News Article: Why Auston Matthews is Embracing a Penalty-Killing Role at Maple Leafs Training Camp and How it Might be Deployed

[pcruz]

He also took a massive step backwards offensively. So if the trade off is 60 goals and 100 points or all these defensive bells and whistles but 40 goals and 85 points... I want the pure production.

Back in the day we had guys like Jay McClement absorbing all this punishment and playing these hard minutes. I don't want to get late into the season or on a lengthy run and have to rationalize our lead horse is fatigued from a long season of killing penalties and getting pucks shot at him.

I do admire the desire to help the team in all facets. But at his cap hit I think you have to budget out what is the best use of his playing minutes and energy levels. PK is vital but to team success also low value stuff.

While you're not wrong, the drop in offense can easily be explained by 2 things:

The abysmally low shooting %.
The cross check by Jamie Benn.

Those 2 things account for 10-15 goals.

Which brings the season up to a 55 goal /100 point zone. Not a bad season at all....

 

[ACC1224]

Marner at least does it, Matthews never has, and if he has It's been nearly a decade

Yes if he was already doing it they wouldn’t be trying it, they would be continuing with it.

 

[Zur En Arrh]

When he starts killing penalties and does it at an elite level I wonder how hf mains will try and cope... gonna be great!!!

 

[v00d00daddy]

I'm fine with it .. but not as the go-to PKer. Getting him out there later in PK stint, 30 seconds and under, could help generate some transition offensively after the kill for a quick attack.

If folks are ok with Marner PKing, there shouldn't be much concern for Matthews.

He's also very strong on the draw.

Yeah. I’d be ok with this. Especially if Mitch is doing the first chunk of time .

 

[Buds17]

Long overdue move IMO. Nothing wrong with a complete player being utilized in all situations of the game.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

When he starts killing penalties and does it at an elite level I wonder how hf mains will try and cope... gonna be great!!!

Wait you think people are gonna be upset that he's good at killing penalties?? Somehow I doubt it

 

[supermann_98]

Long overdue move IMO. Nothing wrong with a complete player being utilized in all situations of the game.

Exactly. He’s got long reach and amazing hand-eye to pick off passes.

Penalty killing isn’t all about diving in front of and blocking shots. If he can disrupt an entry play with his good hands, or win a board battle with his size and strength and clear the puck down the ice, that shot blocking aspect isn’t even needed

 

[Arzak]

PKing is the new goal-scoring, time to earn that raise on penalty killing unit.

Never mind that we already have super-elite monster PK master blaster on this team.

Let's hope we won't end up with average PK once again.

 

[Mugzy97]

These coaches and players don’t worry about injuries as much as most people in this thread. Star players want to be on the ice as much as possible, and coaches want their stars on the ice as much as possible.

 

[Rob Brown]

Wait you think people are gonna be upset that he's good at killing penalties?? Somehow I doubt it

He's referring to the perpetual Leafs and Matthews bashers who will rip on him no matter what he does well. People still think he's bad defensively, so his point is that when it's even more obvious that Matthews is good defensively, the haters are going to have trouble coping with it.

 

[Nineteen67]

More time he and Marner are on the ice the better

Bergeron and Marchand did it, granted they had Chara, but having two highly skilled players out there keep most PP on their toes.

 

[studebaker17]

Bergeron and Marchand did it, granted they had Chara, but having two highly skilled players out there keep most PP on their toes.

Not to mention they're just simply better players at everything . Skills , reading the play , ect , ect . Games , esspecially playoff games are won on special teams .

 

[Fogelhund]

He also took a massive step backwards offensively. So if the trade off is 60 goals and 100 points or all these defensive bells and whistles but 40 goals and 85 points... I want the pure production.

Took a step backwards as it appeared to me as he suffered with wrist problems all year. His shot isn’t what it was. Now either that’s recovered and he’s back to Elite shot Matthews or last year is what we get, and he needs to do a lot of other things to help the team win

 

[Nineteen67]

Not to mention they're just simply better players at everything . Skills , reading the play , ect , ect . Games , esspecially playoff games are won on special teams .

I still can’t understand how Nylander is not in the mix. The skill is there if they could get the dedication and effort.

 

[Fogelhund]

I still can’t understand how Nylander is not in the mix. The skill is there if they could get the dedication and effort.

Not every player has defensive instincts, no matter what their other abilities are. Maybe in time, and especially if he can learn to play C well, and be decent defensively in that role. I think it’s possible for him, but it could some time for him to learn it. Remember, this is a talented offensive guy, who’s primarily been used in those roles, not defensive roles.

 

[Nineteen67]

Not every player has defensive instincts, no matter what their other abilities are. Maybe in time, and especially if he can learn to play C well, and be decent defensively in that role. I think it’s possible for him, but it could some time for him to learn it. Remember, this is a talented offensive guy, who’s primarily been used in those roles, not defensive roles.

He hasn’t been used in D role because he won’t commit. To be an elite defender you need speed and quickness and he has that in spades. Then you add his size to the mix, his ability steal pucks and he could be elite, IMO.

 

[Fogelhund]

He hasn’t been used in D role because he won’t commit. To be an elite defender you need speed and quickness and he has that in spades. Then you add his size to the mix, his ability steal pucks and he could be elite, IMO.

Chicken and Egg situation really. I’m talking about going as far back as youth hockey. Some players just aren’t used in defensive situations their whole lives, as they are utilized offensively, leaving the defensive coverage to less talented players. He’s a guy who it appears his focus has always been on the offensive side.

I do agree with you though, he has many of the abilities that “should” make him a good defensive player, but that would take time to learn, and would also assume he has decent enough defensive instincts.

 

[pcruz]

There are a few proposed rule changes to penalties and power plays.

Full duration of power play regardless of scoring power play goal.

Power play granted regardless of scoring immediately before power play, but after penalty is signaled.

Shorthanded goal immediately ends penalty.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Reminds me of when Pat Quinn would throw Sundin and Mogilny out on the PK now and then and the other team would be almost on their heels as they weren't just dumping it down the ice when they got the puck, they'd be making plays the other way and pushing the PP into panic mode.

You don't wanna do it all the time but now and then Matthews and Marner on the same PK would cause some chaos out there no doubt

I'm fine with it .. but not as the go-to PKer. Getting him out there later in PK stint, 30 seconds and under, could help generate some transition offensively after the kill for a quick attack.

If folks are ok with Marner PKing, there shouldn't be much concern for Matthews.

He's also very strong on the draw.

I agree with the above comments - I like the idea of using Matthews on the PK but I feel like just doing it now and then as opposed to him being one of the main guys is the way to go. Being the #1C and taking the tough matchups takes a lot of energy, gotta keep him fresh for that IMO.

Not every player has defensive instincts, no matter what their other abilities are. Maybe in time, and especially if he can learn to play C well, and be decent defensively in that role. I think it’s possible for him, but it could some time for him to learn it. Remember, this is a talented offensive guy, who’s primarily been used in those roles, not defensive roles.

I think PK defence is different from ES defence. Like at ES, someone like Nylander just doesn't focus on D but on the PK, D is all there is so he would have no choice maybe? I say why not try him there, if it doesn't work then it doesn't work but what if he was great and we never found out because we never tried, that would be terrible. And I've been saying for a while now that he doesn't get enough ice time so this would help solve the problem of his talents being wasted. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. JMHO.

 

[notbias]

He already blocks a ton of shots, is this going to increase the risk of injury by that much?

This gives us another C option for draws and allows one of the best players at blocking shots and takeaways to play in situations where those are important.

 

[Stephen]

Took a step backwards as it appeared to me as he suffered with wrist problems all year. His shot isn’t what it was. Now either that’s recovered and he’s back to Elite shot Matthews or last year is what we get, and he needs to do a lot of other things to help the team win

People always worry about Matthews durability. I just find putting him on the PK will add more mileage while using him in the least likely place where he’s going to do what he does best. Score goals.

 

[supermann_98]

He already blocks a ton of shots, is this going to increase the risk of injury by that much?

This gives us another C option for draws and allows one of the best players at blocking shots and takeaways to play in situations where those are important.

He really block shots by anticipating and getting in the shooting lanes. Most of these shots hit the shin guards so it's not like he's dropping down each time to block a shot. He does take a stinger off an unprotected area once in awhile but hey, this is hockey.

By comparison I'm more worried about Marner as he DOES drop down quite often to block shots, but he's been one of our best penalty killers so you don't tell him he's too valuable 5-on5 to kill penalties

 

[Mess]

Most teams don't play their stars on PK because its the toughest minutes and you risk broken bones blocking shots and you want them fresh for offensive shits and PP.

Leafs would be smarter to double shift Matthews at times tossing his out there for an extra shift then tire him out killing penalties.

 

[ACC1224]

Most teams don't play their stars on PK because its the toughest minutes and you risk broken bones blocking shots and you want them fresh for offensive shits and PP.

Leafs would be smarter to double shift Matthews at times tossing his out their for an extra shift then tire him out killing penalties.

They do, he typically double shifts after a PK. If he's PKing he obviously won't be the next shift after the penalty ends, doubt the minutes are impacted that much.

IMO, this is going to start to become a new trend around the league, using the PK as an offensive opportunity. There is probably a crazy stat showing how often teams win with scoring a shorthanded goal.

(I don't believe they are looking at him as a primary PKer. He probably asked for the chance and they appeased him)

 

[m1ker]

It makes sense thinking about how many penalties were called the last 2 playoffs.