Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion

[GreytWun]

If Auston Matthews got to play the LA Kings every year, I'm sure his playoff stats would be much better.

Mackinnon is on another level though, but not as good as Makar. If you replace Rielly with Makar, I wonder how much better our Core 4 would look. The guy leads his team in playoff scoring (over MacK) as a defensemen.

What about when Matthews got to play Montreal and Columbus? Oh those probably don’t count right ?

 

[Lannes]

LAK Goals Against in 2023-2024: 215
BOS Goals Against in 2023-2024: 224

LAK Goals Against in 2022-2023: 257
VGK Goals Against in 2022-2023: 229
TBL Goals Against in 2022-2023: 254
FLA Goals Against in 2022-2023: 273

LAK Goals Against in 2021-2022: 236
CAL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 208
COL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 234
TBL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 233

Yes, clearly playing the L.A Kings is all the difference between the 2nd and 3rd highest playoff PPG's ever and Auston Matthews.

 

[Divine]

What about when Matthews got to play Montreal and Columbus? Oh those probably don’t count right ?

Why does everyone pretend like Montreal didn’t make the Stanley Cup Finals? They beat Vegas who went to the Finals the year before.

Was Florida a bad team last year?

LAK Goals Against in 2023-2024: 215
BOS Goals Against in 2023-2024: 224

LAK Goals Against in 2022-2023: 257
VGK Goals Against in 2022-2023: 229
TBL Goals Against in 2022-2023: 254
FLA Goals Against in 2022-2023: 273

LAK Goals Against in 2021-2022: 236
CAL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 208
COL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 234
TBL Goals Against in 2021-2022: 233

Yes, clearly playing the L.A Kings is all the difference between the 2nd and 3rd highest playoff PPG's ever and Auston Matthews.

Now do their playoff goals against.

 

[GreytWun]

Why does everyone pretend like Montreal didn’t make the Stanley Cup Finals? They beat Vegas who went to the Finals the year before.

Was Florida a bad team last year?



Now do their playoff goals against.

Matthews didn’t show up, what does this have to do with Montreal going to the finals? They weren’t a good team. The highest paid player can’t elevate to next level.

Edit and he’s not even a PPG player in playoffs

 

[Divine]

Matthews didn’t show up, what does this have to do with Montreal going to the finals? They weren’t a good team. The highest paid player can’t elevate to next level.

What bad team makes it to the SCF and goes 8-2 in the second and third rounds when not playing the Leafs?

 

[GreytWun]

What bad team makes it to the SCF and goes 8-2 in the second and third rounds when not playing the Leafs?

A COVID team that got to play within their Canadian division, then got destroyed in finals.

You can’t even compare McDavid, Draisaitl or McKinnon. They better than Matthews. Someone can’t put bias aside.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

I won't rip on Matthews too much for this series, given the fact that he was obviously dealing with something significant after game 2, a game which was arguably the best game of his career. That game 2 is actually why I am so hard on and critical of Matthews - it perfectly illustrates what Matthews is CAPABLE of, when he WANTS to be, but rarely DOES. I would strip JT of the C and give it to Matthews in the offseason, since this is (and always has been) his team and perhaps that responsibly would get him more engaged.

 

[KaN19]

Selke finalist.

 

[Lannes]

Why does everyone pretend like Montreal didn’t make the Stanley Cup Finals? They beat Vegas who went to the Finals the year before.

Was Florida a bad team last year?



Now do their playoff goals against. Their playoff goals against.

Yes, good point. Seems reasonable that L.A (but not magically Tampa or Boston) forgets how to play D in the playoffs despite being a consistently strong defensive team for years now. And that playoff goals against is not at all directly impacted by Draisaitl and McDavid being all-time playoff performers.

And Im pretty sure that Colorado and Vegas's playoff goals agaonst stood up pretty well when they beat the teams that beat the Leafs in two straight years.

 

[Divine]

A 69 goalscoring Selke finalist

 

[uncleben]

A 69 goalscoring Selke finalist

And Byng finalist

69 goals, top defensive game, and clean, penalty-free game

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Selke finalist.

We are SO back!

 

[Gary Nylund]

A 69 goalscoring Selke finalist

Yeah I just saw this news. The Byng I don't care about but nice to see him get the Selke nomination. I'm feeling a tad petty right about now so I'll add this - suck on it you Marner fanboys who were babbling all season long about how Selke worthy that little punk supposedly is.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

When do we learn what Matthews' mysterious illness is.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Did we find out what his injury was?

 

[647Hockey]

The problem with AM is that most of his goals require being open or getting fed by linemates. Once those dry up, he's not the kind of player to grind away or plow through opposition like McDavid or MacKinnon and score goals singlehandedly.

I dont think those guys give a shit whether Draisaitl or Rantonen etc... do well or not. Those guys can just zip around and score on their own.

With AM, he kind of floats around the boards and then jumps into open slots hoping a rebound comes to him or MM passes him the puck he can zing a one timer or wrist shot. Since AM's linemates mostly crash and burn during the playoffs (not Nylander), s does AM goal scoring.

Even for his lone goal, it was a slick lob pass from Domi. If Domi screwed up the pass, AM would have zero goals.

 

[sunstersun]

The problem with AM is that most of his goals require being open or getting fed by linemates. Once those dry up, he's not the kind of player to grind away or plow through opposition like McDavid or MacKinnon and score goals singlehandedly.

I dont think those guys give a shit whether Draisaitl or Rantonen etc... do well or not. Those guys can just zip around and score on their own.

With AM, he kind of floats around the boards and then jumps into open slots hoping a rebound comes to him or MM passes him the puck he can zing a one timer or wrist shot. Since AM's linemates mostly crash and burn during the playoffs (not Nylander), s does AM goal scoring.

Even for his lone goal, it was a slick lob pass from Domi. If Domi screwed up the pass, AM would have zero goals.

This is why there's an argument Nylander is a better offensive tool. It's become blatantly obvious you need elite speed to be a gamebreaker in the playoffs. Otherwise you're always reliant on someone else to generate offence.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Finalist for the Selke while leading the league in goals is super impressive.

Now do it in the playoffs!

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Finalist for the Selke while leading the league in goals is super impressive.

Now do it in the playoffs!

This is the kicker right here, he's nowhere near McJesus/McKinnon tier when it comes to playoffs. He has yet to dominate a series and put the team on his back. I no longer care about regular season heroics, it's meaningless unless you're Matthews' agent and you need negotiating fodder.

 

[Divine]

This is the kicker right here, he's nowhere near McJesus/McKinnon tier when it comes to playoffs. He has yet to dominate a series and put the team on his back. I no longer care about regular season heroics, it's meaningless unless you're Matthews' agent and you need negotiating fodder.

It’s because he’s not as dynamic. McDavid and MacKinnon use their speed to create separation. Matthews doesn’t have that same acceleration so he’s prone to being double or triple teamed with everyone blocking his shooting lanes.

You can’t double or triple MacK/McDavid because they’ll just blow past you in their first step.

The only real way I see Matthews improving his playoff scoring to over a PPG is if we have more scoring threats on the team so they can’t solely focus on Matthews. We basically did the same thing to Pastrnak last series and gave him nothing and he had a worse series than an injured Matthews who didn’t even play every game.

 

[Aashir Mallik]

69 goal scorer who can’t score in the playoffs

He’s not a top 5 player. Not even close. Don’t delude yourself

 

[Stephen]

69 goal scorer who can’t score in the playoffs

He’s not a top 5 player. Not even close. Don’t delude yourself

Auston Matthews is a Top 2-3 player in the league at his peak performance and ability. But his cruising altitude is few rungs lower because he simply no-shows more than those players who rank in the Top 5...

In terms of "big game" performance, he gets knocked down a few more levels. He can't consistently overcome the specific game planning against him, and he doesn't find alternative ways to make a big positive, winning impact. You can probably count on one hand all the big playoff games he's ever had, and calling games in the first round "big games" is almost a stretch when we talk about high stakes. And let's be real, the first round isn't even that high stakes. Last night vs Boston could have been another big moment, but it wasn't meant to be. The Boston series, injuries and all, not enough force even when he was healthy.

I don't think Matthews is a natural alpha dog. I think with a revamped Leafs core, they need to put him with a Mr. Personality who can fire him up and drag him into it. No shame in that, sort of like how Matthew Tkachuk raises Barkov's level, whereas Huberdeau did not.

 

[Stephen]

It’s because he’s not as dynamic. McDavid and MacKinnon use their speed to create separation. Matthews doesn’t have that same acceleration so he’s prone to being double or triple teamed with everyone blocking his shooting lanes.

You can’t double or triple MacK/McDavid because they’ll just blow past you in their first step.

The only real way I see Matthews improving his playoff scoring to over a PPG is if we have more scoring threats on the team so they can’t solely focus on Matthews. We basically did the same thing to Pastrnak last series and gave him nothing and he had a worse series than an injured Matthews who didn’t even play every game.

Well, he has size, power, agility and an active stick that is very different than Mackinnon and McDavid. He can absolutely dominate physically, but he doesn't use those gifts consistently. And he doesn't have the fire to destroy guys out there, and his historic running mate Marner kind of steers him away from that potential power game.

 

[ToneDog]

69 goal scorer who can’t score in the playoffs

He’s not a top 5 player. Not even close. Don’t delude yourself

34 goal pace in playoffs. Fitting I guess.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Personal awards don't really excite me. Who cares? I don't want to be too hard on him for this post season, but even if he was healthy would he look different in this series? I don't think so. The injury/illness is irrelevant. He has never put his team on his back and carried them in the playoffs.