Matthews with 0 goals in the tournament

[PaulD]

Who else was as good as Matthews in the series? Werenski? Hellebuyck? Who else? Eichel? The Tkachuks, but they had other issues.

The great 13 million dollar goal scoring wonder was out goaled by Sanderson, Bennet, both Tkachuks, Larkin, Guentzal, Stone, Crosby, McDavid, Mackinnon, Marchand, Grandlund, Barkov, to name a few.
Matthews was also on the ice not covering McDavid who had all night in the slot to beat Hellebuyck while the Leafs captain had nobody.
Did he stink all tourney? No. Was he great? Absolutely not.

...Larkin, Werenski, Slavin, both Tkachuks, Hellebuyck, Faber, Guentzel...the PREMIERE goal scorer in the League went without a goal...and no, his defensive play (which wasn't Selke-level...dunno where that myth came from) didn't make up for it...he had a bad tournament...yeah, he's taking a shyte-kicking which may be a bit much, but he didn't perform...

Never has performed or scored well in big games. His lousey play off record speaks for itself.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

DId anyone expect Matthews to be good this tournament? He has been dogshit for every playoff series he's been in.

Guy has all the talent in the world he just can't get it done when the going gets tough. Either he doesn't care enough, or he's soft mentally.

He's not Steve Yzerman. He's Alexei Yashin.

 

[conFABulator]

...Larkin, Werenski, Slavin, both Tkachuks, Hellebuyck, Faber, Guentzel...the PREMIERE goal scorer in the League went without a goal...and no, his defensive play (which wasn't Selke-level...dunno where that myth came from) didn't make up for it...he had a bad tournament...yeah, he's taking a shyte-kicking which may be a bit much, but he didn't perform...

The myth came from him getting Selke votes everyone of the past five or six seasons and finishing third in the vote last season.

His production was not great, but very few had great production. He seems to be taking a disproportionate beating for it. If he scored in OT, or if Brady scored on that chance the tournament ends with Matthews having a higher PPG than McDavid and Tournament MVP McKinnon (whom he finished tied with btw). I know he DIDN'T score in OT so it's and buts are candies and nuts but it is not like he was invisible. If he gets that OT point he finishes second in the tournament for PPG.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

The myth came from him getting Selke votes everyone of the past five or six seasons and finishing third in the vote last season.

...yup, that Toronto media voted strong for their boy...they did it for Marner too...shocking...

 

[conFABulator]

The great 13 million dollar goal scoring wonder was out goaled by Sanderson, Bennet, both Tkachuks, Larkin, Guentzal, Stone, Crosby, McDavid, Mackinnon, Marchand, Grandlund, Barkov, to name a few.
Matthews was also on the ice not covering McDavid who had all night in the slot to beat Hellebuyck while the Leafs captain had nobody.
Did he stink all tourney? No. Was he great? Absolutely not.


Never has performed or scored well in big games. His lousey play off record speaks for itself.

I can agree with this. I don't believe I am arguing that he was great, I am arguing against people saying he was terrible. If Brady Tkachuk scores that sitter in OT, Matthews finishes second in the entire tournament for PPG, ahead of McDavid. As it stands he finished tied with tournament MVP McKinnon for PPG. I know goals count for more and he should have had one or two but he was very good in this tournament.

 

[BertMcDrai]

View attachment 980247





Looked like Phil Danault out there , skate around , shadow a guy , break up a play here and there , anything but score a clutch goal , as usual.

When you look at his defensive game when the game winner was scored....just how bad can you defend?
It's not a surprise that he has chocked his entire career in important games, he seems to be mentally offline.
Overall he was good but when it matters he seems to get mental problems somehow.

 

[PaulD]

I can agree with this. I don't believe I am arguing that he was great, I am arguing against people saying he was terrible. If Brady Tkachuk scores that sitter in OT, Matthews finishes second in the entire tournament for PPG, ahead of McDavid. As it stands he finished tied with tournament MVP McKinnon for PPG. I know goals count for more and he should have had one or two but he was very good in this tournament.

1.That that didn't happen.
2. We are basing this on what did play out not "what if"
0 goals is 0 goals ......that's significant when you are the highest paid pure goal scorer in the world.

Regardless .....Hellebuyck hasn't won a big game on his life. It was in the bag.
Cheers

 

[PaulD]

Who else was as good as Matthews in the series? Werenski? Hellebuyck? Who else? Eichel? The Tkachuks, but they had other issues.

Tkachuks were good in game one. Matthews was invisible.
Guentzal was good in game two. Matthews hardly.
Matthews passed on game three.
Mathews was OK in game 4 but couldn't score and left McDavid wide open in the slot on the series winning goal.

In othercwords he brought his play off game

 

[Oilslick941611]

Embarrassing, truly.

USA won one game spectacularly and lost the other in an OT they thoroughly dominated with 10 forwards.

Despite Matthews and others not scoring.

what?

it was a 1 goal game until the last few seconds with an EN goal.

Both games were close and you can argue both teams could have won both, or lost both or split like that did, however only game was a final, and thats the one that matters most.

 

[PaulD]

DId anyone expect Matthews to be good this tournament? He has been dogshit for every playoff series he's been in.

Guy has all the talent in the world he just can't get it done when the going gets tough. Either he doesn't care enough, or he's soft mentally.

He's not Steve Yzerman. He's Alexei Yashin.

Like my wife's driving.
She's great in nice sunny weather. (regular season hockey)
Terrible in nasty weather. (play off hockey)

 

[Oilslick941611]

He's paid to score goals, his defence is cool and all, but you can get defensive forwards for pennies on the dollar compared to Matthews contract.

For Matthews, if he isn't scoring he is taking up a roster spot. He doesn't bring it in big games and and has a long list of failing when it matters most.

Sure he was injured, but so are many. McDavid was injured all last years and in the playoffs and still broke records. McDavid couldn't even lift the 4nations trophy over his head, hes been playing hurt this year too. Some players have what it takes and some dont. Unlike some I dont think this is a bad thing for international tournaments because not everyone can the best on the team when it comes star studded rosters, but matthews blended in too much. In the NHL its more damning to score all season and then dry up in the playoffs.

Matthews is a great player but he isnt anywhere near the top of tier of NHL players, not until he can prove he can bring it when matters.

The 4nations came down to Canadas best players were their best players and scored clutch when it mattered and the USA didn't. It was a fun tournament and I appreciate the players that made it so fun to watch by putting their bodies on the line and trying. At the end of the day it was a huge win for NHL and all involved.

 

[Bradely]

Matthews has not been healthy all season. There is something going on with him for sure.

Alot of the top players play w/o being 100%. 82 games they are targeted causing this. Mathews ain't different.

 

[PaulD]

The myth came from him getting Selke votes everyone of the past five or six seasons and finishing third in the vote last season.

His production was not great, but very few had great production. He seems to be taking a disproportionate beating for it. If he scored in OT, or if Brady scored on that chance the tournament ends with Matthews having a higher PPG than McDavid and Tournament MVP McKinnon (whom he finished tied with btw). I know he DIDN'T score in OT so it's and buts are candies and nuts but it is not like he was invisible. If he gets that OT point he finishes second in the tournament for PPG.

All true. But he didn't score. McDavid did.
Btw - Has the NHL scoring stud and Torontos God ever scored in a game 7? .....we know he's played in enough of them.

 

[North Cole]

Germany wasn't in the 4 nations so no surprise the best goal scorer had no goals.

 

[Banjo Cat]

DId anyone expect Matthews to be good this tournament? He has been dogshit for every playoff series he's been in.

I think he actually did pretty well in that series when they beat Tampa a couple years ago. He scored some big goals. But yeah, other than that....

 

[conFABulator]

All true. But he didn't score. McDavid did.
Btw - Has the NHL scoring stud and Torontos God ever scored in a game 7? .....we know he's played in enough of them.

Well, that took you long enough to get to. I thought we were having an actual hockey discussion about what transpired in the four nations cup, I didn't know it was all just a vehicle for Matthews bashing, which clearly seems to be anti-Leaf related.

When the expanded stats are released, we will see that Sullivan leaned heavily on Matthews in the Golf Medal game and specifically in OT. We will also see that Matthews played a strong possession game, assisted on both goals, and had numerous chances, probably more than anyone else on the US. I choose not to see that as what "he didn't do" which pretty much everyone else on his team didn't do also. Maybe if more players around him showed up and delivered it would be all about Matthews not doing enough. If the "stars" around him did even a little bit of their jobs better Matthews is the captain hoisting that Trophy.

Also, the stats will show that Marner earned a promotion to top line and shortened bench and was among the top ice timers for Canada in OT. He set up the winning goal, the tying goal, and of course score the OT winner in G1.

As Leafs fans we have a lot to be encouraged by with our star player performances.

 

[VeteranPresence]

The most impactful US forward by far in the final game, despite playing injured.

I mean I guess there isn’t a bigger impact possible in a game than abandoning your man in OT!

 

[Lahey]

He's paid to score goals, his defence is cool and all, but you can get defensive forwards for pennies on the dollar compared to Matthews contract.

For Matthews, if he isn't scoring he is taking up a roster spot. He doesn't bring it in big games and and has a long list of failing when it matters most.

Sure he was injured, but so are many. McDavid was injured all last years and in the playoffs and still broke records. McDavid couldn't even lift the 4nations trophy over his head, hes been playing hurt this year too. Some players have what it takes and some dont. Unlike some I dont think this is a bad thing for international tournaments because not everyone can the best on the team when it comes star studded rosters, but matthews blended in too much. In the NHL its more damning to score all season and then dry up in the playoffs.

Matthews is a great player but he isnt anywhere near the top of tier of NHL players, not until he can prove he can bring it when matters.

The 4nations came down to Canadas best players were their best players and scored clutch when it mattered and the USA didn't. It was a fun tournament and I appreciate the players that made it so fun to watch by putting their bodies on the line and trying. At the end of the day it was a huge win for NHL and all involved.

If he isn’t scoring, he’s taking up a roster spot? All I needed to read to know that your opinion is dog water haha

 

[Oilslick941611]

If he isn’t scoring, he’s taking up a roster spot? All I needed to read to know that your opinion is dog water haha

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

May we all get the benefit of the doubt this goof does. The same folks that were ripping Marner all tournament are in here making excuses for Matthews. Unbelievable (not really).

 

[PaulD]

Well, that took you long enough to get to. I thought we were having an actual hockey discussion about what transpired in the four nations cup, I didn't know it was all just a vehicle for Matthews bashing, which clearly seems to be anti-Leaf related.

When the expanded stats are released, we will see that Sullivan leaned heavily on Matthews in the Golf Medal game and specifically in OT. We will also see that Matthews played a strong possession game, assisted on both goals, and had numerous chances, probably more than anyone else on the US. I choose not to see that as what "he didn't do" which pretty much everyone else on his team didn't do also. Maybe if more players around him showed up and delivered it would be all about Matthews not doing enough. If the "stars" around him did even a little bit of their jobs better Matthews is the captain hoisting that Trophy.

Also, the stats will show that Marner earned a promotion to top line and shortened bench and was among the top ice timers for Canada in OT. He set up the winning goal, the tying goal, and of course score the OT winner in G1.

As Leafs fans we have a lot to be encouraged by with our star player performances.

Nah. Thing is. His fans do enough bragging about him (69 goal scoring best of all time etc etc) have him high expectations in a best on best comes with that.
He's a goal scorer. Like OV. They score goals. It's what they are best at. When ever players of that ilk score NO GOALS in a big tourney or series its gets noticed.....sometimes loudly. Are you new?

 

[VeteranPresence]

Well, that took you long enough to get to. I thought we were having an actual hockey discussion about what transpired in the four nations cup, I didn't know it was all just a vehicle for Matthews bashing, which clearly seems to be anti-Leaf related.

When the expanded stats are released, we will see that Sullivan leaned heavily on Matthews in the Golf Medal game and specifically in OT. We will also see that Matthews played a strong possession game, assisted on both goals, and had numerous chances, probably more than anyone else on the US. I choose not to see that as what "he didn't do" which pretty much everyone else on his team didn't do also. Maybe if more players around him showed up and delivered it would be all about Matthews not doing enough. If the "stars" around him did even a little bit of their jobs better Matthews is the captain hoisting that Trophy.

You can post 10,000 more words and it doesn’t change the score sheet in the GMG or tournament overall. No excuses can overcome the narrative that Matthews has made for himself- he disappears in the biggest games. As supposedly one of the best in the world, that’s a dagger in both his legacy and current status. Playing a strong “possession game” means zilch. “Expanded stats” mean zilch. The only bias is the one being shown in posts like this.

I guess this answers the question though of what it would take for Leafs fans to criticize one of their own: nothing. Absolutely nothing can shake the unwavering belief that all their players are the best and every other fan is out of touch, even as they watch one of their own abandon the best offensive player of his generation in the slot to chase shadows while himself failing to bag just one goal. It is truly wild.

 

[TheDoldrums]

For Matthews, if he isn't scoring he is taking up a roster spot.

The guy who assisted both US goals and had most of their chances was “taking up a roster spot” on a team where most of their forwards didn’t show up. It’s tough to be this aggressively wrong, good stuff.

 

[PaulD]

If he isn’t scoring, he’s taking up a roster spot? All I needed to read to know that your opinion is dog water haha

Matthews scored 0 goals best on best is a topic of discussion.

 

[Stephen]

I said before the tournament when USA named Matthews captain that the way things were going in Toronto you're not going to have to worry about Matthews in a power on power vs McDavid, Crosby and Mackinnon.

However, he had a great gold medal game, was on the ice for the OT loss but otherwise this is not a great season for Matthews, not healthy, not the best version of him.

As a Canadian I'm sure glad he was stopped on those OT scoring opportunities, but to change his big game legacy those need to go in. You can't get robbed by Binnington (or Price, or Merzlikins, Korpisalo, Rask, Swayman, Vasilevskiy, Bobrovsky) and whomever has stopped him dead in his tracks in the playoffs.