Speculation: Something is wrong with Matthews...

[Azail]

I wouldn't bet on that. Edmonton is a dumpster fire and shit can go south really fast there. Matthews scores at least 50

Edmonton may be a dumpster fire, which I don't necessarily think is true, but McDavid is so good it doesn't matter how bad or good his team is. As long as him and Drai are there, they will score/put up points.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

It’s about time he finally ripped one like that. Hopefully he can build on that and we can see more of that patented wrister going forward.

 

[ToneDog]

Edmonton may be a dumpster fire, which I don't necessarily think is true, but McDavid is so good it doesn't matter how bad or good his team is. As long as him and Drai are there, they will score/put up points.

McDavid has separated himself from the rest of the league. Nobody is close IMO.

 

[Menzinger]

Is this comparison using percentage or actual dollars?

Mcdavid makes 12.5 mil and the lowest player makes 750k. That means mcdavid makes 16.667 x more than the depth players.

Both. As an NBA comparison, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors makes about 48mil this year vs the bottom payroll guys earning anywhere from 1-5mil each.

 

[Stamkos4life]

Both. As an NBA comparison, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors makes about 48mil this year vs the bottom payroll guys earning anywhere from 1-5mil each.

That's wild.

I wonder what the difference is for baseball players too.

 

[BallardEra]

Last year he had the same 8 goals after his first 18 games.

Then he went on a crazy run of 17 goals over his next 15 games.

The worrisome thing about him this season is that he only has 2 goals during 5 on 5 play.

 

[MAB1]

That's wild.

I wonder what the difference is for baseball players too.

Just as dramatic, rookies on an MLB roster make as little as $500,000 while the highest paid players make $40-50 million per year.

 

[Aashir]

Matthews is 100% done playing in Toronto. He will be traded after this season, take that to the bank. He is as good as gone already.

He wants nothing to do with Toronto or the country of Canada. He has made that as clear as day, the same way that Kawhi Leonard did when he left the Raptors to go home to Los Angeles.

I’ll take the massive haul we get from him if he gets traded we are getting back prime assets which we could package together to significantly improve the team, or start a retool

Last year he had the same 8 goals after his first 18 games.

Then he went on a crazy run of 17 goals over his next 15 games.

The worrisome thing about him this season is that he only has 2 goals during 5 on 5 play.

Thing is last year past like game 10-15, he started to look pretty good, he just couldn’t finish

Remember his first game back against the rangers? He had like 10 shots and hit a post, he was more dominant in that singular game than he has been this entire season

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Matty is looking much better then he did 1st 10 games of season .. you really can't go off of Devils game as they are just a much faster team (likely fastest in nhl) .. he can now skate to offensive end and then get back and defend too .. his 2way game is back .. he will be fine on scoring again too .. real issue is why did he come to camp is such bad shape? .. he used start of season as his training camp .. to me that speaks to his character

 

[Fogelhund]

Matty is looking much better then he did 1st 10 games of season .. you really can't go off of Devils game as they are just a much faster team (likely fastest in nhl) .. he can now skate to offensive end and then get back and defend too .. his 2way game is back .. he will be fine on scoring again too .. real issue is why did he come to camp is such bad shape? .. he used start of season as his training camp .. to me that speaks to his character

Or an injury in the offseason... who knows.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

I look at the experience of championship era players on the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in the State of California and you may as well be playing semi pro sports. There's virtually zero popular culture appeal to doing anything on those teams beyond the actual fanbase. Guys like Drew Doughty like to brag about being left alone on the beach but is it really that good?

Yes.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

Matthews just needs to drive his own line. Let Marner play with the puck on the second line where Tavares can pot some garbage type goals around the net when Marner gets tired of doing his curls and twists and turns. Let Nylander feast and dominate as the 3rd line C. And then have the ever steady Kampf on the 4th.

Bunting Matthews xxx
xxx Tavares Marner
xxx Nylander xxx
Aston-Reese Kampf xxx

Just switch Nylander and Marner. Simple shack-up. Sometimes I wonder who really decides Matthews' right-winger: Keefe or the man himself.

 

[cannucky]

He needs to have the puck to shoot it. Marner and Bunting/akerfoot losing pucks in the o-zone and marner forcing plays giving away pucks is the main culprit IMO

Is Matthews suppose to drive the line, drive the possession, play defense as a center, win puck/board battles, pass the puck to himself, and shoot while his line mates chill?

Yes ...see Nathan Mackinnon and Connor McJeebus , if you want to fantasize about him being their equal or better than he needs to start doing all those things because they sure as heck do .

 

[PromisedLand]

Yes ...see Nathan Mackinnon and Connor McJeebus , if you want to fantasize about him being their equal or better than he needs to start doing all those things because they sure as heck do .

they do that because they carry the puck. Matthews usually defers to marner carrying the puck in teh zone.

Heck when McJesus and Mack carry the puck and make a play they usually have someone with a competent shot (Rantanen/Kane/etc...); Matthews is gonna make plays, and pass the puck to himself to snipe it too?

Matthews-Nylander is at least competent right now. That line is driving the play

 

[mydnyte]

I'm not sure what it is, exactly, be it an injury or simply not mentally engaged, but Matthews is nowhere close to the player that he was last year. Some will compare his pace from last year to this year and say that it's roughly on par and thus, nothing to be concerned about, but Matthews was coming off of wrist surgery last year, missed all of training camp, the pre-season and the first few regular season games. It understandably took a bit of time for him to warm up.

This year, he is (presumably) healthy and looks worse than I've ever seen him in his entire career thus far. On pace currently for 35 goals and what stands out to me more than anything is that (unless I'm mistaken), he hasn't scored a single one of his patented wrist shot goals this season. Remember when goals like this were a regular occurrence for him? That shot has been nowhere to be found this year. Just muffins (by his standards) into the goalies chest and more missed nets than I can ever recall him shooting. Something is definitely off.

bruised ribs can take a very long time to heal (4-6 weeks or longer if not resting) unless he got a fracture from the Benn x-check.
thats likely where if he has an injury hampering him it came from

 

[leafsfan5]

Last year he had the same 8 goals after his first 18 games.

Then he went on a crazy run of 17 goals over his next 15 games.

The worrisome thing about him this season is that he only has 2 goals during 5 on 5 play.

He looked a lot better last year, though. He was an absolute force on the ice 5v5. You could see he was working back into it and once the wrist was ready he would explode

That's not there this year, he isn't the factor he should be. And he's not using his wrist shot nearly as much as he should be

 

[Moonman]

I think Matthews looks extremely unhappy this.year.

 

[BigGulpsEh]

There is a slight worry creeping in. We are so use to him sniping at will especially 5 on 5.

Hope so to see him kick it up a gear real soon

 

[Aashir]

He looked a lot better last year, though. He was an absolute force on the ice 5v5. You could see he was working back into it and once the wrist was ready he would explode

That's not there this year, he isn't the factor he should be. And he's not using his wrist shot nearly as much as he should be

Bang on, this exactly

Last year it looked like he was unlucky to not finish, this year he’s looking lucky to even finish

 

[saffronleaf]

I don't think the injury makes that much of a difference since Matthews has been largely ineffective out there. Maybe he goes on LTIR and the team can pick up some good players to play in his stead.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

I don't understand why Matthews gets such a free pass.

When term is included, Matthews demanded McDavid money. Ie, Matthews argued he was the equal of the best player in the world. McDavid in points. Matthews in goals.

And that's been the case 2 years in a row, as Matthews won 2 rockets. Best goal scorer in the world. And McDavid has had the most points numerous years in a row.

But right now, almost 20 games in... 1/4th the season... Matthews is 33rd in goals. Yes. Thirty-third. The goal leaders have TWICE the amount of goals as him.

Can you imagine 20 games in and McDavid was THIRTY-THIRD in points and the point leaders have DOUBLE the points as him? Can you imagine? It would be media bedlam. It's what every sports panel and podcast would be talking about non-stop. Endless discussions about what the HELL is wrong with McDavid and criticisms about his attitude and endless "he clearly wants out of Edmonton" type hot takes.

With Matthews? McDavid's alleged "equal"? 33rd in goals? Half as many as leaders? Barely a peep from literally anywhere.

It's baffling.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Yes.

I remember in early 1990s walking into Shark tank arena with one of my bros friends on Sharks after breakfast for a morning game skate and never mind being bothered .. there was no one even around .. place was empty except da players and coaches and a couple security guys .. back then no one even knew what hockey was out there .. i am sure jumbo joe must have had fun every day riding around with his girls on his skates in da parks .. here he can't even hardly turn off his driveway in Rattray Marsh and people are bombarding him for autographs .. but to be fair it is like that almost everywhere in midwest us too .. lots of guys like that ambiguity where they can have a normal life except for a few questions here and there after games with da local sports reporter then they get in their car and hockey is forgotten to practice next day .. after going through rigors of minor and junior hockey here in Canada where it is everyone's religion it is a real nice change of pace

 

[Fogelhund]

IMO, Matthews looks better this year. Is hitting more, more defense, getting more shots than last year..... he's just not scoring. It's a big concern, but outside of the puck going in, he looks better than last year.

He has two goals 5v5... if he was shooting at his normal rate, he's got eight goals 5v5.. and 12 total.

 

[MAB1]

He's played 18 games...some of y'all are quite sad with how quick you are to overreact to everything and be overly negative. If this is how y'all are outside of the internet, pity the people stuck with you. Since small sample sizes mean everything for those I'm talking about.

First 9: 7 points (2 goals) = 18 goal, 64 point pace.
Last 9: 11 points (6 goals) = 55 goal, 100 point pace

He's producing like who he's always been his last 9 games, and his first 9 games were rather uncharacteristic looking at his career, even moreso considering his shooting %.