Is Matthews the worst playoff performer ever?

[Divine]

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?

Sure. Has Draisaitl ever scored 36 goals without McDavid assisting them?

I mean if you want to argue Marner is as good as McDavid, be my guest.

I don’t think most will agree with you here though.

 

[stampedingviking]

I think Hellebuck is a worse playoff performer than Matthews. Hellebuck has always been healthy as opposed to Matthews’ who has ongoing injuries.

At least Hellebuck had three or four good playoffs before he slumped. Nostrils has never done that even once.

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

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?

He missed two playoff games out of six. Trying to pin this season's results on those two games a literal calendar year ago is not a sensible argument.

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?

There is, again, a five year sample size of results. You want to cherry-pick when he was injured (May of 2024!) as excuses for why he is not scoring today.

Auston Matthews is bad in the playoffs. That is what the data says, and will continue to say until he starts being not bad.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

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.

3 goals in last 21 games, it’s not just this playoffs

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

Sure. I mean if you want to argue Marner is as good as McDavid, be my guest.

I don’t think most will agree with you here though.

But the argument you presented has nothing to do with the quality of player, only the impact of frequent linemates on performance. You're trying to claim Draisaitl wouldn't score 50 without McDavid, and the data we have suggests Matthews wouldn't score 40 without Marner if the same thinking applied.

You can't have it both ways.

 

[sampollock]

34 is held in awe by the fans.
why?? until he is gone then he will be a roasted

 

[NVious]

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.

Difference between him and Drai is the wrist issues go back to November, he chose not to get surgery and be back before the playoffs because he wanted to play in 4NF (it's not enough for him to let down a good chunk of Canada, he also has to let down the USA). Drai got injured in the playoffs

Can't spell ME without MatthEws, from the contract length, to his insistence to playing with Mitch, he buried himself.

Even if you took away this entire year, he still goes from:
.64gpg (6th all time in NHL history) in the season
to
.42gpg (51st all time in NHL history) in the playoffs

That's taking away this season.......

As of right now he is 89th in NHL history for goals per game in the playoffs.

Highest paid in NHL
Surrounded by endless talent
3 different coaches, 3 different GMs, 5+ different starting goalies, 10+ different D.....same old Matthews

 

[Divine]

He missed two playoff games out of six. Trying to pin this season's results on those two games a literal calendar year ago is not a sensible argument.

This is under the assumption that he came back 100% healthy… which we know isn’t true considering he was playing on the third line on his return.

 

[Dr Pepper]

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?

Hard to say, since the team (and Auston) were annoyingly coy during that whole stretch and refused to say what exactly he was even doing over there.

 

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

That’s not true though.

Tyler Seguin? Panarin?

Panarin isn’t a Hart winner, and isn’t the best goalscoror in the league who can’t buy a goal in the second round. Panarin also doesn’t have a forward of Marner’s or even Nylander’s caliber to play with, he has to completely drive the offense. I can’t find an example of a Hart winner who drops off like this apart from Dionne maybe.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Both him and Marner have contracted Joe Thornton disease. Possibly from during the stint when they brought in Joe Thornton himself.

 

[Divine]

Hard to say, since the team (and Auston) were annoyingly coy during that whole stretch and refused to say what exactly he was even doing over there.

Telling the opposition Auston Matthews has an injured wrist benefits the Leafs how?

I wouldn’t expect the team to tell other teams that. I don’t know why you would expect that to even be an option.

The only times teams announce injuries like that is after the player goes out for surgery.

 

[Divine]

Panarin isn’t a Hart winner, and isn’t the best goalscoror in the league who can’t buy a goal in the second round. Panarin also doesn’t have a forward of Marner’s or even Nylander’s caliber to play with, he has to completely drive the offense. I can’t find an example of a Hart winner who drops off like this apart from Dionne maybe.

This is again moving the goalposts. Did the thread say anything about Hart winners?

You should start your own thread about Hart winners instead of derailing this one.

 

[sampollock]

9 years of the same laughable play

keep the core 4 together pls

 

[Kennerback]

For a shooter a wrist injury is a death sentence. See Laine. From top goal-scorer to total impotence. But can you sit Matthews if he’s injured. The season is riding on these games.

 

[TD Charlie]

The funny thing is, a couple great showings here would just about erase all of that reputation.

My bad.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Telling the opposition Auston Matthews has an injured wrist benefits the Leafs how?

I wouldn’t expect the team to tell other teams that. I don’t know why you would expect that to even be an option.

The only times teams announce injuries like that is after the player goes out for surgery.

Well it seems preferable to keeping his own team's fanbase in the dark.

Players get injured, some far more than others, it happens, and teams deal with it.

Some teams are just more open about what their players are going through, while others choose to keep their cards close to the vest. Leafs clearly fall into that latter group.

Also, pretty sure the league notices when "the best goal scorer in the league" sees his production drop by more than half. Not too hard to figure out there's something at play there, so why hide?

 

[Divine]

Well it seems preferable to keeping his own team's fanbase in the dark.

Players get injured, some far more than others, it happens, and teams deal with it.

Some teams are just more open about what their players are going through, while others choose to keep their cards close to the vest. Leafs clearly fall into that latter group.

Also, pretty sure the league notices when "the best goal scorer in the league" sees his production drop by more than half. Not too hard to figure out there's something at play there, so why hide?

You hide because there’s no benefit in telling the league what a players injury is.

You don’t want players to start targeting his wrist. Let them speculate.

Why do all teams wait until after the playoffs to disclose injuries?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Telling the opposition Auston Matthews has an injured wrist benefits the Leafs how?

I wouldn’t expect the team to tell other teams that. I don’t know why you would expect that to even be an option.

The only times teams announce injuries like that is after the player goes out for surgery.

There was more thought at the time it was his back, no-one really knows.

 

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

This is again moving the goalposts. Did the thread say anything about Hart winners?

You should start your own thread about Hart winners instead of derailing this one.

The bottom line is this:

Panarin:
RS: 33g 62a 95 pts in 82
Playoffs: 24g 45a 69 pts in 82

Matthews:
52g 43a 95 pts in 82
Playoffs: 31g 41a 72pts in 82

Very comparable drop off with the exception of goal scoring. Matthews goal drop off is pretty unheard of. I would buy the injury excuse, but his goal scoring has dropped off every year since 2020 with the exception of a small sample size of 2022. If he was nagging an injury, why wasn’t he rested the last 10 games in the regular season?.

 

[Summer Rose]

You hide because there’s no benefit in telling the league what a players injury is.

You don’t want players to start targeting his wrist. Let them speculate.

Why do all teams wait until after the playoffs to disclose injuries?

HIPAA (which is about patient privacy) is a big thing, at least to speak for the United States. I don't know about Canada, but I'd guess there's an equivalent up there as well. The injured player has the sole right to allow any detail whatsoever to be disclosed about the injury. I don't see how anyone benefits by doing so, except for gambling companies maybe.

As for why they get disclosed after the team's season is over, not sure. Maybe there's something in the CBA about waiving that right after the season.

 

[Divine]

Very comparable drop off with the exception of goal scoring. Matthews goal drop off is pretty unheard of. I would buy the injury excuse, but his goal scoring has dropped off every year since 2020 with the exception of a small sample size of 2022. If he was nagging an injury, why wasn’t he rested the last 10 games in the regular season?.

This has been reported on all season. Dreger said the belief is it’s something that won’t get better with rest or worse through playing.

 

[stewy04]

This is again moving the goalposts. Did the thread say anything about Hart winners?

You should start your own thread about Hart winners instead of derailing this one.

All you have done is move goal posts. What do the oilers have to do with most leafs stars disappearing when the going gets tough. Leafs have never made the 3rd round........ ever. It didnt exist when they won the cup. Pick a new team man you were brainwashed. Literally multiple generations have seen this and still come out if the woodwoks and go to other teams rinks during the season and cheer. I don't get it.

 

[Summer Rose]

All you have done is move goal posts. What do the oilers have to do with most leafs stars disappearing when the going gets tough. Leafs have never made the 3rd round........ ever. It didnt exist when they won the cup. Pick a new team man you were brainwashed. Literally multiple generations have seen this and still come out if the woodwoks and go to other teams rinks during the season and cheer. I don't get it.

The Leafs have made the third round plenty of times. Last time was the ECF in 2002, which was the third round. They've never won a third round, but they've made it plenty.

 

[stewy04]

The Leafs have made the third round plenty of times. Last time was the ECF in 2002, which was the third round. They've never won a third round, but they've made it plenty.

Sorry my ba

The Leafs have made the third round plenty of times. Last time was the ECF in 2002, which was the third round. They've never won a third round, but they've made it plenty.

Sorry my bad... dammit