to add matthews to that list, he needs to find a way and his entire career has shown that he doesn't have that extra gear. SO keep yelling into the void about injuries, but it didn't stop McDavid and Draisaitl last year, doesn't seem to be stopping Matthew Tkachuk this year. The best just get it done. Matthews play off performance is terrible all throughout his career.

 

[bert]

This is not Matthews' first go around in the playoffs. He's had seasons where he's put up (slightly) better numbers, but he's never driven play, he's never taken over games, he's never used his size to get into the middle of the ice or go to the net, he never engages.

All of the things you say about Tavares hold true for Matthews.

Toronto has added a ton of compete over the years. Now they have Nylander, Knies, Tanev, Laughton, OEL, McCabe, Carlo, Benoit and Domi surrounding that core. All high compete, "character" guys. In years past, it was O'Reilly, Foligno, Schenn, etc.

Matthews plays the same way he always has.

And you're right they should definitely swap Marner and Tavares out for two "harder" players.

But when they do that, those players will compete, but Matthews will keep playing the exact same way. Unless they're somehow bringing in a Mark Stone or Matthew Tkachuk, I don't see anyone who will come in and "elevate" Matthews or change his style of play or temperament. Even those guys might not do it.

He doesn't have another gear, or is not willing to go into another gear, and it's high time people stopped blaming everyone but him. And when you're making $13.25M... that's a big problem.

2017 Stone was absolutely trash on the run to the conference finals for the sens. But he was injured. The same rhetoric as this one about Matthews was happening. Obvious as hell the player was hurt, but HF gonna HF and not acknowledge injuries. You can tell Matthews is hurt if you have ever watched him before. That doesnt excuse other playoff failures but if were talking about right now its obvious he is battling something. Just like Stone was in 2017.

 

[Oilslick941611]

He had no idea he was getting traded there. another swing and a miss.

Again proving you have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to changing cities systems etc. Its not automatic, countless examples of players taking time to get settled in.

Watch the interview with the Canes GM on the CJ show i think it was when he explicitly states this.