Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion

[thewave]

If you exclude players making under $1m, who is outperforming their cap hit ?

Nylander and Rielly (Jarnkrok maybe) IMO .

Organization is a mess as far as cap strategy goes. They have no clue and haven't for years.

 

[ToneDog]

Organization is a mess as far as cap strategy goes. They have no clue and haven't for years.

They are not running the team to win. They are running it to keep the paying customers filling seats.

Seriously, who would have thought that handing the keys to a slimeball was a good idea? And why is Shanny still here after almost 10 years at the helm and one second round win to show for it? That is one more 2nd round win than you and me.

 

[Sypher04]

Sorry, but I'm not buying the idea that Matthews is a consistent 50 goal scorer, let alone 60. I think he suffered some sort of career changing injury last season, which is why he doesn't have that lethal shot anymore. His one 60 goal season is going to be his career high as far as I can see it.

This is a really bad take.
Matthews has never once paced for less than 40 goals in a season. His per 82 game goal results in his career is over 50 (and well over after his first 3 years. And in this season, where he’s rightfully being pointed out as not performing to the standard he can right now night in and night out, he’s still got 14 in 18, which is a 64 goal pace.

And I don’t think anyone has made the claim he’s a consistent 60 goal guy

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[Jojalu]

I don't think anyone could argue that he is having a great year.

Since he has entered the league no one has scored more goals than him. It's a big part of why he gets paid as much as he does. He has been the best goal scorer. Not one of the best. The best.

I know some want to believe that because the Leafs havn't won the Cup that he shouldn't get paid, but if you look at the top 20 highest paid players, only 5 have won a cup.

Top 50 highest players I believe the number is 17.

 

[Stephen]

Matthews stood in line behind McDavid and Mackinnon when it was time to renegotiate, said I'm next up for highest paid superstar and now he's settled into a mid career cruise control of PPG, take every other shift, every other game off.

Leafs seem to be winning a few games in a row, lose a few in a row and will probably settle in under .600 and be in the mid 90s in Wild Card territory at this rate. Losing in the first round might end up being an overachievement they way the season smells.

It's only right that the heat gets turned way off on such underachieving commitment when we were all still expecting progression.

 

[Stephen]

I don't think anyone could argue that he is having a great year.

Since he has entered the league no one has scored more goals than him. It's a big part of why he gets paid as much as he does. He has been the best goal scorer. Not one of the best. The best.

I know some want to believe that because the Leafs havn't won the Cup that he shouldn't get paid, but if you look at the top 20 highest paid players, only 5 have won a cup.

Top 50 highest players I believe the number is 17.

The problem is just everything. Never won anything for us and while he's got the highest paid contract coming up in his back pocket you have to scroll down to the mid 20s to find where he's sitting in PPG averages and points totals. All the while the Leafs can't get a regular rhythm going and have 5 regulation wins cause a huge chunk of production they were budgeting for simply hasn't shown up.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

It's too early to panic...

But other than 6 goals in his first 2 games, Matthews looks much more like last years Matthews than his earlier elite seasons. And last years Matthews is still a star player... but not anywhere near "13 mil highest cap hit in the league" tier of star.

I'm not sure what it is. I don't think it's a chronic nagging injury. If he had something like that, he damn sure would have signed for 8 years.

 

[Jojalu]

The problem is just everything. Never won anything for us and while he's got the highest paid contract coming up in his back pocket you have to scroll down to the mid 20s to find where he's sitting in PPG averages and points totals. All the while the Leafs can't get a regular rhythm going and have 5 regulation wins cause a huge chunk of production they were budgeting for simply hasn't shown up.

Right.

He has had a poor start. There is no denying that. The Leafs have had a poor start.

 

[Stephen]

Right.

He has had a poor start. There is no denying that. The Leafs have had a poor start.

Matthews had a dynamite start, 2 hat tricks in a row, looked like he could have had a few more vs Chicago in game 3 and went into front runner cruise control mode from then on. He had a nice stretch of games later on but settled down again. Once you take yourself out of that good rhythm and engagement you don’t always get it back so quickly. Now he’s completely lost.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Wasn't somebody asking about TWS the other night?

Isn't that kind of like asking about a girl that gave you chlamydia a few years ago?

 

[ACC1224]

Not even most overpaid player on his line. Mitch Marner is the fraud on this team. Imagine paying $11M to winger that scores on average 27 goals a season (assumes 82 games played) and is on pace to score 23 goals this season.

That being said, Matthews needs to wake up and take over games the way he is capable of.

Both overpaid, Matthews more so if we’re being honest.

 

[Buds17]

The overall point total is at least still above that PPG threshold. The minus ratings currently attributed to both he and Marner however are unacceptable IMO.

 

[Jojalu]

Matthews had a dynamite start, 2 hat tricks in a row, looked like he could have had a few more vs Chicago in game 3 and went into front runner cruise control mode from then on. He had a nice stretch of games later on but settled down again. Once you take yourself out of that good rhythm and engagement you don’t always get it back so quickly. Now he’s completely lost.

I think I have said this before.

I don't believe for one second that Matthews and Marner are in cruise control. I highly doubt it's a lack of effort or lack of caring.

I do believe they are far too stubborn to realise that the easiest way out of a slump is to simplify what you are doing and go back to basics.

Stop trying to stickhandle through 3 players and just make a smart play, retrieve the puck and get to the crease to try and banh something in.

 

[Stephen]

The overall point total is at least still above that PPG threshold. The minus ratings currently attributed to both he and Marner however are unacceptable IMO.

Point a game has been devalued in recent years with the scoring inflation in this league.

 

[Stephen]

I think I have said this before.

I don't believe for one second that Matthews and Marner are in cruise control. I highly doubt it's a lack of effort or lack of caring.

I do believe they are far too stubborn to realise that the easiest way out of a slump is to simplify what you are doing and go back to basics.

Stop trying to stickhandle through 3 players and just make a smart play, retrieve the puck and get to the crease to try and banh something in.

I agree with your assessment in what they need to do to succeed and to a point the stubbornness factor is real.

But the back to basics approach requires the most intensive physical commitment and discomfort and coincidentally they always shy away from paying this price, even if their playoff lives depended on it. Skate in straight lines at pace, make crisp smart decisions under pressure and discomfort, put the body in high traffic situations, take and give hits and run after loose pucks, break into the slot.

Curling back, mid pace transition, touch passes in the perimeter, the occasional Lemieux to Gretzky impersonations. Those floofy plays are so much less taxing. Maybe they don't even know they're cheating on effort and playing bullshit. Who's even going to tell them to their faces?

 

[thinkblue]

I think I have said this before.

I don't believe for one second that Matthews and Marner are in cruise control. I highly doubt it's a lack of effort or lack of caring.

I do believe they are far too stubborn to realise that the easiest way out of a slump is to simplify what you are doing and go back to basics.

Stop trying to stickhandle through 3 players and just make a smart play, retrieve the puck and get to the crease to try and banh something in.

Yep. Way too many people here conflate not executing with not caring or not trying.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Point a game has been devalued in recent years with the scoring inflation in this league.

Exactly. This isn't 2014 when Jamie Benn won the Art Ross scoring 87 points lmao. PPG for $13M is bad, but not as bad as thinking it's acceptable.

 

[Hellcat]

60 goal pace, clearly sucks....

 

[Buds17]

Point a game has been devalued in recent years with the scoring inflation in this league.

There could still be room for improvement in that department, sure. An increase in points would also help out with the +/- rating as well (assuming the points aren't happening on the PP).

 

[ToneDog]

60 goal pace, clearly sucks....

42.5 goal pace after his B2B hatties. He is behind Brockstar and Kutch now.

Does not look like 60 goal man in his last 7 games.

 

[LeafGrief]

If you want more than 10m, you need to be a leader in addition to a star player. I think it's clear at this point that Matthews has no interest in leadership either in the locker room or on the ice. It's just so rare for him to go out and wills us back into games. He can score goals as well as anyone in league history, but he'll score a clutch goal or two and then go silent for the next two weeks. It's like he considers his job done and then fades back into the pack.

As the highest paid player in the league, I expect him to be up front leading the team and filling the net. He's human, he's going to have quiet stretches and bad nights, but it's been over a year now that he's been half the player he was in his Hart season. That's the player we're giving 13m to, not this 9m guy who wears 34 for us nowadays. Matthews in 21-22 was destined for a spot on legends row and in the rafters. Matthews in 22-23 and 23-24 so far is still an amazing player, but all he really does is leave you wanting more.

 

[therealkoho]

I don't see this thread aging well.

Why would it it started atrociously.

The formula: be even a little critical of Auston the wonder pony, and someone will incant the name of MitchMarner 3x really loud

And abracadabra just like that, the pride of paycheques fades into the background retaining his untouchable status and 16 is left to take the blame.

 

[Hellcat]

42.5 goal pace after his B2B hatties. He is behind Brockstar and Kutch now.

Does not look like 60 goal man in his last 7 games.

View attachment 773599

Not concerned, this guy could score 8 in a night... if scoring was easy he wouldn't be paid 12 mil.

 

[ToneDog]

Not concerned, this guy could score 8 in a night... if scoring was easy he wouldn't be paid 12 mil.

Maybe 4. Of course scoring is not easy but it is not like he is the only goal scorer. Last I looked scorers like Kutch, Drai, Connor, Robertson are not being paid like he is. He is being paid to score and carry this team. He is failing miserably since game 3.