News Article: Has Matthews Plateaud? by Bruce Arthur -- Mod warning post #127

[Nineteen67]

I watched the Pens Caps game tonight and AM has miles and miles to go before he can be considered close to Crosby. On and off the ice.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

MATTY is very soft 95 percent of the time, very frustrating- prob the most frustrating star player today. he can literally DOMINATE if he wanted to every night. But hes a floater and soft player.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

most of the leafs young core is charmine soft.

 

[BlueForever75]

Crosby too was soft his first 3-4 seasons in the NHL. Until he grew into his body and understood what it took to make it big in the NHL he too was often hurt and bodied off the puck. Don't compare a man to a kid. Sidney is a man. Matthews has a ways to go here in season 3.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Matthews needs to start using his body like Malkin to have success in the playoffs. Last year in the playoffs Malkin threw 1.56 hits per game. The year before 1.24. He brings it. He gets angry. Matthews disappears in playoff hockey throwing a mere 2.00 hits per game in the playoffs last year and 1.50 hits per game the year before.

If you ride a guy out along the boards to get the puck is that a "hit"? If you aggressively chase down the puck carrier and get the puck is that a hit? If you fight for position in front of the net is that a hit?

Stop The Narrative.

Facepunch!

 

[inthe6ix]

Crosby too was soft his first 3-4 seasons in the NHL. Until he grew into his body and understood what it took to make it big in the NHL he too was often hurt and bodied off the puck. Don't compare a man to a kid. Sidney is a man. Matthews has a ways to go here in season 3.

Not sure about that whole man vs kid angle.

Physically, Auston is obviously much bigger than Sid:

#34
6'3 220

#87
5'11 200

You'd think being younger and having his frame and skillset, Auston would be more dominant and imposing physically on the opposition, but he doesn't look that way out there on some nights. Maybe the shoulder injuries have made him tentative (which would be very concerning), but for a 'kid' that big, he should be more noticeable out there than he is, IMO.

 

[Bluelines]

Maybe Matthews is just another Kessel with better skills? Why does Matthews have to be something he is not? Maybe he is just a complimentary player.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Maybe Matthews is just another Kessel with better skills? Why does Matthews have to be something he is not? Maybe he is just a complimentary player.

Then he's making too much money.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Some of this fan base is a joke and does not deserve this player. f***ing shameful stuff here

 

[Bluelines]

Then he's making too much money.

Maybe so but that is not up to us to decide, the guy who the owners hired has the ownership of that football. It may turn out to be a horrible contract, it may turn out to be a great contract. Time will tell.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Maybe Matthews is just another Kessel with better skills? Why does Matthews have to be something he is not? Maybe he is just a complimentary player.

He's like a better version of Antropov

 

[zeke]

Last 2yrs Playoffs, top-3 forwards on contenders


Hits Per game

Ovechkin 3.8
Hertl 1.9
Matthews 1.8
Pavelski 1.6
Wheeler 1.6
Bergeron 1.6
Laine 1.6
Stamkos 1.6
Scheifele 1.5
Forsberg 1.5
Pastrnak 1.5
Johanson 1.5
Malkin 1.3
Couture 1.2
Kuznetsov 1.2
Marner 1.2
(Tavares' Career: 1.2)
Crosby 1.1
Backstrom 1.0
Marchand 0.9
Kucherov 0.8
Arvidsson 0.7
Point 0.6
Nylander 0.6
Kessel 0.2



Blocks per game

Matthews 1.1
Pavelski 1.1
Hertl 0.9
Scheifele 0.9
Wheeler 0.7
Forsberg 0.7
Malkin 0.7
Arvidsson 0.7
Ovechkin 0.6
Bergeron 0.6
Couture 0.6
Laine 0.6
Point 0.6
Backstrom 0.5
Kuznetsov 0.4
Crosby 0.4
Marchand 0.4
(Tavares Career: 0.4)
Pastrnak 0.3
Johanson 0.3
Nylander 0.3
Marner 0.3
Kucherov 0.2
Kessel 0.2
Stamkos 0.1

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Crosby too was soft his first 3-4 seasons in the NHL. Until he grew into his body and understood what it took to make it big in the NHL he too was often hurt and bodied off the puck. Don't compare a man to a kid. Sidney is a man. Matthews has a ways to go here in season 3.

When Sidney was “soft”, he was putting up 120 point seasons. Not 69 point seasons.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Maybe Matthews is just another Kessel with better skills? Why does Matthews have to be something he is not? Maybe he is just a complimentary player.

He isn’t paid like a complimentary player. That’s the problem.

 

[BlueForever75]

Anyone calling Matthews a complimentary player is a fool. You people really need to give your heads a shake, and leave the kid alone. Let him develop and when he becomes a bigger star in this league then he already is, you all can eat crow.

Matthews is a star in this league already playing in only 75% of the games a season. The kid needs to grow into his body and he will. When he does he will dominate even more. In the past 3 seasons only 5 players have more goals scored then Matthews who has played many less games:

And this season isn't done yet. To call Matthews a complimentary player is crazy. Be happy with what we have and stop complaining over nothing.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I have no idea why Leafs fans are so eager to be miserable. People are staring themselves blind on some flaws to the point that they forget that we are looking at a 21-year old who is already the second best goalscorer in the league, and who - if you account for opportunity - has had a better start to his career than all but a few players in the cap era. People who purposefully **** away their enjoyment of that deserves whatever bad might come to this organization. If you pursue misery, misery is what you get.

 

[zeke]

Anyone calling Matthews a complimentary player is a fool. You people really need to give your heads a shake, and leave the kid alone. Let him develop and when he becomes a bigger star in this league then he already is, you all can eat crow.

Matthews is a star in this league already playing in only 75% of the games a season. The kid needs to grow into his body and he will. When he does he will dominate even more. In the past 3 seasons only 5 players have more goals scored then Matthews who has played many less games:

View attachment 199169

And this season isn't done yet. To call Matthews a complimentary player is crazy. Be happy with what we have and stop complaining over nothing.

Since Matthews entered the league:

Goals Per Game

1.Ovechkin 0.55
2.Matthews 0.53
3.Kucherov 0.50
4.Laine 0.49
5.Crosby 0.47

Even Strength Goals Per game

1.Matthews .41
2.McDavid .38
3.P.Kane .35
4.Arvidsson .35
5.Ovechkin .34

 

[zeke]

t a 21-year old who is already the second best goalscorer in the league

oh, he's the first best goalscorer in the league, actually.

 

[TheOneArmedMan]

Anyone calling Matthews a complimentary player is a fool. You people really need to give your heads a shake, and leave the kid alone. Let him develop and when he becomes a bigger star in this league then he already is, you all can eat crow.

Matthews is a star in this league already playing in only 75% of the games a season. The kid needs to grow into his body and he will. When he does he will dominate even more. In the past 3 seasons only 5 players have more goals scored then Matthews who has played many less games:

View attachment 199169

And this season isn't done yet. To call Matthews a complimentary player is crazy. Be happy with what we have and stop complaining over nothing.

Exactly Matthews is a good player when he shows up.

He's not even in his prime yet he will be dominant when he shows more conistansy

 

[BlueForever75]

Exactly Matthews is a good player when he shows up.

He's not even in his prime yet he will be dominant when he shows more conistansy

You guys really need to understand how Matthews has been developed. Babcock hasn't given him the minutes, hasn't given him consistent talent to play with, But yet he still produces.

The only knock against him is the fact that he has been injured for chunks of the past 2 seasons. But with every other limitation that has been given to him he still produces.

Give him the majority of every PP, play him 20+ minutes a night, and play him with top line wingers instead of 3rd line wingers. See what he produces!!!

But based on what he produces already with all these things against him, he is a star in this league. And Leafs fans should support him instead of be-heading him any shot they get.

Ridiculous

 

[Matthews34]

Matthews went from generational talent to pseudo star not living up to the hype as soon as he put pen to paper. Some fans should be ashamed of themselves. If the Leafs had McDavid I'm sure some Leaf fans would find reason to shit on him too.

 

[ORRFForever]

Matthews went from generational talent to pseudo star not living up to the hype as soon as he put pen to paper. Some fans should be ashamed of themselves. If the Leafs had McDavid I'm sure some Leaf fans would find reason to **** on him too.

Disagree.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

I watched the Pens Caps game tonight and AM has miles and miles to go before he can be considered close to Crosby. On and off the ice.

Good thing he's only 21. He's got time (that contract is a bit rich though)

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

oh, he's the first best goalscorer in the league, actually.

I'd say that title is still Ovechkin's. The PP is very important and can make or break a game. Maybe Matthews isn't being used in the best way to maximize his PP output, but until Ovi either drops off or Matthews get's his PP numbers up, Ovechkin is still the best goal scorer in the game.

 

[Matthews34]

Disagree.

Good thing I don't care