Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion

[Confucius]

Unless he bets against himself, I think he is a lock to score 70. Hell he might get to 75 if he keeps his foot on the gas and the two Florida teams mail in those final 2 games.

Pretty wild getting 2 goals in 3 games considered a lock.

 

[Confucius]

The 22 games does seem like a lot for a top 6 scorer.

Incredible what he has done in the other 3/4 of the season.

So if he managed to score in 4/4ths of the season instead of 3/4 we would have seen 93. 92 looking attainable for someone sooner than I thought.

 

[ULF_55]

In what way

Been a long time, but just feel he played center and did everything including fight and lead the team. It is possible Matthews has not peaked, and has Tavares blocked him from becoming Captain, or is he not captain material? Sittler was 2nd. youngest team captain?

Today McDavid is the best player, but I don't know if he is the best center. I'd look at prime Crosby as being a better center than McDavid. Today Crosby is definitely on the downside of his career and yet even today 11% of NHL players would take him in a one game win all, McDavid 59%.

 

[authentic]

Been a long time, but just feel he played center and did everything including fight and lead the team. It is possible Matthews has not peaked, and has Tavares blocked him from becoming Captain, or is he not captain material? Sittler was 2nd. youngest team captain?

Today McDavid is the best player, but I don't know if he is the best center. I'd look at prime Crosby as being a better center than McDavid. Today Crosby is definitely on the downside of his career and yet even today 11% of NHL players would take him in a one game win all, McDavid 59%.

Well for one thing 11% of NHLers are crazy, and Matthews if this is his peak is a far damn better one than I expected when he was drafted. He's the best goal scorer (by far) and two-way center in the world. He is easily captain material.

 

[authentic]

Matthews has 9 more goals than anyone has primary assists in the NHL (McDavid 60), 14 more even strength goals than anyone has even strength primary assists (McDavid 37)

 

[WillNy29]

Matthews has 9 more goals than anyone has primary assists in the NHL (McDavid 60), 14 more even strength goals than anyone has even strength primary assists (McDavid 37)

holy f***

 

[MCR74]

l want 70 just to see the onslaught of bullshit excuses and coping on the main board.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Look man, we all love Matthews but we should try to be reasonable too.

Ovi scored 65 goals in 82 games in 2008.
Matthews has 68 goals so far in 78 games, 79 for the team.

The top team in 2008 had a total of 262 goals and Ovi was on an average team with 242 goals.
The Leafs lead the league this season with 293 already. The top scoring team in 2008 would barely make the playoffs this season based on GF.

In 2008 they had 4 on 4 OT but not 3 on 3 OT.

The next most goals on Ovi's team was 26 and 21. Ovi had 112 points, the next best on his team was 69.
There were 10 40 goal or more goal scorers in 2008.
There are already 16 and will probably 18 this season.

One site (hockey-reference) that attempts to adjust scoring for eras has Ovi at 72 and Matthews at 70 so far. Take that for what it's worth.

We'll never be able to adjust stats for eras especially considering teammates, goalie equipment, health and ice time etc., but shirley you can see that scoring overall is definitely up and that there exists a legitimate argument that Ovi had a better or at least close to equal goal scoring season in 2008.

Either way it's pretty close, the rest is trolling.

The biggest change in those goal totals imo is empty netters. Teams didn’t start pulling the goalie with 2+ minutes to go until Roy started doing it, what would have been a 3-2 win in 2008 now often becomes a 4-2 win or 4-3 OT win more often.

Average goals per game can change without impacting top end scorers to the same degree. The empty netter inflation doesn’t really benefit Matthews too much but it does benefit some other stars and a lot of shut down role players. On aggregate the scoring level rises but the rising tide doesn’t lift all ships the same amount.

Same with guys like Bryan McCabe, you’re more likely to have a single Kaberle style D on your 1st PP unit. 4th best forward benefits, point shot D suffers, overall PP is more efficient and scoring is up. A big goal scoring D is more impressive today than in say Mike Green’s peak even though again by score adjustment, Green should get a boost over Makar or whoever’s season.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Matthews has 9 more goals than anyone has primary assists in the NHL (McDavid 60), 14 more even strength goals than anyone has even strength primary assists (McDavid 37)

MVP

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I really appreciate that he's just playing his game and taking care of things defensively first, rather than chasing a milestone. That said, Keefe's attitude about this whole thing is frustrating. I know he wants to be all about the team, but the team wants to see their superstar make history. Talking about how it's a distraction that doesn't help them is moronic. Any decent coach should be able to spin it into something for the team to rally around

 

[lipstickjunkie]

Matthews has 9 more goals than anyone has primary assists in the NHL (McDavid 60), 14 more even strength goals than anyone has even strength primary assists (McDavid 37)

This is just insane. Add that to be his defensive metrics and he really does have an extremely compelling case for the Hart. Probably should win. But I don't know if he will win.

 

[Zybalto]

I'm OK with MacKinnon winning the Hart over him but thats about it.

It would be a real scandal if Matthews doesnt get top 3 though.

 

[lipstickjunkie]

I'm OK with MacKinnon winning the Hart over him but thats about it.

It would be a real scandal if Matthews doesnt get top 3 though.

Agreed. Matty and MacK should be top two.

 

[saffronleaf]

With 69g, Matthews sets new leafs and personal goal record

 

[Jojalu]

With 69g, Matthews sets new leafs and personal goal record

Hope we see at least one more of these posts this year

 

[MapleLeafs77]

I really appreciate that he's just playing his game and taking care of things defensively first, rather than chasing a milestone. That said, Keefe's attitude about this whole thing is frustrating. I know he wants to be all about the team, but the team wants to see their superstar make history. Talking about how it's a distraction that doesn't help them is moronic. Any decent coach should be able to spin it into something for the team to rally around

I had to reread his quote again….like he is annoyed that matthews is almost at 70 goals. Matthews saved your job Keefe this season. Like its not a distraction and actually something that is making your best player be invested in while we lead up to playoffs.

Stop complaining

 

[WillyC]

just a thought… over the next 4 years that we have Matthews under contract… AM34 may be the only NHL player to flirt with 70 goals.

That would be so goat like of him.

 

[stickty111]

I had to reread his quote again….like he is annoyed that matthews is almost at 70 goals. Matthews saved your job Keefe this season. Like its not a distraction and actually something that is making your best player be invested in while we lead up to playoffs.

Stop complaining

There isn't anything wrong with what he said. It's more he doesn't want the team to forget about the ultimate goal.
If he was really focused on the 70 goals, the narrative would be he needs to focus on the playoffs.

 

[authentic]

Another crazy thing is he has the NHL record for posts hit this season with 20... Could you imagine how many more goals he could've scored with just a little more luck ?!

 

[hockeyes]

There isn't anything wrong with what he said. It's more he doesn't want the team to forget about the ultimate goal.
If he was really focused on the 70 goals, the narrative would be he needs to focus on the playoffs.

How would the team "forget about the ultimate goal"? Like Matthews gets 70 and Marner hops on a jet ski, completely forgetting to get on the plane for round 1?

Keefe could just not try to twist it into some half baked quote to show off how "serious" he is. If he was a half decent coach, he wouldn't be worried about his team losing focus in game 79.

 

[Jojalu]

Another crazy thing is he has the NHL record for posts hit this season with 20... Could you imagine how many more goals he could've scored with just a little more luck ?!

I posted that the other day.

50% of those posts go in and he is knocking on the door for 80 or a goal per game.

Incredible

 

[ZEBROA]

Will he play the last games?


About 11:50 in

I belive he is playing , but who knows

 

[BraveCanadian]

Average goals per game can change without impacting top end scorers to the same degree. The empty netter inflation doesn’t really benefit Matthews too much but it does benefit some other stars and a lot of shut down role players. On aggregate the scoring level rises but the rising tide doesn’t lift all ships the same amount.

At this point I think people are willfully ignoring this fairly obvious fact. Not only among top scorers but throughout the lineup as well.

How scoring is distributed though EV/PP/SH/ENG and how it is distributed through the lineup are hugely more important than simply adjusting by average scoring which has never and will never work.

 

[sxvnert]

Its guaranteed the Panthers will try to take a few important players out.

Would sit the core four + Rielly & McCabe against Florida. A rested group against a probably thinner Tampa roster should give Matty his best chance at 70.

Lineup vs panthers (11/7)

Bertuzzi Domi Robertson
McMann Holmberg Knies
Gregor Kampf Reaves
Dewer (Marlies)

Brodie Gio
Edmundson Lily
Benoit Timmins
Lyubushkin

Jones
Murray

 

[Andreas Ferrari]

Matthews has 9 more goals than anyone has primary assists in the NHL (McDavid 60), 14 more even strength goals than anyone has even strength primary assists (McDavid 37)

I still think the Leafs should have taken Laine.