Has Matthews struggled in the playoffs?

[DangleCity]

He may have been playing injured. And consider that these two first seasons of his, he's won a Calder and made the playoffs...Does that prompt one to reflexively define Matthews as a better player than McDavid? No more than it should cause comparisons to Kessel who plays a different game at a different position.

Matthews is going to win a Selke one day. He's a 200 foot player and he's an offensive catalyst who can finish, but generates his own offense routinely. He's a true number one.

But the most honest way to determine something like that is to compare his first two seasons to other present day number one centers...Including Patrice Bergeron. But I don't think that particular comparison helps opportunistic threads/posts like this.

He may be all those things, but you can't deny his recent playoff performance. We aren't discussing the regular season

 

[tapi]

The injuries took their toll. Next season he should dominate

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I find it highly ironic that the person that started this thread is named "McDavidMania".

Projecting much?

I'm a Penguins fan, assume much?

 

[The Kingslayer]

He definitely struggled this playoffs. Way too soon to call him a non playoff performer however as some in here seem to be getting at. Pavel Datsyuk was a non playoff performer once upon a time according to HF.

 

[NYR94]

Yeah, he's struggled. But players do that in the playoffs at various times, they struggle. Playoff hockey is tough.

But he's young. Give him time.

 

[winnipegger]

In 2015 Scheifele was dominated by Kesler in the playoffs. That was a big part of his development and it's no different than Matthews. Learning how to beat the best usually means getting beaten.

 

[Hunter368]

In 2015 Scheifele was dominated by Kesler in the playoffs. That was a big part of his development and it's no different than Matthews. Learning how to beat the best usually means getting beaten.

True.....

 

[ryerockarola]

Hes Phil Kessel. A real good player but needs to ride shotgun with a true number 1. Hes a Robin who needs a Batman

Maybe the Leafs should've drafted Laine instead?

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Yeah I’m pissed that my team lost in a game 7 and missed an oppritunity to knock off one of the best teams in the NHL.

It could be worse though, my team could suck and I could have nothing else going on in my life so I need to find joy by trolling leafs fans on a hockey forum.

Glad you were able to find some enjoyment tonight in a miserable season.

Don't project your own emptiness on other people.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Maybe not the side that posts in threads to stir **** up.

Simple answer: report the post(s) and don't play vigilante.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Bad second season as a sophmore scoring at a PPG clip( even higher before he got injured) . Back to back playoff apparences since Matthews has been with the Leafs. 40 goals as a rookie and 5 goals in 6 games in the playoffs last year. He will be alright

Why do some people feel the need to distort the truth in order tu pump up their favorite.

4 goals in playoffs last year, not 5.

 

[Riddum]

He still has a higher ceiling than McDavid.

 

[winnipegger]

He still has a higher ceiling than McDavid.

What kind of living room/bedroom they each have has very little to do with their play on the ice.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

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

Crosby ? 9 goals, 32 points in 25 games. Swing and a miss.

Malkin ? 10 goals, 26 points in 25 games. Swing and a miss.

Thanks for the laughs you wrote ?

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

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.

But, but, but... what about "We're 7-1 against them in the last 2 seasons and Andersen is 10-1 against them lifetime ?

Great memories...

 

[sparxx87]

But, but, but... what about "We're 7-1 against them in the last 2 seasons and Andersen is 10-1 against them lifetime ?

Great memories...

I didn’t say that? Why are you quoting me?

I said Bruins in 6.

 

[La Masse]

Why do some people feel the need to distort the truth in order tu pump up their favorite.

4 goals in playoffs last year, not 5.

Thats still pretty good especially for a rookie. Thanks for proving my point

 

[Frosty415]

I'm not painting anyone with the same brush. I'm not saying all Leaf fans, but you have a very vocal very silly group of fans that venture out of your forum and post hilarious and combative things all over the main boards that absolutely fuel threads just like this. Take a look at those posts - and the legions of "likes" beneath them - and it should be abundantly clear why threads like this seem to be never-ending.

The Maple Leafs are a team that haven't won a playoff round since before the iPhone was invented and haven't even challenged for a Cup in over fifty years and yet there is members of their fan base that are all over threads here mocking other fanbases (particularly the Oilers) attacking Jets fans and making laughable claims like "the rebuild has just begun" (despite missing the playoffs nine out of the last eleven years and piling up draft picks, etc. Who knew that a rebuild doesn't officially count unless you intentionally tank? Who knew that when a rebuild "starts" even mattered at all? These Leaf fans think its important to lay claim to the date the rebuild has begun so they can post threads about how far ahead they are of other teams rebuilds.) This kind of nonsense is so petty and so laughable to the fanbases that it's ripe for lampooning. When the team goes out and lays and egg in the playoffs and their anointed messiah forgets to show up at all, of course there's going to be a run on humble pie orders.

Exactly how I feel, well said.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Thats still pretty good especially for a rookie. Thanks for proving my point

I did not prove anything.

I simply corrected you.

But I'm not surprised at that comment, knowing it was you.

 

[FerrisRox]

I love how it's the 'Leaf fans' doing this, but not the other fanbases. I also love how probably >2/3 of your posts are about the Leafs and criticizing some aspect of the team. We can see your agenda...don't try to pass it off as some sort of impartiality. You're quite transparent.

Yes, you are quite a sleuth. You've figured me out. I'm a Torontonian that posts a lot about the Toronto Maple Leafs. Amazing how you've pieced this together.

And boy have I been exposed. I've been saying, for two years, that their defense was atrocious and they weren't going to go anywhere as long as they played guys like Jake Gardiner as much as they were or played guys like Polak at all.

Boy do I feel silly now when that defense that I said was a glaring issue that meant this team wasn't a contender or even a pretender proved me wrong.

And do I ever look like I have an "agenda" against Jake Gardiner. He *really * silenced his critics with a top notch performance.

Thank you for "calling me out." I'm not sure how you pieced it all together. Take a bow.

 

[ITM]

He may be all those things, but you can't deny his recent playoff performance. We aren't discussing the regular season

I'm a Leafs fan through and through and have watched every single playoff game Matthews has played. Taking nothing away from Boston, Matthews pre and post injury seemed a different player. Taking nothing away from Matthews stats in this playoff series, last year he was better albeit against a different club.

Here's the thing...He's 20. I can't deny his run against Boston, but I can certainly deny context when it deforms what he has been and what he could be. And like I noted, not comparing Matthews to a player like Bergeron during their first two seasons does no favor to those isolating Matthews performance against Boston to conclude that ultimately, Matthews is a known quantity and far less than most believed. That's a conclusion I think that should be repeatedly denied credibility.

 

[DangleCity]

I'm a Leafs fan through and through and have watched every single playoff game Matthews has played. Taking nothing away from Boston, Matthews pre and post injury seemed a different player. Taking nothing away from Matthews stats in this playoff series, last year he was better albeit against a different club.

Here's the thing...He's 20. I can't deny his run against Boston, but I can certainly deny context when it deforms what he has been and what he could be. And like I noted, not comparing Matthews to a player like Bergeron during their first two seasons does no favor to those isolating Matthews performance against Boston to conclude that ultimately, Matthews is a known quantity and far less than most believed. That's a conclusion I think that should be repeatedly denied credibility.

Patrice Bergeron was hurt too. So hurt he actually missed a playoff game which is unheard of. I dont want to hear he was injured. Plenty of guys out there were/are hurt

 

[tacogeoff]

Might as well close this thread. He isn't in the playoffs anymore.

 

[FerrisRox]

Hes Phil Kessel. A real good player but needs to ride shotgun with a true number 1. Hes a Robin who needs a Batman

I don't know if you only watched this series, but this isn't accurate.

He is definitely more than capable of generating his own offense and he doesn't need to ride shotgun with anyone. Matthews is legit.

 

[oobga]

Hes Phil Kessel. A real good player but needs to ride shotgun with a true number 1. Hes a Robin who needs a Batman

Didn't Kessel put up 4 goals and 6 points and a +3 against Boston with Bozak as his C? Kessel drove plenty of offence himself before he went to the Pens, in the regular season and playoffs. Just had a far worse support cast than Matthews has now. He actually had a higher PPG (13-8-21 in 22 games) in the playoffs before he joined the pens than he has as a member of the pens (19-31-50 in 56 games).