Since they are friends and professional rivals, I’m curious to see what this does for Matthews preparation for next season. I would imagine he will want to up his game as well. It might actually be a benefit to the Leafs in the long run. But right at the moment, it’s pretty amazing to see how he has embraced the idea that he can use his physical tools for a good rather than evil in his own zone. He seems to understand that if he owns the puck, the team does so much better and he has the ability to go take it from people.
I couldn't be happier to see it finally click. I remember telling jj, when asked why I questioned Jack's defense so hard, that he could be a Selke nominee just due to his immense physical tools.
And now he is putting in the work. His pace at all zones is finally jumping up to the level it needed to be at to hit his potential.
He had a beautiful stick lift on O'Reilly right before his empty net goal against the Blues. It was my favorite play all year by him.
Four years ago he wouldn't have even been on the ice, because he was so unreliable.
Three years ago, he might have been on the ice and probably be twenty feet away from the play looking to get sprung.
Last year he might have made the play, maybe not.
This year, he is in the right position, he is focused on the right play, not the puck, but where it will go, allowing him to completely ambush O'Reilly, create the turnover, stay close as Larson fights off a check and then of course he is automatic on the empty net.
Too much man when Jack plays at 95-100%
