Is Marner much less w/o Matthews? Is Matthews much less w/o Marner?

[Holymakinaw]

Where is the "dumb poll" option.

And why's that? Because someone on the internet might not share your opinion? LOL.

I happen to think that Matthews, who's an obviously talented scorer, would not be hitting THESE heights if he didn't have a supremely talented playmaker like Marner feeding him all the time. The "evidence" of his goal surge starting last year kinda suggests it.

Is that okay with you? People having differing opinions & stuff?

 

[Not My Tempo]

We’ve seen Matthews be elite with Nylander and we’ve seen Marner be elite with Tavares. Together they’re more than the sum of their parts.

That being said, I still do wonder if we can make the team as a whole better by splitting them up, but I’m not Keefe so it isn’t a decision I have to make lol

 

[mydnyte]

Now take out the penalty kill

here is another way...
we have 6 players with 10 or more goals.
Marner ranks 5th in shooting percentage, but, 2nd in total shots (to Matthews) tied with Tavares who is one goal behind, and likely will pass him by season's end.
Tavares is the only player lower than Marner in shooting %, and he had a really rough start to the season, and has only picked up his play the last 2 months after changing his stick style.

Marner has played 260 mins more than Tavares this season, and 430 mins more than Nylander.

now, take out the PK
5 on 5
Marner 17:26
Tavares 15:41
Nylander 14:13
...so, 5 on 5, continues to not help Marner look better.

PP
Marner 3:05
Tavares 2:34
Nylander 2:21
...and on the PP he leads there too.

Summary of non PK
Marner 20:31
Tavares 18:15
Nylander 16:34

taking out the PK make it look even worse for Marner, so, thanks for pointing that out for me.

 

[Lauro]

here is another way...
we have 6 players with 10 or more goals.
Marner ranks 5th in shooting percentage, but, 2nd in total shots (to Matthews) tied with Tavares who is one goal behind, and likely will pass him by season's end.
Tavares is the only player lower than Marner in shooting %, and he had a really rough start to the season, and has only picked up his play the last 2 months after changing his stick style.

Marner has played 260 mins more than Tavares this season, and 430 mins more than Nylander.

now, take out the PK
5 on 5
Marner 17:26
Tavares 15:41
Nylander 14:13
...so, 5 on 5, continues to not help Marner look better.

PP
Marner 3:05
Tavares 2:34
Nylander 2:21
...and on the PP he leads there too.

Summary of non PK
Marner 20:31
Tavares 18:15
Nylander 16:34

taking out the PK make it look even worse for Marner, so, thanks for pointing that out for me.

So 2 instead of 4 minutes more than Tavares and 4 instead of 6 minutes more than Nylander make it worse?

 

[Notsince67]

So 2 instead of 4 minutes more than Tavares and 4 instead of 6 minutes more than Nylander make it worse?

It's so obvious, I thought I was missing something.

 

[ZEBROA]

I belive marner needs matthews more but since thats not a choice i cant vote.

 

[Smif]

I also liked it better when we had them split up, it was more of two-headed monster. Teams had to decide which line their top pairing defencemen would face, now, it's a forgone conclusion.

 

[Holymakinaw]

I belive marner needs matthews more but since thats not a choice i cant vote.

It's the second option down. Maybe worded slightly differently, is all.

 

[ZEBROA]

It's the second option down. Maybe worded slightly differently, is all.

The problem with the option is that Marner is realy special without Matthews, just not as special as Matthews is without Marner.

 

[Holymakinaw]

The problem with the option is that Marner is really special without Matthews, just not as special as Matthews is without Marner.

I know, Man. Just not quite AS special, is all.

 

[ShaneFalco]

All i know is that Nylander sucks

 

[7even]

They've produced at elite levels away from each other and now are continuing to produce at elite levels with each other. It would be foolish to compare their rookie and sophomore seasons 1:1 with these last two seasons, because it's impossible to tease out what's chemistry and what's natural development.

They were kept apart because they were capable of driving their own lines independently. Which they were. And now they've been asked to drive a line together. Which they are.

 

[therealkoho]

I believe the benefits of playin together are mutual, that said 18/19 JT's 47-41 was no accident, and Marner also had his best ever season PPG wise(he more than likely will surpass it this year)

Matthews is going to score with just about anybody being his set-up guy, but Mitch I think given his unique skills is really helping to drive Auston's numbers.

I know there is a whole school of folks who truly and really believe that the assist is not as valuable as the actual goal, I do not believe that for a moment. I played a little and I can tell you that there are very few players who once they get past Midget can do it all on their own and are a rarity once they get to the best league in the world. I think Matthews has the skill level to do that occasionally, as does McDavid and MacKinnon but there just aren't that many more I can think of, that can do it with any kind of frequency.

 

[therealkoho]

what about kane

Evander? he only passes on paying his bills!

 

[justashadowof]

It's golden to see the poll option with the editorializing against it winning the poll in a route.

 

[therealkoho]

here is another way...
we have 6 players with 10 or more goals.
Marner ranks 5th in shooting percentage, but, 2nd in total shots (to Matthews) tied with Tavares who is one goal behind, and likely will pass him by season's end.
Tavares is the only player lower than Marner in shooting %, and he had a really rough start to the season, and has only picked up his play the last 2 months after changing his stick style.

Marner has played 260 mins more than Tavares this season, and 430 mins more than Nylander.

now, take out the PK
5 on 5
Marner 17:26
Tavares 15:41
Nylander 14:13
...so, 5 on 5, continues to not help Marner look better.

PP
Marner 3:05
Tavares 2:34
Nylander 2:21
...and on the PP he leads there too.

Summary of non PK
Marner 20:31
Tavares 18:15
Nylander 16:34

taking out the PK make it look even worse for Marner, so, thanks for pointing that out for me.

d'ya think the dearth of goals could be the possible result of an abundance of assists

 

[Notsince67]

All i know is that Nylander sucks

That's what I suspected

 

[Swervin81]

No. I mean, they definitely make each other better, but they wouldn't necessarily be much less without each other.

JT had a career year and great chemistry with Marner, and Matthews and Nylander had 3 years of great chemistry themselves.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

We know the answer, we have seen Marner with Tavares and Matthews with Nylander

 

[LeafsGuy16]

Both of these guys are elite franchise players and I’m so grateful to 1) be able to watch them every night and 2) actually see a superstar player develop on the Leafs...and there’s two!! Personally I value Matthews more, centre, goal scorer, bigger. But we’re talking top 1-3 player in the world vs top 5 potential player in the world and somewhat splitting hairs. They’re both fantastic in their own ways.

I’m of the opinion that they’re so dominant that they would be doing just as well without playing together. Heck I truly believe Matthews could crack 40 every season playing with randoms.

Anyways, I don’t really care whether they’re played on the same line or not - we have great depth regardless. Looking forward to seeing them this post season.

 

[2 Slick]

Matthews had 40 goals in his rookie season without Marner on his line. Marner had close to 100 points on a line without Matthews a few seasons ago. Both don't need one another to produce at an elite level, but it sure is nice.

 

[slozo]

Matthews has looked like a generational goal scorer the whole time. It's not like he started playing with Marner and then all of a sudden started blowing the doors off. It's been a consistent run-up to this point for him.

I don't go either way on the topic in general, though. They are both great with or without each other, and I think this discussion is just searching for an argument that doesn't need to happen.

Absolutely we're just dissecting things here, agreed.

But to quibble over nothings, I would say that Matthews has always looked like he had the TALENT to be a generational goal scoring talent (much like an Ovechkin before him), but before being put with Marner, he was never tops in the league. Some of that can be argued as the natural maturing process, etc . . . but goal scoring, unlike assists, usually has a very early peak in an elite talent's career - within the first three full seasons, a peak year is attained. So I think a lot of credit must be given to him as well - taking nothing away from Matthews, who has earned his Rocket trophy this season.

 

[IPS]

but before being put with Marner, he was never tops in the league.

The best ES goal-scorer in the league.

 

[slozo]

The best ES goal-scorer in the league.

Mm, very true.

I still think Marner in the end gets short-changed in terms of recognition, so I'll continue to argue for him, lol . . . but we're really just lucky to all be here to watch this generation of Leaf talent. And hopefully we get somewhere with it this year!

 

[DarkKnight]

Mm, very true.

I still think Marner in the end gets short-changed in terms of recognition, so I'll continue to argue for him, lol . . . but we're really just lucky to all be here to watch this generation of Leaf talent. And hopefully we get somewhere with it this year!

Just look at his 40th tonight, Marner draws three players, the Hab on Matthews backs off, hypnotized by Marner’s move to the center of the ice, leaving room for Auston on the pass, then he does what no one else can to finish, stunning. Perfect harmony and only a fool can’t recognize the sum of the parts. Black and white posters don’t see the grey.

Sides are for squares.