The only way Matthews is comparable to McD, Drai, Mac, etc. Is in salary
Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion
- Thread starter TonsofPuppies
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thewave
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- Jun 17, 2011
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Rogers and Bell Media sensationalize everything Leafs, even if it's to their own detriment. They really need someone like Lou back or special advisors or something. It wont happen considering their corporate slogans are.
Our ineptitude comes at the taxpayers expense, always.
And
Do not better today, for tomorrow will come a greater grant.
Hats off for entering enemy territory with a jersey on your back.
Stephen
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- Feb 28, 2002
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I think of personal awards as the signposts along the way to greatness but obviously not the be all and end all in and of themselves. It’s just unfortunate those individual things and team success aren’t more closely linked together with AM34.
Aashir Mallik
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- Apr 19, 2019
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Mcdavid, Draisaitl, Kucherov, Mackinnon, Makar are all a tier above Matthews
Pastrnak just ended his season, and Panarin outproduced him for the 3rd time in 5 years and is in the second round. So those guys I’d argue can be better too. Kaprizov produces similarly too with much much less talent
Someone like rantanen has produced similarly for 3 of the past 4 years, but I guess he plays with Mackinnon
So that puts him 8-10th and not anywhere the first tier of players
- Oct 18, 2010
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He pulled chute. Went balls out for 70 goals (and failed), gave up when the team was dead. That's why he didn't even come out on the bench for the 3rd period. It's as clear as day. We wouldn't hear the end of it if he played with a stubbed toe, he'd be called some sort of warrior. But for some reason, no explanation on why he missed games when the team was done. But keep holding onto hope for this phantom injury on a guy who battles to be the highest paid player in the league but does nothing in the playoffs when it's actually hard (in the softest era of hockey ever, mind you).
He's a God.
Stephen
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- Feb 28, 2002
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Those guys show up all the time. Matthews (injuries and health notwithstanding this serie) shows up intermittently. There’s a gap there where it comes to his A Game on his best nights and his regular game and his C game. He has all the tools but doesn’t always use them.
- Jan 22, 2007
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Umm, his game 2 performance, while awesome, was just like the majority of playoff games McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Makar, Rantanen, and Kucherov play. Matthews plays ONE game in like 7 playoffs years where he scores 2 goals, is the best player on the ice, and we call it "sublime" like it's otherworldly? He's the highest paid player in the league and just scored 69 goals in the regular season... most of his playoff games should be like that game 2. Instead, we get one every few years like this in the playoffs from him? When McDavid is playing like that 3-4 times a series? Sorry, not good.
Tak7
Registered User
There's about to be a major tinfoil shortage in the GTA.
Go outside for a bit and get some fresh air - the hat's on a bit too tight.
Welsh Maple Leaf
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- Jan 9, 2017
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You are right, none of them can score goals at his level.
You named 3 players who play in the same team and another 2 who play in the same team.
Who is Matthews version of Rantanen? who is his Makar? Who is his Drai?
I do not think AM is close to the best in the league in 'talent'. A pure goal scorer? Yes, he might be the best in the league (the numbers sure do point that way) and he obviously is playing a good/great 2 way game. But in terms of overall offensive talent, scoring goals, setting up teamates, having the puck run through him....He's in the conversation for top 5, but not top overall.
Now, that is my opinion of his talent. Execution, will to win, pushing yourself to the limit, you need those things in addtion to talent. He's not AWFUL in those areas (he isn't lazy on the ice all the time) but he also doesn't seem to have that 'extra gear' he is willing to kick his game into during the playoffs that is sustainable for a whole series.
Talent? In the converstaion for top 5. Overall play? IN the top 10 ( probably 5-10 range). He's been in the playoffs 8 times now....if he wants to be in that converstation league wide for top 5, MAYBE for #1, he needs to immediately start showing that drive, that will to win that nothing will stop him, ideally in the playoffs and when he faces the other top guys (make it a point in head to head games that you will do anything, put your body on the line, to show you are better than McDavid, MacKinnon, Pasta, Kuch, and others)
Welsh Maple Leaf
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I would love to drop any one of those players in his shoes come play off time and perform better in this team, they won't.
- Oct 18, 2010
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He is in their tier.
He has to shoulder some of the blame for rhe Leafs failures in the playoffs but it's a team game.
If you look down the lists of the all time greats, a lot of them won later in their careers.
A lot missed the playoffs as much as they were in it.
He is the beat goal scorer in the league, and he plays a great 200 foot game.
There is something wrong wither with the roster construction, or just the Core guys collectively together.
There isn't a GM in hockey who wouldn't take Matthews.
- Jan 22, 2007
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While I'm not putting credence into whichever theory this person you referenced is pushing, I think it's fair to say this...
Great players play sick, injured, etc. all the time in the playoffs, some ailments so severe, you can't even imagine them playing with a straight face. Heck, Leafs lore is built upon guys like Bobby Baun scoring a historic playoff goal on a broken leg. Patrice Bergeon played with a hole in his lung. Dave Poulin played 3 rounds for Philly with broken ribs. Mario Lemieux played when he couldn't even tie his own skates or place his carry-on bag above his head on the plane. A good friend of mine worked in the Flyers locker room for years and told me some players played while so sick they we're being juiced with IVs and propped up by any means necessary because they refused to not play.
So, we can speculate about "what this mystery ailment was" that kept the NHL's leading goal scorer out of a series where the largest spotlight was on the Leafs to finally succeed in the post season... or the Leafs (or Matthews himself) could have come out with a viable explanation about why he was unable to play. Instead, we received some ho-hum, nonchalant, cryptic "blow off" non answer.
Do I know what the issue was? Of course not. But something is "off" with him missing time, and more so with the way it was addressed today. I'm not sure why we're criticizing other fans and calling them names when our skepticism and cynicism should be directed at the Leafs and players?
McD and Drai make less than Matthews and Marner, have had an equally shitty supporting cast, yet still manage to put up point totals in line with their regular season totals. What's M+M's excuse?
- Oct 18, 2010
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Even on exit interviews hes not admitting what the injury was.
Careful, you'll be called a conspiracy theorist for questioning this warrior's heart!
I guarantee you there is once we factor in cap hits. Do you think Colorado or Dallas or Florida or Vegas would gut their depth to add him? Hell, do you think any of their respective GMs would trade MacKinnon or Rantanen, Eichel, Barkov or Tkachuk 1 for 1? I certainly don't
Really difficult to say.
If he became available, yea I do think all GM's would inquire about the cost.
If he had reached UFA, then 100% I believe everyone would make their pitch.
I do think if Rantanen is asking for 11 million, Col would easily trade him for Matthews 1 for 1. The difference of 2 mil for the leagues best goal scorer and one of the top 2 way players would be minimal.
Mack an easy no. He is already better than Matthews.
GM's don't look at his failures in Toronto and say "He can't win". Their picture is much broader than that
They would simply determine if Matthews could help them win. The whole scenario changes under a different coach, different system, different linemates. They would say yes. He would help them win.
Ya, it was a level of play, in the playoffs, that I’d never seen from him before, he dominated it. And it felt sustainable to me. Had he not gotten sick and then injured I think we were going to get something special. We’ll never know. See if he figured out this time next year.
The guy tried to play through, for gods sake the doctors had to pull him off the ice in game 4.
AM ain’t the problem.
I'm not saying Matthews will never win a cup, but I do think he never will as long as he's both the highest paid player on a team and expected to be the best player on the team.
Put him in as a 2nd or 3rd best forward (and paid accordingly) with no leadership responsibilities and he certainly could win a cup. But Matthews has been a money first player his entire career, going back to his pre-draft season in Europe, so I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Tak7
Registered User
Without knowing what the actual injury was, we just aren't in a position to comment or pass judgment on Matthews - other than to say that they sounded genuinely grateful / appreciative that he even laced up in game 7, which suggests he was pushing through something.
Disappointed that we didn't get a better idea from him on what the injury was, but that's the way she goes.
I'm not prepared to dunk on Matthews for not playing. I've never got the sense that he's a softie incapable of playing through pain/injury.
He, and the team, confirmed that he did have an injury.Um, you just posted that he said he had an injury earlier... He did not.
Keep up. It's not that hard to follow along.
I think Matthews can win a Cup being the best player.
I do not think Matthews can win the cup with this version of the Leafs.
The core 4 was a failure. They were a good team who could compete with the best, but not win when it mattered.
I highly doubt they move Matrhews or Nylander only for the fact they just reaigned.
If they move on from Marner and Tavares and go with a more balanced roster and find a #1 D then it's a different ball game.
As much as everyone uses Mack, he was on some stacked teams that missed the playoffs and didn't win shit.
Then Rantanen and Makar came on board and Mack is a 100 point player and looks the part.
Mack I consider the 2nd best player in the game, but he has a tonne of support. Makar was by far the best player in the Win series. Then Nichushkin and Lehkonen both went off.
- Oct 18, 2010
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