Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion

[Jojalu]

I'm not blaming Matty for the losses. I am saying the fans expect more from him. One goal in his last 7 games is not good.

Matthews isn't above criticism but it seems pretty easy to figure out why he got paid so much.

He was a UFA who over the course of his career has scored more goals than anyone else. He also for the most part will play a 200 foot game, blocks a tonne of shots for a forward and will hit a few people.

I still wish he would use his size a little more but he has been good to great for his entire career.

Thankfully somehow the Leafs have been over .500 the past 7 games while he and Mitch have struggled. I would be shocked if they played this poor all season.

 

[GoonieFace]

In case anyone asks IcyData shows Marner with 9 PA and 6 SA out of his 15 so far this season

Throughout his career the vast majority of Marners assists have been of the primary variety.

So the question is when his linemates struggle, is he able to take over and drive a line? I think the answer is no.

 

[Hellcat]

34 didn't get serious about sitting down with them it seems until his NMC kicked in.

..and Tre felt comfortable allowing the NMC to kick in... that in no way affected the calculus behind the numbers.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

This ain't no case. He Johnny Cochraned that bitch

 

[Moonman]

So the question is when his linemates struggle, is he able to take over and drive a line? I think the answer is no.

Bingo

 

[HamiltonNHL]

very few NHLers drive a line.

Nylander is becoming one. He has the speed and the shot to do it.

He’s the only one of the Big 4 that can.

 

[DarkKnight]

34 rarely raises his game when we need it most. He doesn't have the royal jelly that makes a champion, at least not yet. He's a fantastic physical specimen, but he isn't really a leader, at least when we face adversity and need him to put the team on his back. It's an open question if he ever finds it.

 

[TonsofPuppies]

34 rarely raises his game when we need it most. He doesn't have the royal jelly that makes a champion, at least not yet. He's a fantastic physical specimen, but he isn't really a leader, at least when we face adversity and need him to put the team on his back. It's an open question if he ever finds it.

Given that he's been here almost a decade, I don't think it's an open question any longer. The answer is plain to see, imo.

 

[Stephen]

34 rarely raises his game when we need it most. He doesn't have the royal jelly that makes a champion, at least not yet. He's a fantastic physical specimen, but he isn't really a leader, at least when we face adversity and need him to put the team on his back. It's an open question if he ever finds it.

While the game changing magic like the Tampa and Montreal comeback is obviously the stuff you pay your big stars for, I think we just need him to cut out the junk like the shift that gave a goal to Guentzel on a lazy back check, the casual bobble on the McCabe suicide pass that started the Chicago comeback. Or the Mickey Mouse puck management bobble vs Florida in Game 2 that ended up tanking the whole series. Just play smart and mature enough not to be coughing up catastrophic breakdowns. And if you are, score like you’re supposed to.

Sorry but it’s just so much underwhelming to crap play from the big line that enough is enough.

 

[weems]

While the game changing magic like the Tampa and Montreal comeback is obviously the stuff you pay your big stars for, I think we just need him to cut out the junk like the shift that gave a goal to Guentzel on a lazy back check, the casual bobble on the McCabe suicide pass that started the Chicago comeback. Or the Mickey Mouse puck management bobble vs Florida in Game 2 that ended up tanking the whole series. Just play smart and mature enough not to be coughing up catastrophic breakdowns. And if you are, score like you’re supposed to.

Sorry but it’s just so much underwhelming to crap play from the big line that enough is enough.

I recently watched the highlights from that game 2 again and it's just unreal that Matthews/Marner would attempt such a lazy high risk sequence at such a important stage of essentially a must have game.

Marner could have easily skated the puck out of his own end but instead opts for a fancy drop pass to Matthews and Matthews tries to showtime by flipping the puck past Luostarinen and it gets picked.

2-2 game and down 1-0 in the series on home ice and you try that?

And that type of high risk fancy stuff at bad stages of a game or danger areas of the ice wasn't just a one off but something the entire team routinely tries.

 

[Hellcat]

Bertuzzi scored 8 goals in the 50 games prior to joining the Leafs and has 5 in 19 games with the Leafs. He’s a 20 goal a year guy.

He also had an ice cold start, if he scored a few at the begining of the season maybe we have a few more points in the standings.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Intensity is not part of AM game. Skill, alouf, cool, adulation, is his game. Once skating was a huge part, no longer does he skate past people. No longer does he use his size.
He backs down when challenged directly...see vs Tkachuk games.
Some how he has tried to develop a half-hearted defensive game. If you are going to play in your own end you cannot afford to lose puck battles or take chances.
Both AM and MM play not to get hurt, play to just survive, play at 80%. The more they are allowed to play their basketball offense the worse they will become.

 

[notDatsyuk]

This thread isn't about Marner. I don't care how bad Marner is - and yes, he is awful. But for a $13+ million centre - the highest paid player in the league, it doesn't matter who his linemates are. He needs to drive the bus. He could be out there playing with Noah Gregor and David Kampf. Crosby made due with Colby Armstrong on his line and was still a dominant player.

Matthews was a 40 goal scorer last year and since his two hat tricks in Game 1 and 2, has 8 goals in his last 17 games. His pace is of that of a 40 goal scorer since Game 3 of the season. Do you know who else had 40 goals last year? Jared f***in' McCann. It's not impressive. Matthews' level of play is that of a 7-8M player on most nights.

They are both seriously underperforming at the moment, but I think Matty has a better chance of living up to his contract.

But honestly, if you're going to include "Most Overpaid" in a thread title, you have to expect Marner's name to appear sooner or later. First reply in the thread may be 'exceeding expectations', but at least he's doing it somewhere.

I wouldn't be surprised if Tavares and Nylander both make appearances here.

Edit: having now read through it, yes, JT and Willy have both appeared.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I guess it's actually a good thing we didn't sign him for 8 years.

 

[Suntouchable13]

His contract is an egregious overpayment. He just wanted to be the highest player in the NHL, Leafs should have just told him to pound sand. They will keep existing with or without Matthews just fine. He is not even the best player on this team.

 

[ToneDog]

His contract is an egregious overpayment. He just wanted to be the highest player in the NHL, Leafs should have just told him to pound sand. They will keep existing with or without Matthews just fine. He is not even the best player on this team.

Gotta give those fans paying big bucks for their seats and food/drink value for their money. Afterall, the Leafs are in the entertainment business first. Winning the SC is second IMO. It takes something for a team that prints money not to be able to win a cup in 56 years.

 

[Stephen]

Gotta give those fans paying big bucks for their seats and food/drink value for their money. Afterall, the Leafs are in the entertainment business first. Winning the SC is second IMO. It takes something for a team that prints money not to be able to win a cup in 56 years.

I never understood that line of thinking that winning and entertainment can be separated. I went to the Bedard game, lower bowl. Star studded roster on the Leafs did nothing. (Bedard also did nothing). Names aren’t good if you’re not winning. Offense is no good if you’re not winning. Offensive big names and scoring and winning? That’s the sweet spot.

 

[therealkoho]

..and Tre felt comfortable allowing the NMC to kick in... that in no way affected the calculus behind the numbers.

I don't know maybe hanging out with his pals and not answering the phone,

June 1 Treliving announces his very top priority is getting 34 signed

June 17 Treliving says AZ meeting went well, no numbers were discussed though, but it went very well

ROR is saying goodbye, didn't like some stuff, which turns into Toronto is too crazy by Sept 17 Toronto offered comparable numbers

Sometime before July 1st it's made known that 34 wants to be highest paid player in the league

July 1st 34 has NMC/NTC kick in

July 2nd to mid Aug crickets 1 week later Matthews becomes the highest paid player in the league

 

[therealkoho]

So the question is when his linemates struggle, is he able to take over and drive a line? I think the answer is no.

I'd say it's the same with 34, or did you miss the Chicago and Pittsburgh games.

When 16 and 91 were flying and 88 and 34 were blowing dust. It was 34 who needed 16 on his line, because when 16 was put there the goals started coming and coming and coming, and 91 and 88 were OK but not game breaking.

34 rarely raises his game when we need it most. He doesn't have the royal jelly that makes a champion, at least not yet. He's a fantastic physical specimen, but he isn't really a leader, at least when we face adversity and need him to put the team on his back. It's an open question if he ever finds it.

Somebody mentioned Rick Nash, which I find a very apt comparison.

 

[authentic]

Matthews isn't above criticism but it seems pretty easy to figure out why he got paid so much.

He was a UFA who over the course of his career has scored more goals than anyone else. He also for the most part will play a 200 foot game, blocks a tonne of shots for a forward and will hit a few people.

I still wish he would use his size a little more but he has been good to great for his entire career.

Thankfully somehow the Leafs have been over .500 the past 7 games while he and Mitch have struggled. I would be shocked if they played this poor all season.

Plus I would rather them not go all out every single game and risk injury if it means they’ll be better for the playoffs. When you have a team this deep as flawed as it is it’s kind of smart to preserve yourself this way.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Plus I would rather them not go all out every single game and risk injury if it means they’ll be better for the playoffs. When you have a team this deep as flawed as it is it’s kind of smart to preserve yourself this way.

I've suspected this as well. In the past, great regular season, mediocre playoffs. Maybe he wants to change the script to mediocre regular season, great playoffs. But, he's playing a dangerous game. We need Marner to be at his best to make the playoffs. The bad habits that creep into his game can't be shut on and off at will. I'm sure he wants to be successful, and he wants to put up great numbers in the regular season, but the optics say otherwise.

 

[authentic]

I've suspected this as well. In the past, great regular season, mediocre playoffs. Maybe he wants to change the script to mediocre regular season, great playoffs. But, he's playing a dangerous game. We need Marner to be at his best to make the playoffs. The bad habits that creep into his game can't be shut on and off at will. I'm sure he wants to be successful, and he wants to put up great numbers in the regular season, but the optics say otherwise.

I mean if we're falling out of a playoff spot and they continue to play that way then I'll be worried, but I think they are thinking about the bigger picture more than anything now and I know that despite what people say they want to win when it matters most.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

First 8 years after ELC, Matthews was just 2 million total cheaper than McDavid. Matthews currently is signed for 1 more year (13.25 million) than McDavid. So that means one year into McDavid's new contract, Matthews will need ANOTHER raise. And people have sat by and defended these garbage contracts.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I mean if we're falling out of a playoff spot and they continue to play that way then I'll be worried, but I think they are thinking about the bigger picture more than anything now and I know that despite what people say they want to win when it matters most.

I'm sure they want to win. Everybody wants to win, winning is more fun than losing after all. But do they want it bad? Do they understand the kind of work ethic required to win the cup and are they ready, even eager to put 100% effort towards doing that work? It doesn't look that way.

 

[TakeTheBody]

This thread isn't about Marner. I don't care how bad Marner is - and yes, he is awful. But for a $13+ million centre - the highest paid player in the league, it doesn't matter who his linemates are. He needs to drive the bus. He could be out there playing with Noah Gregor and David Kampf. Crosby made due with Colby Armstrong on his line and was still a dominant player.

Matthews was a 40 goal scorer last year and since his two hat tricks in Game 1 and 2, has 8 goals in his last 17 games. His pace is of that of a 40 goal scorer since Game 3 of the season. Do you know who else had 40 goals last year? Jared f***in' McCann. It's not impressive. Matthews' level of play is that of a 7-8M player on most nights.

Joey Krabb would have loved you. Phil Kessel would have hated you.