Tribute Auston Matthews Discussion "the Beauty" Edition

[Mickey Marner]

Not surprising, I find Kapanen frustratingly stupid with the puck and I don't even have to play with him.

 

[Menzinger]

11 points in 13 games under keefe. Works out to 69 points over 82 games. Fairly certain I saw that keefe has been playing Auston the 6th most out of all forwards (league wide) at even strength.

Matthews had been in a scoring lull that hes seemingly comng out of

 

[Stephen]

Kapanen's almost like the decoy on that line. Feels like whenever he has the puck it's going to go into the least advantageous position on the ice. He's alright when he's just rushing the puck but doesn't really do anything dangerous with it. Definitely a lower IQ player.

 

[Stephen]

Matthews had been in a scoring lull that hes seemingly comng out of

He's also more engaged at both ends of the ice and seems hungry to win puck battles. Seems to have come out of that funk after the 14 minute game and really turned it up after the Jack Eichel match up.

 

[stickty111]

Matthews was damn good defensively tonight. We're getting glimpses of the kind of dominant 200 foot force he can be.

All it takes is a simple message from the coach to get him going, which the old coach wouldn't do. All we would get it is "he needs to grind".

 

[Stamkos4life]

Matthews had been in a scoring lull that hes seemingly comng out of

We can only hope. I've been told numerous times that more ice time = more points.

Although, it is nice to see auston more engaged in the defensive end. That steal in front of the net with his skates was slick.

Now if he can maintain the effort in the dzone with an increase in production, that would be ideal.

 

[Ports]

Loved his compete tonight. If he brings that consistently, he’s a top five player in the league.

 

[93LEAFS]

He's also more engaged at both ends of the ice and seems hungry to win puck battles. Seems to have come out of that funk after the 14 minute game and really turned it up after the Jack Eichel match up.

Let's hope this is long-term. Tomorrow he needs to show up wanting to dominate a bad team, and if Hutch gives up a bad goal or two to start he can't tune out. That's the burden of his contract.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Let's hope this is long-term. Tomorrow he needs to show up wanting to dominate a bad team, and if Hutch gives up a bad goal or two to start he can't tune out. That's the burden of his contract.

I just want to see him sustain it for at least a straight month, that kind of play is enough to carry us through a couple series as long as Andersen's healthy.

 

[Teeder Keon]

AM looks like a hockey player now !
If he continues to play the way he has the last couple of games , we will have a chance to win the cup , he’s that good
What a turn around
But ..........
Let’s just wait and see now hmmmm

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

I hate Simmons but I do believe their games dont mesh. Get Matthews the puck and let him shoot as much as he wants, Kap seems like he is tring to pad goals and doesnt have the skill to put up even 30.

https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-news-rumors-matthews-kapanen-marlies-marner/

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Kapanen's almost like the decoy on that line. Feels like whenever he has the puck it's going to go into the least advantageous position on the ice. He's alright when he's just rushing the puck but doesn't really do anything dangerous with it. Definitely a lower IQ player.

They need to get kappy engaging the opposition defense with speed. The he can dish and take the net front to draw defenders. He’s not drawing enough attention to himself. If he goes to the net it might be different. He is good there so I don’t really get it why he doesn’t go net front more consistently

 

[Apotheosis]

The moment I saw Matthews come out his first shift flying last night, it gave me hope that he's FINALLY ready to truly take the league by storm. It's now his job to storm the top 5 scoring leaders and cement his place there while being the defensive force he was in his first season.

 

[Dekes For Days]

11 points in 13 games under keefe. Works out to 69 points over 82 games. Fairly certain I saw that keefe has been playing Auston the 6th most out of all forwards (league wide) at even strength.

And he is 150th in PP TOI/GP among forwards in that time. Funny how you don't mention that...

 

[Stephen]

The moment I saw Matthews come out his first shift flying last night, it gave me hope that he's FINALLY ready to truly take the league by storm. It's now his job to storm the top 5 scoring leaders and cement his place there while being the defensive force he was in his first season.

I hope all that Eichel/Mackinnon talk reminds him that it should be Matthews the league talks about that way and he wants to come out on top vs top end opponents in one on one matchups, slice and dice other contenders, and also feast on weak competition on a nightly basis.

 

[WTFMAN99]

And he is 150th in PP TOI/GP in that time. Funny how you don't mention that...

Since Keefe took over or just since the start of the year? Babcock did a 50/50 split essentially on the units. Now top unit gets about 1.5 minutes of the 2 minutes.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Since Keefe took over or just since the start of the year? Babcock did a 50/50 split essentially on the units. Now top unit gets about 1.5 minutes of the 2 minutes.

Since Keefe took over.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Since Keefe took over.

Interesting, the TOI/GP for PP could coincide that we're what? bottom 3 for PPs? So the PP TOI per game isn't really available.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

I feel this thread will be much more positive than the previous just a hunch

Are we not trading our 22 year old franchise center anymore?

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Auto Matthics on pace for 48 goals. Atta boy. I think his shooting % might be slightly down? Not sure now but it was. He might get 50 this year Leafers.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Interesting, the TOI/GP for PP could coincide that we're what? bottom 3 for PPs? So the PP TOI per game isn't really available.

We are dead last in PP opportunities over that time.
To help illustrate how far below everybody we are...

1st and 29th are separated by 1.32 PPO/GP.
29th and 31st (us) are separated by 0.78 PPO/GP.

That means the difference between those 2 spots is almost 60% of the difference between the 29 spots before.
That will certainly affect production.

 

[WTFMAN99]

We are dead last in PP opportunities over that time.
To help illustrate how far below everybody we are...

1st and 29th are separated by 1.32 PPO/GP.
29th and 31st (us) are separated by 0.78 PPO/GP.

That means the difference between those 2 spots is almost 60% of the difference between the 29 spots before.
That will certainly affect production.

Can't get high PP TOI per game if we don't get a lot of PP time. If we got 6 PP's a game then I am sure he'd go up.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Can't get high PP TOI per game if we don't get a lot of PP time. If we got 6 PP's a game then I am sure he'd go up.

He most certainly would. PP deployment under Keefe has been much better.
Still doesn't mean much for Matthews' production so far with the league screwing with things.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Are we not trading our 22 year old franchise center anymore?

You know , I for one was probably the leader of that narrative ...
If he continues to play ( not just score ) but play the way he has in the last couple of games , then I will be the first to admit I was wrong ..
If he reverts back to a shell of what he is capable of and floats then I will say that again
But again I admit , watching him play the last two games could be the best I’ve seen him play ever ..
So engaged , skating with power and strength , fighting for the puck , passing shooting and coming back hard ...
It’s been a treat

 

[Dekes For Days]

Are we not trading our 22 year old franchise center anymore?

You mean the walls of posts screaming about all the totally non-production-related, non-emotional, non-biased, core character and work ethic issues with our 22-year old franchise, rocket-contending, possession-dominating, good defensive center and MVP of our team disappeared as soon as his scoring came back?
Gee, I wonder who could have predicted that.