Lets talk about Auston Matthews.

[BertCorbeau]

So Matthews has to make unit #2 better than #1 for Babcock to give him unit #1 pp unit ice time?

Seriously?

Nobody would argue with this statement:

Auston Matthews is the Leafs best forward.

Now name another team in the NHL that ices 5 other fwds on the pp more than their best.

Babcock is one of the best coaches in the world. That doesn’t make him perfect.

Limiting matthews’ pp ice time the way Babcock does is a mistake.

Matthews' being the best Leafs player has little to do with the fact that the Leafs have had the second best PP unit in the league for two seasons with that set up .. It wasn't been an issue, there was no need to tinker with it.

This season we'll likely see changes with JVR/Bozak's pending free agency.

 

[Spirit of 67]

This isn't the 60's and if a coach loses his star players he won't have a job for long regardless of how big a rep he has.

And the media didn't create the drama , they just reported it .

Actually, the media did create the drama. Kypreos said himself that there was no inside report of this. He simply saw Matty frustrated and created a story based on a couple anecdotal incidents.
Dreger jumped on it and now has been back tracking.
On NHL Radio the other day he admitted he was partly guilty of creating a firestorm where it didn't exist.

 

[MR4]

So Matthews has to make unit #2 better than #1 for Babcock to give him unit #1 pp unit ice time?

Seriously?

Nobody would argue with this statement:

Auston Matthews is the Leafs best forward.

Now name another team in the NHL that ices 5 other fwds on the pp more than their best.

Babcock is one of the best coaches in the world. That doesn’t make him perfect.

Limiting matthews’ pp ice time the way Babcock does is a mistake.

The Marner unit had Marner and Rielly putting up historic (10 year sample) numbers, there is literally no other reason than 'I want Matthews to get more PP points' to want to f*** with that type of production from a PP unit. Anyone with a brain would realize you're far more likely to diminish its effectiveness if you change it than improve it when it was already doing as well as it did the last season.

But don't worry, Matthews-Marner will likely be a thing this year.

 

[v00d00daddy]

I'll argue that statement. For the last 2 months Marner has been the Leafs best forward and its not even close.

Agreed. But that’s not arguing what I said.

Leafs best player (overall) is Auston Matthews.

No way you, or anyone else would choose Marner over Matthews. And I love Marner.

Matthews' being the best Leafs player has little to do with the fact that the Leafs have had the second best PP unit in the league for two seasons with that set up .. It wasn't been an issue, there was no need to tinker with it.

This season we'll likely see changes with JVR/Bozak's pending free agency.

So because they’re pp was amongst the best that means there’s no room for improvement? I can argue that they were the second best despite the fact that Babcock chose Bozak AND Kadri as centres/distributors on the 1st unit. Who picks Bozak over Matthews when you’re up a man?

Babcock, and those who think criticising Babcock is always wrong.

The Marner unit had Marner and Rielly putting up historic (10 year sample) numbers, there is literally no other reason than 'I want Matthews to get more PP points' to want to **** with that type of production from a PP unit. Anyone with a brain would realize you're far more likely to diminish its effectiveness if you change it than improve it when it was already doing as well as it did the last season.

But don't worry, Matthews-Marner will likely be a thing this year.

Marner and Reilly putting up historic numbers doesn’t justify playing Bozak/Kadri on the pp more than Matthews.

Guys...if you’re using the logic that the leafs were good as is then there should be no changes. Just assume that they’ll evolve, without change, with experience.

I don’t think that’s all they have to do. They have to do more than wait.

They have to get the best out of their players.

Babcock didn’t do that this year with Matthews.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Marner and Reilly putting up historic numbers doesn’t justify playing Bozak/Kadri on the pp more than Matthews.

Kadri is one thing, but Bozak barely touch the puck on that PP and has a minimal role. It would be more waste to put Matthews there than having him on the second unit. Unless you start tinkering with how one of the best units in many years go about achieving those results.

So we could have Matthews instead of Kadri. Naz has been terrific in that position though, immensely so. I'm not so sure that Matthews can make a significant improvement there. But I do think that Kadri on the second unit instead would hurt that unit even more.

They have to get the best out of their players.

They have to get the best out of the players as a collective. It's impossible to get the best out of every player, but we can get the best out of them as a group. So if we can take some guys that are not good at even strength and make arguably the best unit in the league, that's good. If that means that we get more even strength time out of one of the best even strength players in the league, even better.

I think people that argues along the lines you do miss one big thing. The issue is not that Matthews is not on our first unit. It's that his second unit was abysmal. Did anyone have a problem with how he was used on the PP in his rookie season when he and Nylander tore the league up? I'd guess not, and it was the same set up.

Not having taken action to make that unit a threat was the issue. Once teams figured out that they just needed to close down the golden road-pass, the puck carrier on that unit was on an island.

 

[TheDoldrums]

"Tavares was also lobbied in recent days by Auston Matthews, the 20-year-old Leafs Alpha dog who was among the players to reach out to him directly during his free-agent window. Those close to Matthews say he’s thrilled to welcome another star to Toronto and isn’t worried about how it might impact his ice time or whether he’s granted the captaincy because he wants to win a championship and believes that he and Tavares can accomplish “special things” together

Clearly, the feeling is mutual."

John Tavares leaps into great unknown by betting on Maple Leafs - Sportsnet.ca

Thank you Auston. Proving how good of a teammate he is through actions, regardless of what the media says about him.

 

[JamieG19]

I don't believe it for a second. Just typical media BS statements.

This will be a bad move for Auston, mark my words. He needs to be the man on the team.

Hell, he couldn't get top PP time and play in all the big situations last year when it counted and now Babcock can put Tavares out in front of him.

Anybody remember what happened to Doug Gilmour once Mats Sundin joined?

Be prepared for a huge Matthews regression.

 

[Goonface2k14]

I don't believe it for a second. Just typical media BS statements.

This will be a bad move for Auston, mark my words. He needs to be the man on the team.

Hell, he couldn't get top PP time and play in all the big situations last year when it counted and now Babcock can put Tavares out in front of him.

Anybody remember what happened to Doug Gilmour once Mats Sundin joined?

Be prepared for a huge Matthews regression.

How about the exact opposite. Matthews will be even more lethal now that the spotlight is shared with JT. He’s hungrier than ever looking at the Leafs lineup and how they’re now in the top tier.

This is nothing like Gilmour - Sundin. That was a clear moment of change. They traded Clark. That era was over. This era is just beginning.

Save this post, and come back to it after next season.

 

[JamieG19]

How about the exact opposite. Matthews will be even more lethal now that the spotlight is shared with JT. He’s hungrier than ever looking at the Leafs lineup and how they’re now in the top tier.

This is nothing like Gilmour - Sundin. That was a clear moment of change. They traded Clark. That era was over. This era is just beginning.

Save this post, and come back to it after next season.

Yes, please.

There's lots of examples in history where people think if you have 1 superstar center and you bring in another one, it will all be roses. Not the case for the reason I mentioned. And you're way to quick to dismiss the Gilmour/Sundin comparison. Time in a era has nothing to do with it. You had the leader of the team who was the number 1 center. It was his team. They brought in another #1 center dreaming about how great it would be to have 2 world class centers. Unfortunately, because of the issues I'm talking about, the 1st guy could no longer be who he was before the new addition joined.

Just wait until a key moment when Babcock sends out Tavares and Matthews is on the bench. And then when all the media asks Matthews about why he's not producing? I think you're being very naive if you think Auston is going to be all cool with it when things aren't going well, he's getting criticism and he feels like Tavares is getting his minutes.

This move will come back to haunt the Leafs.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Yes, please.

There's lots of examples in history where people think if you have 1 superstar center and you bring in another one, it will all be roses. Not the case for the reason I mentioned. And you're way to quick to dismiss the Gilmour/Sundin comparison. Time in a era has nothing to do with it. You had the leader of the team who was the number 1 center. It was his team. They brought in another #1 center dreaming about how great it would be to have 2 world class centers. Unfortunately, because of the issues I'm talking about, the 1st guy could no longer be who he was before the new addition joined.

Just wait until a key moment when Babcock sends out Tavares and Matthews is on the bench. And then when all the media asks Matthews about why he's not producing? I think you're being very naive if you think Auston is going to be all cool with it when things aren't going well, he's getting criticism and he feels like Tavares is getting his minutes.

This move will come back to haunt the Leafs.

I think you fail to recognize the magic in 1993 and 1994. Gilmour was our superstar, Clark was our captain, our heart and soul. Trading him had an emotional effect on that dressing room and the entire organization. Sundin was a kid from Sweden. They’re all human. It all had an effect.

This is so different. This immediately takes pressure off Matthews. As much as we praise his character, it is still Toronto, and he is still so young. Have you ever thought that maybe at this point in his life, under the spotlight as a Toronto Maple Leaf, he would prefer sharing the spotlight even more, and he will thrive even more in that environment? Ever thought about how much he wants to win? Ever thought about how hungry the past two seasons have made him?

At the end of the day, Auston Matthews is not Doug Gilmour, John Tavares is not Mats Sundin. Their on ice value to the team might be similar, but they are vastly different people. And the Leafs didn’t just trade their heart and soul captain away. They lost a few guys to free agency and everyone knew they were leaving.

This team will win so many more games due to this move, and Auston is 100% in.

Your post will come back to haunt you.

 

[rent free]

I don't believe it for a second. Just typical media BS statements.

This will be a bad move for Auston, mark my words. He needs to be the man on the team.

Hell, he couldn't get top PP time and play in all the big situations last year when it counted and now Babcock can put Tavares out in front of him.

Anybody remember what happened to Doug Gilmour once Mats Sundin joined?

Be prepared for a huge Matthews regression.

i think a tavares regression will happen instead

 

[MR4]

I can't believe people are worried about this.

Auston is going to love eating up 2nd line competition / watching Tavares eat up 2nd liners. There will be no way to shut us down. That's more valuable than having the full spotlight as someone that doesn't even like the spotlight.

 

[PromisedLand]

Matthews is going to put up 100 points next season. Yes you heard it here first

 

[JamieG19]

I can't believe people are worried about this.

Auston is going to love eating up 2nd line competition / watching Tavares eat up 2nd liners. There will be no way to shut us down. That's more valuable than having the full spotlight as someone that doesn't even like the spotlight.

I don't think you understand the mentality of superstar tier athlete. It's not "Woohoo! We need a goal and I'm on the bench because the coach believes in the other guy more, I'm so pumped I don't need to be other there against the other teams best players!"

 

[Swervin81]

Y'all think Matthews is gonna be mad?

C'mon, man. Do you think Malkin resents Crosby too? No. As a matter of fact, they probably love that they have this dynamic where they make life easier for each other. Seriously, some people...

 

[kindalaidback]

the replies are fun. not.

 

[LeafsFan89]

the replies are fun. not.

I think they are. Watch the video on TSN. "He likes Toronto, he wants to stay in Toronto..." A huge theory on these boards is that he bolts to Phoenix after his entry level contract. This suggests otherwise.

 

[LeafsFan89]

Double post.

 

[DanM]

I think they are. Watch the video on TSN. "He likes Toronto, he wants to stay in Toronto..." A huge theory on these boards is that he bolts to Phoenix after his entry level contract. This suggests otherwise.

Somebody post all those Bobby replies on the Matthews Offer sheet thread, let them suck on that!

I would but I never attach anything, and don't know how this second lol

 

[Daisy Jane]

Somebody post all those Bobby replies on the Matthews Offer sheet thread, let them suck on that!

I would but I never attach anything, and don't know how this second lol

there's an auston matthews offer sheet thread?

 

[rent free]

I can't believe people are worried about this.

Auston is going to love eating up 2nd line competition / watching Tavares eat up 2nd liners. There will be no way to shut us down. That's more valuable than having the full spotlight as someone that doesn't even like the spotlight.

the question is will this translate into the playoffs?

 

[Daisy Jane]

Also, Auston isn't stupid.
he has to know what having Tavares on the team means for him and the team.

 

[DanM]

there's an auston matthews offer sheet thread?

Yep, under the rumours heading

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

there's an auston matthews offer sheet thread?

Yep. It’s mostly a bunch of “neutral” fans fantasizing that Matthews will do to Toronto what Tavares did to the Islanders, ignoring the litany of differences between the two situations.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Yep, under the rumours heading

oi.

Yep. It’s mostly a bunch of “neutral” fans fantasizing that Matthews will do to Toronto what Tavares did to the Islanders, ignoring the litany of differences between the two situations.

well you know. when Dubas trades away every single player Matthews plays with on his line, MLSE loses their arena, and they suck for 9 years, then sure. honestly, i could totally see Matthews ditching Toronto.