Is Matthews the worst playoff performer ever?

[Divine]

Matthews has three goals in his last four playoff series and has never scored a goal in the second round. That is good enough for a player of his regular season resume. Full stop.

He hasn’t been good enough, no, but he hasn’t been the worst playoff player ever, which is the name of the thread.

Matthews can’t shoot this year, the only people expecting him to score are the ones who are unaware that he can’t shoot. He’s scored 2 goals this playoffs and both goals were the result of the goalie unable to see the puck. One was a pass to the net with the goalie screened, the other was a goal where the goalie was literally looking behind the net.

Heck, he hasn’t even been able to hit an empty net, twice, against Florida. His wrist shot is 10-15MPH slower than it’s ever been allowing his shot to be much more easily saved than in previous years. Either he’s completely forgot how to play hockey, or there’s other things at play. The likely answer is the latter.

All Matthews second round games have been against Florida. Draisaitl couldn’t get a goal against Florida either.

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

Draisaitl doesn’t score 50 without McDavid. Even when he doesn’t play on McDavid’s line he plays with him on the PP waiting for passes in the slot.

I'm trying to figure out the argument is here. If Marner assists on most of Matthews' goals, does that mean Auston is a product of Mitch?

McDavid’s most common linemate over his career has been Draisaitl and vice versa. They have shifts apart but as soon as the Oilers start trailing, they’re back together.

Trying to whatabout Draisaitl's success is hilarious when he trumps Matthews in every playoff metric. There's no comparison between the two players. Matthews just needs to be better in the postseason.

It’s ironic you put up that Draisaitl got an assist last game and he gets overlooked when this whole thread is about discrediting Matthews putting up points and shutting down players because he’s not scoring enough goals. The exact argument you made for Draisaitl is the exact argument being used to discredit Matthews simultaneously in this thread.

Except Draisaitl is so elite defensively that he can eliminate a team's top line (see: the series that just ended) thus sending his team through to Round 3. Matthews has never reached that level in the post-season and it's a major reason why Toronto has yet to play in a Conference Final during the Core Four era.

Draisaitl against Florida last year was the same (so far) as Matthews against Florida this year.

Yawn. Compare the two when Matthews reaches an SCF.

 

[Kiekura]

There are people who makes less than him that do some things better than him.

Name a player who scores more than him, has a better faceoff percentage than him, is better defensively than him and is paid less than him on a UFA contract? You’re cherry picking things. There’s players who do some things better than him, but other things worse than him.

Draisaitl is not the best player on his team but he gets stapled to the best player on the team to drive offense. Draisaitl also got more money than Matthews on his UFA deal on a longer term. McDavid likely jumps past Draisaitl as well next summer. Matthews would be the third highest paid player on the Oilers for UFA deals.

I dont care about UFA or can leafs somehow get better player right now to their team.

Matthews is one of the highest paid players in league. More money you get, more people expect from you. And currently he is not living up to that contract. You get superstar money, you need to do superstar things. Simple as that.

I am well aware how f***ing good Barkov is defensively. Best there is. People are talking about Matthews whole playoff career which has been disappointing.

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

Matthews can’t shoot this year, the only people expecting him to score are the ones who are unaware that he can’t shoot.

Okay, what about last year? Why is it Matthews suddenly forgets how to shoot or injures his shooting hand at exactly the same time every season? Perhaps it's not mechanical at all but... mental?

All Matthews second round games have been against Florida. Draisaitl couldn’t get a goal against Florida either.

I'm not quite sure how that invalidates either criticism. Matthews has had two series against Florida to show up and hasn't offensively OR defensively. Whataboutisms don't gloss that over. We're talking Auston Matthews in the Auston Matthews thread.

 

[Divine]

I'm trying to figure out the argument is here. If Marner assists on most of Matthews' goals, does that mean Auston is a product of

Yawn. Compare the two when Matthews reaches an SCF.

Matthews scored 69 with Marner injured and Domi as his centre for the last third of the season.

Secondly, it’s always going to be a flawed competition when you eliminate the sample size of both players playing the same team. You refuse to compare the players production against the same team.

 

[Divine]

Okay, what about last year? Why is it Matthews suddenly forgets how to shoot or injures his shooting hand at exactly the same time every season? Perhaps it's not mechanical at all but... mental?

Matthews missed multiple playoff games due to injury last year, didn’t he? Are we just meant to assume when he came back on the third line he was 100% healthy?

You think Auston Matthews wrist shot is the slowest of his career (and significantly slower than it’s ever been) due to mental issues? Sure, no point debating when you got your mind made up.

He went to Germany during the season for a vacation?

 

[Leafshater67]

Draisaitl doesn’t score 50 without McDavid. Even when he doesn’t play on McDavid’s line he plays with him on the PP waiting for passes in the slot.

McDavid’s most common linemate over his career has been Draisaitl and vice versa. They have shifts apart but as soon as the Oilers start trailing, they’re back together.

It’s ironic you put up that Draisaitl got an assist last game and he gets overlooked when this whole thread is about discrediting Matthews putting up points and shutting down players because he’s not scoring enough goals. The exact argument you made for Draisaitl is the exact argument being used to discredit Matthews simultaneously in this thread.

Draisaitl against Florida last year was the same (so far) as Matthews against Florida this year.

Drai absolutely scores 50 on any team in the league. He is one of the best playoff performers of this generation too and is 4th career PPG. He outscored Mcdavid this year too btw.

To dismiss him as a McDavid merchant is insane. Maybe he gets a few extra points because of it but he’s a legitimate superstar, drives play and steps it up in the playoffs every year. He’s a HOF lock basically and is absolutely dynamite in the playoffs. McDavid gets some extra points having one of the best goal scorers in the game on the same team too…

 

[Suntouchable13]

He hasn’t been good enough, no, but he hasn’t been the worst playoff player ever, which is the name of the thread.

Matthews can’t shoot this year, the only people expecting him to score are the ones who are unaware that he can’t shoot. He’s scored 2 goals this playoffs and both goals were the result of the goalie unable to see the puck. One was a pass to the net with the goalie screened, the other was a goal where the goalie was literally looking behind the net.

Heck, he hasn’t even been able to hit an empty net, twice, against Florida. His wrist shot is 10-15MPH slower than it’s ever been allowing his shot to be much more easily saved than in previous years. Either he’s completely forgot how to play hockey, or there’s other things at play. The likely answer is the latter.

All Matthews second round games have been against Florida. Draisaitl couldn’t get a goal against Florida either.

Yea, sure. He still scored 33 goals this season. On pace for only 15 per 82 games in these playoffs. Stop making excuses for the guy. He could have gotten the injury addressed. He did not. He played in the 4 Nations, he played in all regular season games after that too. Spare me "he is so hurt" excuse.

 

[WarriorofTime]

He hasn’t been good enough, no, but he hasn’t been the worst playoff player ever, which is the name of the thread.

Yes thread is obviously hyperbole, but you can see what the "spirit" of it is

 

[Divine]

Drai absolutely scores 50 on any team in the league. He is one of the best playoff performers of this generation too and is 4th career PPG. He outscored Mcdavid this year too btw.

To dismiss him as a McDavid merchant is insane. Maybe he gets a few extra points because of it but he’s a legitimate superstar, drives play and steps it up in the playoffs every year. He’s a HOF lock basically and is absolutely dynamite in the playoffs. McDavid gets some extra points having one of the best goal scorers in the game on the same team too…

How many more goals do you think McDavid adds on to to players total versus Marner?

Hyman looked horribly with Marner and great with McDavid. Couldn’t score 30 with Marner but 50 with McDavid.

 

[koyvoo]

This thread holds true to one of the pillars of modern psychology-
people can convince themselves of anything to ease their own anxieties.

 

[JaegerDice]

I like Matthews as a player, but it's increasingly clear he doesn't have it in him to be THAT GUY when the intensity ramps up.

I think giving him the C was a mistake. Between being the highest paid player, AND the 1C, AND the Captain... that's so much weight, and I just don't think he has the personality for it. I think he'd be much more comfortable as the guy that gets to go out there and score goals, and let somebody else be the big dog on the team.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

Drai would probably help elevate Marner TBH. I bet Marners totals go up

Drai still gets looked over. He played with 4th liners a lot this year and a mix of 2nd line tweeners.

Can pot 50 in his sleep

Coach tells him "I am putting you with two 4th liners for these last two games - Podkolzin and Kap) and he ws told to shut down Eichel

Eichel does nothing and his line has a total of TWO HD chances these last two games. Drai helps set up the OT winner last night

Yup. Draisaitl elevated a waiver wire pickup and a Canucks castoff to close out the second round.

Matthews has the tools to be able to up his game in the playoffs, but hasn't been able to do it in his career.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

This thread holds true to one of the pillars of modern psychology-
people can convince themselves of anything to ease their own anxieties.

Well said. A lot of delusional Leaf fans.

 

[Divine]

Yea, sure. He still scored 33 goals this season. On pace for only 15 per 82 games in these playoffs. Stop making excuses for the guy. He could have gotten the injury addressed. He did not. He played in the 4 Nations, he played in all regular season games after that too. Spare me "he is so hurt" excuse.

Aren’t the playoff teams only the top half of the conference? The second round being only the top 4?

Matthews not at 100% can light up the bottom feeders, sure. Harder against better teams. How was his scoring against Florida in the regular season for a fair comparison?

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Matthews can’t shoot this year, the only people expecting him to score are the ones who are unaware that he can’t shoot.

How did he score 33 goals in 67 games this year in the regular season then?

 

[Divine]

How did he score 33 goals in 67 games this year in the regular season then?

Better teams in the playoffs than the regular season. 69 goals to 33 goals is quite the drop off.

You can light up bottom feeders with a weak shot. Marner’s scored 30 goals in the regular season multiple times.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Better teams in the playoffs than the regular season. 69 goals to 33 goals is quite the drop off.

You can light up bottom feeders with a weak shot. Marner’s scored 30 goals in the regular season multiple times.

Yeah so you’re basically saying he can score against weak teams in the regular season but can’t do it when games get tight in the playoffs, yet still arguing with everyone who is also saying this

 

[Divine]

Yeah so you’re basically saying he can score against weak teams in the regular season but can’t do it when games get tight in the playoffs, yet still arguing with everyone who is also saying this

I’m saying you can score against weaker teams with a weaker shot.

Matthews scores less than half the goals he scored last season in the regular season this year.

In the playoffs you’re not getting as many breakaways. His wrist shot being much slower took away his greatest threat. He can contribute in other ways, but he’s not going to score much this playoffs unless his wrist magically heals.

 

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

He hasn’t been good enough, no, but he hasn’t been the worst playoff player ever, which is the name of the thread.

Matthews can’t shoot this year, the only people expecting him to score are the ones who are unaware that he can’t shoot. He’s scored 2 goals this playoffs and both goals were the result of the goalie unable to see the puck. One was a pass to the net with the goalie screened, the other was a goal where the goalie was literally looking behind the net.

Heck, he hasn’t even been able to hit an empty net, twice, against Florida. His wrist shot is 10-15MPH slower than it’s ever been allowing his shot to be much more easily saved than in previous years. Either he’s completely forgot how to play hockey, or there’s other things at play. The likely answer is the latter.

All Matthews second round games have been against Florida. Draisaitl couldn’t get a goal against Florida either.

Worse playoff player here implies his playoff preformance sees the largest drop off for a star player compared to his regular season numbers. Obviously some fourth liner who makes the league min is probably the worst actual playoff performer, but compared to expectations it’s easy to argue Matthews case here.

Draisaitl has a past history of great performances in the second round and beyond, Matthews doesn’t, so we can’t say it’s because of Florida, as he hasn’t shown he could do it against any second round opponent.

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

Matthews scored 69 with Marner injured and Domi as his centre for the last third of the season.

Marner assisted on 33 of the 69. Does that mean Matthews is a sub-40 goal scorer without him? I mean it has to using your line of thinking, right?

Secondly, it’s always going to be a flawed competition when you eliminate the sample size of both players playing the same team. You refuse to compare the players production against the same team.

There is no comparison to make because this is not a Matthews vs. Draisaitl thread. You keep trying to distract from the actual focal point of the discussion for reasons only known to you.

 

[sampollock]

I don't think Matthews speaks to his teammates.

only beiber

 

[sampollock]

This thread holds true to one of the pillars of modern psychology-
people can convince themselves of anything to ease their own anxieties.

thus 34 is a god until he leaves the team

 

[Divine]

Worse playoff player here implies his playoff preformance sees the largest drop off for a star player compared to his regular season numbers. Obviously some fourth liner who makes the league min is probably the worst actual playoff performer, but compared to expectations it’s easy to argue Matthews case here.

That’s not true though.

Tyler Seguin? Panarin?

 

[sampollock]

O dog is a knob. he is now turning on the figs after he said at the start that the leafs would win the cup