let’s set the record straight: at no point to this point in his career has Matthews played a single game, either playoff or regular season, as the highest paid in the NHL. Not one.
Also he HAS taken responsibility in the past publicly, and I’m sure has privately as well. And even if he hadn’t I don’t need Matthews or any other Leaf to individually throw himself on the sword when talking to the media after playoff failure.
In the playoffs he was good to very good in games 1 and 2 and then suffered a head injury by the sounds of the info we’re getting. That IS valid, contrary to your insinuation by putting the word in quotes.
You’re not wrong to say he absolutely needs to be better, but suggesting he should be traded is pretty ridiculous as far as I’m concerned. This team has much much larger playoff problems
So he's not because he makes 600k less than McDavid lol.
When? 1 goal in 10 games isn't enough for 13.5 million (you're probably going to point out it's only 13.25 lmfao)
Only in Toronto can someone earn praise for being "very good," while other superstars go 2ppg, 3ppg, gpg etc, in Toronto as BASICALLY the highest paid player in the league do you get a pass.
His totals are the very close to Marners, season to playoff ppg/gpg:
1.16/.66
.87/.42
1.1/.33
.88/.2
Bigger dropoff overall, better goal scoring, basically the same.
He shouldn't get traded for nothing, but he's not remotely close to worth his salary come playoff time. 100% he should be available if he's willing to waive and you can get equal/greater value for him.
In his first 53 playoff games Sundin had:
25 goals 50 points in a way lower scoring era with a lesser team
In his first 55 playoffs games Matthews has:
23 goals 48 points in a way higher scoring era with way more help
Matthews is literally in the talk for being the greatest goal scorer of all time when it's all said and done, yet come playoff time he is more Marleau/Thornton than he is Gretzky/Ovechkin