AM34 Contract

[psycat]

There is no player in the ball park of Matthews who gets as little PP time, or who plays with linemates as close to as low quality as Matthews' are.

Maybe if he wasn't made of glass he could handle more ice-time, hey I know it sucks since my fav player of all time is probably P Forsberg, but injuries are a problem for some players. Honestly I don't even say it to be rude or anything but wouldn't suprise me if previous injuries are a part of why he is getting comparatively low ice-time.

As for the topic around 100pts a season while being stellar or above in the play-offs.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Maybe if he wasn't made of glass he could handle more ice-time, hey I know it sucks since my fav player of all time is probably P Forsberg, but injuries are a problem for some players. Honestly I don't even say it to be rude or anything but wouldn't suprise me if previous injuries are a part of why he is getting comparatively low ice-time.

As for the topic around 100pts a season while being stellar or above in the play-offs.

That would be fair if the other Leafs were getting proper minutes. Babs simply cuts down everyone's minutes.

It's the way he coaches.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Matthews hasn't shown he's capable of handling an increased workload so the hypothetical icetime arguments are amusing. And the quality of his linemates isn't the issue, his inability to elevate those who play alongside him is the issue.

 

[Dache]

How can you argue a hot start is 'not a reflection of his actual capability' when it consistently happens? Just as you're hypothesizing to undermine Matthews abilities, someone else could make the argument that when rested, Matthews is the best player in the league and after continued stamina and physical maturity he would be able to sustain the 'hot streak' for longer.

By the way, Matthews always lights it up when coming back from injury also. He put up 10 points in 5 games after returning from injury, or 11 in 6, or 7 in 3. However you want to take it.

If it's easy to pick up points in the beginning of the season, why doesn't every player do it?

Does this just not go to show that the whole more minutes arguement is nonsense then?

 

[mitchthemitch]

Matthews hasn't shown he's capable of handling an increased workload so the hypothetical icetime arguments are amusing. And the quality of his linemates isn't the issue, his inability to elevate those who play alongside him is the issue.

really? because i've probably read over 100 posts on here saying that the only reason kapanen is any good is because he plays with matthews. he also made connor brown a 20 goal scorer

 

[biotk]

Maybe if he wasn't made of glass he could handle more ice-time

Yawn.

Matthews didn't miss an NHL game until what would have been his 99th regular season game. During those first 98 games he averaged 17:45. Over the 109 since he has averaged 18:17. This is a Babcock thing it has nothing to do with the player.

McDavid and Eichel both missed 37 games due to injury in their first three years. Matthews has missed 34 so far. MacKinnon missed 28. Hall missed 41. Ironman Kessel missed 24, and ironman Marleau didn't play his first 82 game season until his 6th season (Matthews did it in his first).

On the other hand the constantly injured Malkin didn't miss a game from his October 2006 debut until late October 2009 (254 Consecutive games, 279 counting the playoffs). And the also very frequently injured Crosby only missed 4 of his first 210 games. Injury prone poster boy, Lupul, had no injuries during his first 3 NHL seasons.

History shows us that early career injuries are not a predictor of being injury prone. Those who say that Matthews is made of glass are pushing an agenda that they don't apply to anyone else.

 

[biotk]

really? because i've probably read over 100 posts on here saying that the only reason kapanen is any good is because he plays with matthews. he also made connor brown a 20 goal scorer

Yes, the consensus on the trade board before the season was that both Kapanen and Johnsson were AHL players who were worth absolutely nothing, and Brown who was a 20 goal scorer as a rookie with Matthews is a 7 goal scorer without.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Matthews hasn't shown he's capable of handling an increased workload so the hypothetical icetime arguments are amusing. And the quality of his linemates isn't the issue, his inability to elevate those who play alongside him is the issue.

this doesn't make sense when you consider he gets pretty much regular 5v5 minutes, but his PP time is far lower than other top players. Do you think PP minutes are too difficult to handle? Matthews also clearly does very well in elevating his linemates, and I'm not sure what you're basing that opinion on

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Yes, the consensus on the trade board before the season was that both Kapanen and Johnsson were AHL players who were worth absolutely nothing, and Brown who was a 20 goal scorer as a rookie with Matthews is a 7 goal scorer without.

Not to mention, Hyman did slightly better in 5v5 offense with Matthews last year (137th) than he is this year with Tavares and Marner (140th). It would be tough sledding to make the case that those guys suck at elevating players

 

[Cleatus]

this doesn't make sense when you consider he gets pretty much regular 5v5 minutes, but his PP time is far lower than other top players. Do you think PP minutes are too difficult to handle? Matthews also clearly does very well in elevating his linemates, and I'm not sure what you're basing that opinion on

He has to put up with watching 2 players carry a whole crappy hockey team, so in my opinion, he just has impossibly high standards for what constitutes a superstar player elevating other players on his line.

He just has to maybe watch more non-Oilers games to realize that whats expected of McDavid and Draisaitl on the Oilers is not whats expected of other teams superstars.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Maybe the Leafs should have waited for him to hit 70 points to make ijuka happy?

Is that an admission that he was right (if only for a short time) and that you were wrong ?

Very adult of you.

 

[McFlyingV]

Yawn.

Matthews didn't miss an NHL game until what would have been his 99th regular season game. During those first 98 games he averaged 17:45. Over the 109 since he has averaged 18:17. This is a Babcock thing it has nothing to do with the player.

McDavid and Eichel both missed 37 games due to injury in their first three years. Matthews has missed 34 so far. MacKinnon missed 28. Hall missed 41. Ironman Kessel missed 24, and ironman Marleau didn't play his first 82 game season until his 6th season (Matthews did it in his first).

On the other hand the constantly injured Malkin didn't miss a game from his October 2006 debut until late October 2009 (254 Consecutive games, 279 counting the playoffs). And the also very frequently injured Crosby only missed 4 of his first 210 games. Injury prone poster boy, Lupul, had no injuries during his first 3 NHL seasons.

History shows us that early career injuries are not a predictor of being injury prone. Those who say that Matthews is made of glass are pushing an agenda that they don't apply to anyone else.

Not really arguing this point either way because there's so many factors that go into an injury, and whether or not that becomes a persistent recurring issue, but presenting a handful of handpicked players doesn't show anything about history.

 

[Sweetpotato]

I'm surprised how many agree with the expectations. Their contracts were not given out in the same seasons and even a 55 goal 115 point season would be better than anything McDavid has shown so far. I think Matthews is overpaid, but if he stays healthy and gets around 50-100 consistently with very good playoff performances that should do it (literally no one in the NHL gets 50 goals AND 100 points).

Every oil fan after reading the bolded is just patiently waiting now XD

 

[Blacephalon]

have leaf fan's covered all the excuses as to why matthews is not performing well?

fact is he's overpaid but you guys will never admit it. if he hit's 100 points year in and year out then it's a fair deal. If he keeps on being ppg then that's not enough. there are so many ppg players that are not getting paid what matthews will be getting paid. if he expects to be paid the second highest salary he need stand out from the rest. He hasn't shown that yet.

 

[authentic]

Every oil fan after reading the bolded is just patiently waiting now XD

Correction, who doesn't play with McDavid, and he won't do it consistently.

 

[McFlyingV]

Correction, who doesn't play with McDavid, and he won't do it consistently.

It's also far from a guarantee that Matthews will ever do it let alone do it consistently.

 

[authentic]

It's also far from a guarantee that Matthews will ever do it let alone do it consistently.

You're right, but if he stays healthy he's the one I see most likely to do it consistently.

 

[3074326]

Correction, who doesn't play with McDavid, and he won't do it consistently.

Leon Draisaitl has two good NHL forwards on his team. Stop with this complete ****ing garbage. It is NOT bad thing that he can produce with another high end talent. You guys are delusional. It's pathetic.

Matthews is on a completely stacked team. Draisaitl faces the other team's best forwards and best dmen because there is nobody else to defend. But that doesn't make the Leafs look better, so we can't talk about that!

 

[authentic]

Leon Draisaitl has two good NHL forwards on his team. Stop with this complete ****ing garbage. It is NOT bad thing that he can produce with another high end talent. You guys are delusional. It's pathetic.

Matthews is on a completely stacked team. Draisaitl faces the other team's best forwards and best dmen because there is nobody else to defend. But that doesn't make the Leafs look better, so we can't talk about that!

Oops somebody got a little angry I see.

 

[3074326]

Oops somebody got a little angry I see.

As expected, no comeback whatsoever because you have nothing to say. I'm a Pens fan. I'm frustrated at how stupid many of your fans are. Anger isn't the word.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Oops somebody got a little angry I see.

"I don't like his arguments. Let's mock him."

Bravo.

 

[Maplebeasts]

have leaf fan's covered all the excuses as to why matthews is not performing well?

fact is he's overpaid but you guys will never admit it. if he hit's 100 points year in and year out then it's a fair deal. If he keeps on being ppg then that's not enough. there are so many ppg players that are not getting paid what matthews will be getting paid. if he expects to be paid the second highest salary he need stand out from the rest. He hasn't shown that yet.

What's wrong with putting up better than a 90 point and 40 goal pace? Not performing well my ass.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

What's wrong with putting up better than a 90 point and 40 goal pace? Not performing well my ass.

It's not really all that great when compared to a guy who's scoring at a 44 goal 126 point pace. Especially when you consider Matthews is being paid more for his RFA years than McDavid.

 

[Saltcreek]

What's wrong with putting up better than a 90 point and 40 goal pace? Not performing well my ass.

Pace is not points, it is just a projection. That is the problem.

 

[Menzinger]

It's not really all that great when compared to a guy who's scoring at a 44 goal 126 point pace. Especially when you consider Matthews is being paid more for his RFA years than McDavid.

No he isn’t.