Post-Game Talk: John Tavares is a Toronto Maple Leaf.

[egd27]

You don't have to drop your gloves nor do you have to get into a fist fight. But for him to stand aroudn while team mates are defending him

Also on that note, just because you drop your gloves doesn't mean it's a guaranteed broken hand

But if you are going to slash someone, who is half of your size then just let Bunting do all the work is BS in my opinion. Do your own dirty work

I am not suggesting he has to get into fights., He doesn't. You can be tough to play against without dropping gloves.

Malkin also fought few people, I have yet to see him breaking his hands. He could have gone back and threw a hit on Flyers like Malkin has over the years

You'd think there was an epidemic of broken hands due to fights across the NHL

 

[Stephen]

Malkin gets a lot of space and time because opponents know, once in a while, he'll bury you if you mess with him

He has done that to Rangers so many times. Matthews is 6'3, he needs to man up once in a while, throw that big hit, drop the gloves especially if you started it

Yeah, Malkin is a great example of an unpredictable physical response. Young Crosby also had to fend off challenges.

 

[Mickey Marner]

You don't have to drop your gloves nor do you have to get into a fist fight. But for him to stand aroudn while team mates are defending him

Also on that note, just because you drop your gloves doesn't mean it's a guranteed broken hand

But if you are going to slash someone, who is half of your size then just let Bunting do all the work is BS in my opinion. Do your own dirty work

I am not suggesting he has to get into fights., He doesn't. You can be tough to play against without dropping gloves.

Malkin also fought few people, I have yet to see him breaking his hands. He could have gone back and threw a hit on Flyers like Malkin has over the years

It’s not even like breaking your hand in a fight is a big deal. McDavid broke his hand in a fight during his draft year, that didn’t matter. MacKinnon hurt his hand in a fight against Dumba last year and he lifted the cup.

Matthews doesn’t even have to fight, he just needs to show a pulse and stand up for himself and his teammates. Hell, I’d settle for even just doing it so he doesn’t look like a p***y on national television.

 

[notDatsyuk]

"Taking Konecny" there would not "create space". People will play him exactly the same.

Maybe they meant that Matthews would have all the space in the dressing room if he took a major penalty with under two minutes left.

 

[Stephen]

man, the extremes this place goes to.

Leave the Lamborghini in the garage where it can be perfect and safe. Our stars are too precious.

 

[Metroid]

If Matthews isn't embarrassed for what he did or didn't do, people in here shouldn't be lol

 

[ToneDog]

It always baffles me when people respond negatively to the idea that any Leaf player could do a little more of something. Like they’re maxed on giving.

Me too but this is now how Shanny prefers to win.

 

[kevsh]

Matthews not wanting to break his hand on a Flyer's face and keep healthy for Boston on Saturday is what our Hart trophy winning center should be doing.

That sounds good, but I doubt anyone believes that in that moment Auston was thinking "I don't want to break my hand on a Flyer's face. I want to keep healthy for Boston on Saturday."

The circumstantial evidence we've seen in his time here is that there is never a time that Matthews will decide he wants to drop the gloves, and it has nothing to do with keeping healthy for the next game.

I said maybe a couple of years ago that Simmonds and Matthews should stay late practice a few times so Wayne can show him how to fight, at least fight smart. If 34 had some confidence that he could at least hold his own he probably drops them once in awhile so that opponents respect it.

 

[TMLAM34]

It’s not even like breaking your hand in a fight is a big deal. McDavid broke his hand in a fight during his draft year, that didn’t matter. MacKinnon hurt his hand in a fight against Dumba last year and he lifted the cup.

Matthews doesn’t even have to fight, he just needs to show a pulse and stand up for himself and his teammates. Hell, I’d settle for even just doing it so he doesn’t look like a p***y on national television.

I honestly think Konecny called him a “f***ing p***y” last night. At least that’s what I read from his lips.

 

[Stephen]

It’s not even like breaking your hand in a fight is a big deal. McDavid broke his hand in a fight during his draft year, that didn’t matter. MacKinnon hurt his hand in a fight against Dumba last year and he lifted the cup.

Matthews doesn’t even have to fight, he just needs to show a pulse and stand up for himself and his teammates. Hell, I’d settle for even just doing it so he doesn’t look like a p***y on national television.

All he had to do was grab Konecny by the shoulders, throw him down to the ice and pin him there for a few seconds. It’s a simple non fight response to a challenge. It’s not the end of the world that he didn’t but the argumentation about injuries and preciousness of stars is just a little too much.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Meh, the last couple of years when he tried to make dangles he was often just losing the puck. The only time I can think of where it worked was against Winnipeg where he dangled inside-out and fed Nylander for the one timer. I was actually more concerned about his hands than his legs but he looks noticeably better this year. Anyways, I don't disagree, Philadelphia is terrible all around lol, but that goal is still worth all the praise.

That type of play doesn't work very often for anyone. It worked for JT last night, and it was a thing of beauty.

 

[Stephen]

That sounds good, but I doubt anyone believes that in that moment Auston was thinking "I don't want to break my hand on a Flyer's face. I want to keep healthy for Boston on Saturday."

The circumstantial evidence we've seen in his time here is that there is never a time that Matthews will decide he wants to drop the gloves, and it has nothing to do with keeping healthy for the next game.

I said maybe a couple of years ago that Simmonds and Matthews should stay late practice a few times so Wayne can show him how to fight, at least fight smart. If 34 had some confidence that he could at least hold his own he probably drops them once in awhile so that opponents respect it.

The major disconnect here is if the organization and player both decide that Matthews should NEVER engage in anything, then why don’t they designate the Bunting spot on the top line a protector role and simply have a Zack Kassian fight all his battles?

 

[Magic Man]

I think Matthews is inconsistent physically, but he may be the hardest hitter on the team when he's engaged. I liked that he went back at Konecny after the late bump and I liked that he gave him a forearm shiver near the tail end of the scrum. I do agree with the others though that he should have been a greater part of that scrum. From Bunting and Gio that is what you expect to see, but Matthews doesn't have to stand around and watch. I would have liked to see him get more involved.

 

[Warden of the North]

I remain convinced that the majority of Leafs fans would rather have Tie Domi over Auston Matthews

 

[GoonieFace]

Matthews should not be fighting obviously, but the initial slash and than subsequent cross check and smirk on his face when Konecy came back at him is a little much. Most people would be livid if something was mocking them while their buddies took care of business. He should have completely separated himself from the situation if he had no intentions of defending himself

 

[Dekes For Days]

The alternative line of thinking is Matthews and our stars are too precious to risk in any of the “old school” stuff.

No, the alternative line of thinking is that:
-players aren't dissuaded from actions or playing stars hard because of "responses"
-teams and teammates prefer that their reigning Hart trophy winner with a history of wrist injuries not get into physical altercations because they can help the team in way, way, way more impactful ways
-a minor scrum that was already being handled at the end of a nothing 5-2 game at the beginning of the regular season is not one of the rare outlier moments where more than the shoving, facewashing, and cross checking that Matthews did was necessary

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Just a reminder that Matthews had more goals and points in 73gp last season than Rupp had in 600gp, riding the coat tails of legends.

 

[ACC1224]

What Does Connor McDavid's Injury Reveal About Fighting in the NHL?

Connor McDavid is one of those rare prospects whom scouts praise as a franchise-defining player. Not since Sidney Crosby has a prospect been touted in the way that the Erie Otters’ centre has...

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yes he broke his hand in junior, what does that have to do with anything?

 

[ToneDog]

That sounds good, but I doubt anyone believes that in that moment Auston was thinking "I don't want to break my hand on a Flyer's face. I want to keep healthy for Boston on Saturday."

The circumstantial evidence we've seen in his time here is that there is never a time that Matthews will decide he wants to drop the gloves, and it has nothing to do with keeping healthy for the next game.

I said maybe a couple of years ago that Simmonds and Matthews should stay late practice a few times so Wayne can show him how to fight, at least fight smart. If 34 had some confidence that he could at least hold his own he probably drops them once in awhile so that opponents respect it.

Reminds me of the movie Youngblood



Was surprised it was Eric Nesterenko (RIP) who played the dad who taught his son to fight. "You can learn to punch in the barn but you have to learn how to survive on the ice". LOL.

 

[TMLAM34]

Hope to see Holmberg get a couple more games in here to see what he’s really got. Solid first game though. Can see him developing into a Kampf type player.

 

[NinjaKick]

feels like a win we can build on... GG boys

 

[Stephen]

No, the alternative line of thinking is that:
-players aren't dissuaded from actions or playing stars hard because of "responses"
-teams and teammates prefer that their reigning Hart trophy winner with a history of wrist injuries not get into physical altercations because they can help the team in way, way, way more impactful ways
-a minor scrum that was already being handled at the end of a nothing 5-2 game at the beginning of the regular season is not one of the rare outlier moments where more than the shoving, facewashing, and cross checking that Matthews did was necessary

So what’s the big takeaway here at the end of all of this? Our players are maxed out and perfect in the way they handle all situations. No room for growth at an individual level. The team is perfectly constructed to handle all game situations. No room for improvement. Just pure perfection. Next time let’s see what happens when there are 2x 6’3” guys intent on starting trouble.

 

[Nineteen67]

Meh, the last couple of years when he tried to make dangles he was often just losing the puck. The only time I can think of where it worked was against Winnipeg where he dangled inside-out and fed Nylander for the one timer. I was actually more concerned about his hands than his legs but he looks noticeably better this year. Anyways, I don't disagree, Philadelphia is terrible all around lol, but that goal is still worth all the praise.

The point everyone is making, if they play like they have the last 5 games, including last night, and Boston and Carolina play like they have been, they’ll be hard pressed to win those games.

 

[andora]

I think Matthews is inconsistent physically, but he may be the hardest hitter on the team when he's engaged. I liked that he went back at Konecny after the late bump and I liked that he gave him a forearm shiver near the tail end of the scrum. I do agree with the others though that he should have been a greater part of that scrum. From Bunting and Gio that is what you expect to see, but Matthews doesn't have to stand around and watch. I would have liked to see him get more involved.

That last forearm i dont like if he had no intention of doing anything.. it was over. Doing that could incite something worse

So what’s the big takeaway here at the end of all of this? Our players are maxed out and perfect in the way they handle all situations. No room for growth at an individual level. The team is perfectly constructed to handle all game situations. No room for improvement. Just pure perfection. Next time let’s see what happens when there are 2x 6’3” guys intent on starting trouble.

Yeah.. duh

 

[ACC1224]

I remain convinced that the majority of Leafs fans would rather have Tie Domi over Auston Matthews

That's what you get from this?