Has Matthews struggled in the playoffs?

[GMofOilers]

In the long run of his career this playoffs won’t matter at all.

That being said he was extremely disappointing in this years playoffs. There’s no denying it. That is the topic at hand.

Everyone expected a lot more, fans, media, his team mates, and the management, coaching of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[Fear]

Matthews is great and will continue to be. He had a bad series, but so did Hart candidates Kopitar and Giroux, where's their thread?

 

[Grub]

I can't believe it's still that same core of Chara, Kreiji, Marchand and Bergeron still making a big impact for the Bruins. I mean the 2011 playoff run is almost a decade old and most players from the Canuck side are either over the hill or retired.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Matthews is great and will continue to be. He had a bad series, but so did Hart candidates Kopitar and Giroux, where's their thread?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/what-the-hell-giroux.2479637/

 

[sparxx87]

is this serious? "Turned out ok?"

up until the boston series, crosby had 105 career playoff points in 78 career playoff games and had been to 2 cups and won 1. which would have put him only behind Mario and Wayne for best playoff PPG for those with over 100 GP.

Not close to a comparable situation.

You don’t have to tell me about my favourite player, I’m well aware.

The point was that the same Bruins core held the best player in the game off the scoresheet the entire series. It happens sometimes... If it continues to happen, then it becomes a problem.

 

[stepdad gaary]

You don’t have to tell me about my favourite player, I’m well aware.

The point was that the same Bruins core held the best player in the game off the scoresheet the entire series. It happens sometimes... If it continues to happen, then it becomes a problem.

well first of all, lets not act like the whole world didnt question Crosby's ability after that series. So its ok if people talk about matthews having a bad series. you might be right, he might go on the do great things in the playoffs. but drawing any comparisons to the career paths of he and crosby is incredibly misguided, favorite player or not.

 

[Braunbaer]

Matthews is great and will continue to be. He had a bad series, but so did Hart candidates Kopitar and Giroux, where's their thread?

Their threads are right in the area where the threads about them being generational talents are.

 

[sparxx87]

well first of all, lets not act like the whole world didnt question Crosby's ability after that series. So its ok if people talk about matthews having a bad series. you might be right, he might go on the do great things in the playoffs. but drawing any comparisons to the career paths of he and crosby is incredibly misguided, favorite player or not.

Absolutely, but shouldn’t it work both ways?

The whole world? I’m not sure how often you talk hockey with qualified individuals outside of the Internet, but it might shock you that the HF consensus often doesn’t reflect overall consensus.

Most prefer to look a little deeper - why did it happen? Well, Matthews has set the bar pretty high so anything less seems like underachieving for him... and that’s before we even mention he was matched up with the best defensive forward of this generation, and the 6’9 reach of Zdeno Chara, inarguably the most feared defender of the past decade.


.... but rather than give credit where credit is due, some prefer to pile on a 20 year old who had a rough two weeks.

...oh what a world we live in.

 

[stepdad gaary]

Absolutely, but shouldn’t it work both ways?

The whole world? I’m not sure how often you talk hockey with qualified individuals outside of the Internet, but it might shock you that the HF consensus often doesn’t reflect overall consensus.

Most prefer to look a little deeper - why did it happen? Well, Matthews has set the bar pretty high so anything less seems like underachieving for him... and that’s before we even mention he was matched up with the best defensive forward of this generation, and the 6’9 reach of Zdeno Chara, inarguably the most feared defender of the past decade.


.... but rather than give credit where credit is due, some prefer to pile on a 20 year old who had a rough two weeks.

...oh what a world we live in.

or give criticism when its deserved

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Do you remember when Bergeron, Chara and these same Bruins held Crosby pointless in a series a few years ago?

Sid turned out ok, I expect the same from Matthews.

Technically, it was Krejci that held Crosby pointless. Bergeron was usually matched up versus Malkin.

 

[sparxx87]

or give criticism when its deserved

That’s subjective, though?

Most who are able to dissect this knew the Bruins are the toughest matchup for the Leafs and Auston Matthews. The better, more experienced team reigned supreme...

Forgive me for taking a more rational approach and not seeing any good in blaming an individual who was bested by the best in the game.

 

[TheNumber4]

He's played only 13 playoffs games and has 5 goals. That's double of Nash's gpg average in the playoffs. Use some sense before saying something dumb.

And the majority of those goals happened in 1 series. The sample size is small, but as overall players, that of supremely talented first overall picks that aren't quite generational, he is closer to that of Nash than of Crosby. Therefore trying to project their careers into the future you'd have a better case comparing it to that of Nash's than Crosbys.

 

[Individual 1]

Do you remember when Bergeron, Chara and these same Bruins held Crosby pointless in a series a few years ago?

Sid turned out ok, I expect the same from Matthews.

Do you remember that time Auston Matthews scored 40 goals in his rookie season and won the Calder? I too can state random facts about a player, it is a little strange that pointing out something that is incorrect gets followed by someone pointing out when those players performed poorly.

 

[stepdad gaary]

That’s subjective, though?

Most who are able to dissect this knew the Bruins are the toughest matchup for the Leafs and Auston Matthews. The better, more experienced team reigned supreme...

Forgive me for taking a more rational approach and not seeing any good in blaming an individual who was bested by the best in the game.

and youre being objective?

your so called "rational approach" compared the playoff resumes of crosby to matthews simply because at vastly different points in their careers, they only managed to get a few points against boston in a playoff series.

like i mentioned, crosby actually had some evidence to back up that the series was a fluke. that type of evidence does not exist for matthews yet.

thats not being rational, my man.

 

[sparxx87]

and youre being objective?

your so called "rational approach" compared the playoff resumes of crosby to matthews simply because at vastly different points in their careers, they only managed to get a few points against boston in a playoff series.

like i mentioned, crosby actually had some evidence to back up that the series was a fluke. that type of evidence does not exist for matthews yet.

thats not being rational, my man.

I was never comparing Matthews with Crosby - I was pointing out that the Bruins can shut down the best player in the world... if they can stop Sid in a short series, why wouldn’t we think they could do it to anyone?

You’ve clearly misinterpreted the point I was making.

If I say my Audi can’t beat a Corvette so I’m not surprised it can’t beat a Ferrari, what am I actually comparing?

Reading comprehension, my man.

 

[chizzler]

The kid did fine. Did what he could. If he’s not hurt, he’ll come back stronger next year. This just HF Boards unsual when rising star has a bad series. No he didn’t have a good series but on the good not Marner picked it up. Enough with this putting stars down. He plays in a system employed by Babcock. Who know what his job was in the system. Veteran coaches always ask about sacrificing the good of the player for the team.

 

[stepdad gaary]

I was never comparing Matthews with Crosby - I was pointing out that the Bruins can shut down the best player in the world... if they can stop Sid in a short series, why wouldn’t we think they could do it to anyone?

You’ve clearly misinterpreted the point I was making.

If I say my Audi can’t beat a Corvette so I’m not surprised it can’t beat a Ferrari, what am I actually comparing?

Reading comprehension, my man.

nothing. exactly. what you said was entirely meaningless.

Reading comprehension, my man.

 

[sparxx87]

nothing. exactly. what you said was entirely meaningless.

Reading comprehension, my man.

Lol so you mean I wasn’t comparing Matthews with Crosby? Oh ok, glad you’re finally up to speed.

Apology accepted, my man.

 

[FerrisRox]

And Eichel takes pride in Eichel which is why he sulks like a baby when he doesn't get what he wants.

Matthews literally just blew off the media after a no-show loss in this series and you want to call another player a sulker when he doesn't get what he wants?

Here's a quarter... go get a clue.

 

[FerrisRox]

Young players struggle in the playoffs sometimes. I remember Malkin's first playoffs at age 20, he struggled heavily against Ottawa. Afterwards there was ridiculous talk about how Jordan Staal is better and Malkin should be traded. Here we are 11 years later and Malkin is one of the best playoff performers of all time.

Malkin had four points in five games that year. Hardly the same thing that Matthews just did.

Also, Malkin had more points than Staal did. Not sure what point you are making here.

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

Yeah, because having a good regular season is all that matters in hockey. The playoffs are just an opportunity to go golfing early, so not showing up is actually a good thing after a gruelling 82-game season. In October when it really counts Matthews will be fine again.

Of course playoffs are more important than the regular season, the point is just that you can't judge a player over such a small sample size. If 5 years from now Matthews has 50 games of playoffs experience and is still at 0.5 ppg then you can call him a poor playoff performer. But after only 13 games? Give me a break. In his case the 144 games of regular season experience is a better indicator of what kind of player he is because it is actually a decent sample size. And I'm saying this as someone who hates the Leafs.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

No accountability?

Humility: a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness

The Sabers had 62 points this year, if accountability is your concern it would appear this time would be better spent assessing your favorite organization and franchise player rather than trying to tear apart the Leafs and Matthews.

But then again, those who are not satisfied/comfortable with themselves and their own seek to discredit and/or disparage others.

Yeah and I’m positive a lot of leaf fans (not all) showed up example of the word you just described in great detail.(humility)....they Had a serious axe to grind due to other buffalo fans stating our rebuild was ahead of Theres so they reminded us just incase we forgot of how terrible buffalo did this year.

God forebid we let them know after a terrible performance from there star player.

Because that wouldn’t be allowed now would it.

Some people man

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Of course playoffs are more important than the regular season, the point is just that you can't judge a player over such a small sample size. If 5 years from now Matthews has 50 games of playoffs experience and is still at 0.5 ppg then you can call him a poor playoff performer. But after only 13 games? Give me a break. In his case the 144 games of regular season experience is a better indicator of what kind of player he is because it is actually a decent sample size. And I'm saying this as someone who hates the Leafs.

I actually agree in this case.

It’s way too early to label Matthews as a playoff choker. It’s fair to say though that he just didn’t perform well in the playoffs. And this year will overshadow last years six game loss to the caps where he did pretty good (goal wise) was non factor in first two games and another one in the middle.

If this series went four or five games it would still be bad for him not to show up but it’s the fact it went the full seven and was smdairly close and if he had just stepped up it could of been the whole difference. That’s the part I’m sure that burns.


So he definitely should get a pass but if this tree continues expect leaf fans to get impatient. Which is sort of ridiculous I k ow but there fans want a series victory badly as do all.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

delete

 

[FerrisRox]

Good thing we dont base a player off of his first 2 playoff apparence that would mean that players like Crosby,Malkin,Stamkos,Tavares are all trash lol thanks for the laugh

Here's an idea: Actually look up what the players you are citing as an example did in their first two playoff seasons for offering them up as evidence to support your silly comment.