News Article: Babcock: Matthews “should be right around the 19 minute mark”

[Sypher04]

Matthews playing against the Bruins 2nd line/2nd pair and gives up 2 5vs5 goals against in game 7 ... elite players have few off days, Matthews has many, just saying

Where do you guys come up with these garbage opinions?
Please re-watch the two goals allowed by his line and tell me which one was remotely his fault?
Maybe notice that Matthews also had a couple of the best scoring chances of the game.
Elite players have off days. Game 7 wasn't one of them for Matthews, and my guess is most of the others you're claiming he has are equally unfounded.

 

[Nithoniniel]

It's pretty sad how some fans have turned on Matthews. My feeling is that it has to do with some people's need to pit players against each other and take sides.

 

[IPS]

So people still think that a few allegedly bad shifts (referencing goals that aren't even his fault) by Matthews negates 3 years of being our best scorer in order to justify his stunningly low usage in game 7?

When did low IQ discussions like these become so prevalent on here?

 

[Mr Hockey]

Where do you guys come up with these garbage opinions?
Please re-watch the two goals allowed by his line and tell me which one was remotely his fault?
Maybe notice that Matthews also had a couple of the best scoring chances of the game.
Elite players have off days. Game 7 wasn't one of them for Matthews, and my guess is most of the others you're claiming he has are equally unfounded.

bud, the Matthews line had a 38CF% in game 7 and the Tavares line had a 59CF% all at 5-vs-5 ... inform yourself before responding and it's not wise to call other peoples opinion garbage when yours could be considered garbage as well ... this was a good day for you ...

 

[Mr Hockey]

It's pretty sad how some fans have turned on Matthews. My feeling is that it has to do with some people's need to pit players against each other and take sides.

are you talking about me? I love Matthews but I come here to chat hockey, the good,the bad and the ugly ...

 

[Sypher04]

bud, the Matthews line had a 38CF% in game 7 and the Tavares line had a 59CF% all at 5-vs-5 ... inform yourself before responding and it's not wise to call other peoples opinion garbage when yours could be considered garbage as well ... this was a good day for you ...

They were outshot, yeah, I could have told you that. Thats really all corsi tells you. That his line didn't generate as many shots as they allowed. That sounds like a line issue, not necessarily an individual one.

Your opinion is garbage if you think Matthews has some high number of off games. Your opinion is garbage if you think the two goals against his line were at all Matthews fault as your comment would imply.

Being informed is not at all a problem for me, but thanks.

 

[PromisedLand]

Had too much caffeine today can't sleep so saw this video from Tukka. He was asked how did perform so well in the playoffs around 4:00; somebody show this reply to this dinosaur of a coach called babcock

 

[Mr Hockey]

Had too much caffeine today can't sleep so saw this video from Tukka. He was asked how did perform so well in the playoffs around 4:00; somebody show this reply to this dinosaur of a coach called babcock

I think Freddy had a month off due to an injury in the middle of last season, he should have been as fresh as a daisy going into the playoffs, he didn't win any games for the Leafs in round 1 ...

 

[kindalaidback]

Matthews said that he and Babcock did not only talk about ice time but line mates as well, and that, if given the choice, he would like to have Nylander and Hyman back on this line this season.

MATTHEWS WANTS NYLANDER, HYMAN BY HIS SIDE

Matthews spent most of last season playing alongside Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. But given the choice, he would like to bring back his old linemates.

That doesn’t just include William Nylander, but also Zach Hyman.

[...]

“Things can change all the time and we have so many weapons on the team, but Willie and I have such good chemistry together since our rookie year. Obviously, last year was a different situation, but I enjoy playing with him. I envision me and him starting out together and then going from there.”

Hyman was Matthews’ linemate for the first two seasons, but spent last year on a line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, where he scored a career-best 21 goals.

“He’s a heck of a player,” said Matthews. “You saw what he did this year with JT and Marner. He’s a player who probably doesn’t get enough credit for what he does.”

TRAIKOS: Matthews wants bigger voice after earning ‘respect of peers’

We’ll see what happens, I guess.

 

[PromisedLand]

Matthews said that he and Babcock did not only talk about ice time but line mates as well, and that, if given the choice, he would like to have Nylander and Hyman back on this line this season.



TRAIKOS: Matthews wants bigger voice after earning ‘respect of peers’

We’ll see what happens, I guess.

Am a bit late to the party I guess but this is an interesting article. Babcock's holier than thou stance cannot be tolerated anymore. The "my way or the high way" approach has yielded in three first round exits. Last season in Game 7 Matthews not being on the ice was clearly an error that Babcock refuses to admit.

This cannot fly anymore. Babcock is the highest paid coach in the league and by quite a margin to boot. His "my way or the highway" approach has to take a backseat when there aren't results to back that approach.

Babcock should be on a short leash -> enough is enough!!!

Babcock has to learn to adapt to the modern age hockey and has to understand that tweaking lines when things are not going well or playing his star players more when the team needs goals to make a come back or when the season is on the season is on the line.

The old dinosaur approach will not be tolerated anymore! This is the business of results and if you are not getting your results with the same old tried and tested approach you have to change you have to evolve as a coach.

If he isn't willing to do that then find someone who is willing to learn, adapt and evolve as a coach in the modern NHL.

Here is a hint: Sheldon Keefe

 

[Menzinger]

Matthews said that he and Babcock did not only talk about ice time but line mates as well, and that, if given the choice, he would like to have Nylander and Hyman back on this line this season.



TRAIKOS: Matthews wants bigger voice after earning ‘respect of peers’

We’ll see what happens, I guess.

That line was one of the most effective five lines in the NHL to years in a row.

We can only hope.common sense prevails and we see them reunited.

 

[Menzinger]

It's pretty sad how some fans have turned on Matthews. My feeling is that it has to do with some people's need to pit players against each other and take sides.

Some folks don't seem to realize they all play for the same.team lol

 

[Mr Hockey]

Some folks don't seem to realize they all play for the same.team lol

the poster said Matthews played great in game 7, I showed the Matthews line terrible possession numbers, etc and added the Tavares and Willie lines possession numbers for context and you and Nathanial think im pitting players against each other ... cmon

 

[hamzarocks]

That line was one of the most effective five lines in the NHL to years in a row.

We can only hope.common sense prevails and we see them reunited.

That line was great but was it really better than hyman-JT-marner? All had career high in points and 2 of our best 3 forwards played on the line. I swear there were reports in the offseason of 17/18 that Babcock flew to zona to speak with 34 and that Matthews was fed up playing with Hyman and called for new linemates. People commonly referred to this and lots of posters wanted Hyman off of the line. Willy-Matty should be played together. I dont think Hyman should be on that line. He is better with JT and Babcock shouldn't be catering to any one player to such an extent that he breaks up one of the best lines in the league to reunite and old line that our star player reportedly wanted switched.

 

[kb]

That line was great but was it really better than hyman-JT-marner? All had career high in points and 2 of our best 3 forwards played on the line. I swear there were reports in the offseason of 17/18 that Babcock flew to zona to speak with 34 and that Matthews was fed up playing with Hyman and called for new linemates. People commonly referred to this and lots of posters wanted Hyman off of the line. Willy-Matty should be played together. I dont think Hyman should be on that line. He is better with JT and Babcock shouldn't be catering to any one player to such an extent that he breaks up one of the best lines in the league to reunite and old line that our star player reportedly wanted switched.

It's going to be broken up anyway. Hyman won't play until November. So we will get a chance to see who fits with whom in October. And annoyingly, who is to say Marner will be signed?

Lot of things up in the air.

 

[hamzarocks]

It's going to be broken up anyway. Hyman won't play until November. So we will get a chance to see who fits with whom in October. And annoyingly, who is to say Marner will be signed?

Lot of things up in the air.

Marner will be signed eventually or traded. No way dubas let's him sit a whole year(doubt marner has any intention of sitting the entire year either). Your right that Hyman will be out for a while though. Will be interesting to see who takes his spot for the first month.

 

[kb]

Marner will be signed eventually or traded. No way dubas let's him sit a whole year(doubt marner has any intention of sitting the entire year either). Your right that Hyman will be out for a while though. Will be interesting to see who takes his spot for the first month.

I have this strange feeling we will be seeing Spezza in the top 6 until Hyman is back. There is only one proven NHL LW on the roster until Hyman gets back.

 

[ToMaLe]

Hope Matthews gets the C and Babcock gets the boot.

 

[lottster14]

Well I don't remember anyone else on the team gliding and watching the play as much as Matthews did during our brutal stretch in around Jan-March last season. We seem to forget those blowout losses to teams like Ottawa, Arizona etc when we were all comparing Auston's play to the end days of kessel and rightly so. Babcock knows more than we do I think, Lol. Yeah he probably doesn't love his work ethic

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Well I don't remember anyone else on the team gliding and watching the play as much as Matthews did during our brutal stretch in around Jan-March last season. We seem to forget those blowout losses to teams like Ottawa, Arizona etc when we were all comparing Auston's play to the end days of kessel and rightly so. Babcock knows more than we do I think, Lol. Yeah he probably doesn't love his work ethic

He was still a PPG between January and the end of March and he showed up with 5 goals in 7 playoff games, so who really cares about a random stretch during the regular season where he didn't play his best 5 on 5 hockey if he still put up numbers.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Had too much caffeine today can't sleep so saw this video from Tukka. He was asked how did perform so well in the playoffs around 4:00; somebody show this reply to this dinosaur of a coach called babcock

I'm always shocked at how well Scandinavian people speak English. He doesn't even have an accent.

 

[Sypher04]

the poster said Matthews played great in game 7, I showed the Matthews line terrible possession numbers, etc and added the Tavares and Willie lines possession numbers for context and you and Nathanial think im pitting players against each other ... cmon

Please point out to me where I said anything remotely resembling that he had a great game. I just don't subscribe to your narrative that he was bad simply because his line struggled in corsi and happened to be on the ice when Andersen and Gardiner decided to give away freebies

 

[Sypher04]

Well I don't remember anyone else on the team gliding and watching the play as much as Matthews did during our brutal stretch in around Jan-March last season. We seem to forget those blowout losses to teams like Ottawa, Arizona etc when we were all comparing Auston's play to the end days of kessel and rightly so. Babcock knows more than we do I think, Lol. Yeah he probably doesn't love his work ethic

Simply put, there's very little truth to this post.

 

[kb]

So people still think that a few allegedly bad shifts (referencing goals that aren't even his fault) by Matthews negates 3 years of being our best scorer in order to justify his stunningly low usage in game 7?

When did low IQ discussions like these become so prevalent on here?

When trolls from other fanbase are allowed to masquerade as Leaf fans without consequence. The team is lucky to have Matthews, and every true Leaf fans know this.

 

[Sypher04]

That line was great but was it really better than hyman-JT-marner? All had career high in points and 2 of our best 3 forwards played on the line. I swear there were reports in the offseason of 17/18 that Babcock flew to zona to speak with 34 and that Matthews was fed up playing with Hyman and called for new linemates. People commonly referred to this and lots of posters wanted Hyman off of the line. Willy-Matty should be played together. I dont think Hyman should be on that line. He is better with JT and Babcock shouldn't be catering to any one player to such an extent that he breaks up one of the best lines in the league to reunite and old line that our star player reportedly wanted switched.

Hyman may have been better with Tavares & Marner, it's certainly up for debate, but I don't see it as a slam dunk.
Hyman improved 12 points between his rookie season and his sophomore season both with Matthews & Nylander. This past season he got 1 more point in 11 less games, but who is to say that he wouldn't have progressed to that level or production in his third NHL season with Matthews and Nylander just the same. He was only on pace for just 7 more points than he had with Matthews and Nylander the previous year. It could also be partially because scoring was up this season. It could be a blip where his scoring is up a bit this year and it dips next year.

My point is we don't know. All we do know is that Hyman has been part of 2 very effective lines, whether it be with Auston/Willy or Johnny/Mitch. I don't really know there's a wrong choice to be made here.

As for the whole Matthews dictating to Babcock who he does not want to play with, I don't buy it and I never have. He may thoughts on who he sees himself with, but that's not the same thing at all imo.