Matthews needs to be better...

[Menzinger]

These forums are the worst place after a loss

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

Marleau and Matthews don't work. Together there advanced stats are pooy. Kappy is fine but he needs someone else on his other wing.

 

[ElbowLander]

Our highest-payed player is playing like the worst player on this team that is who needs to be called out

26 goals second in the league....ok lol

 

[LeafsNation75]

In terms of tonight's game Matthews had that great chance in the 1st period and if he was able to get the puck in the net it's a 1-1 game and who knows how the rest of the game plays out. So this thread is nothing but a hot take after a bad game.

 

[ORRFForever]

As for Matthews, when the playoffs starts and teams run that shoulder(s - plural), I'm worried he will disappear. In the regular season, he will get his points.

 

[frog]

26 goals second in the league....ok lol

Sorry 2nd highest paid player!

 

[NightTrain1]

No no no, to everyone saying this is a kneejerk reaction. Ive been watching the Leafs for 40 years, I dont have a lot of kneejerk reactions left in me anymore. This was just bad timing with a terrible game tonight.

Ive already stated, I dont think he has been bad or even just decent. There are times he looks great but the problem is consistency overall and there are far far too many games where he just simply disappears. Maybe he gets a goal, maybe an assist but then vanishes. My point being, that players who make the kind of money he is supposed to get cannot be passengers on the train, they have to be engineers.

If i put out a poll right now asking so far this year who has been the biggest difference maker, Marner or Matthews what would the response be? Marner would the choice I would hope and Reilly and Tavares would be next. Matthews is my second favorite player on this team so if I have bias it is towards him not against, but is supposed to be running this team and he simply is not and I cannot figure out why because he has done so in the past. Perhaps its because of Babcock or he has a nagging injury still, but to me there is something off with his time on the ice. If you disagree thats fine.

 

[ORRFForever]

He got his money.

Like many, I have no idea how he got that kind of money. I just don't see it.

 

[ORRFForever]

No no no, to everyone saying this is a kneejerk reaction. Ive been watching the Leafs for 40 years, I dont have a lot of kneejerk reactions left in me anymore. This was just bad timing with a terrible game tonight.

Ive already stated, I dont think he has been bad or even just decent. There are times he looks great but the problem is consistency overall and there are far far too many games where he just simply disappears. Maybe he gets a goal, maybe an assist but then vanishes. My point being, that players who make the kind of money he is supposed to get cannot be passengers on the train, they have to be engineers.

If i put out a poll right now asking so far this year who has been the biggest difference maker, Marner or Matthews what would the response be? Marner would the choice I would hope and Reilly and Tavares would be next. Matthews is my second favorite player on this team so if I have bias it is towards him not against, but is supposed to be running this team and he simply is not and I cannot figure out why because he has done so in the past. Perhaps its because of Babcock or he has a nagging injury still, but to me there is something off with his time on the ice. If you disagree thats fine.

You don't need to apologize / provide an explanation for your opinion. It's as valid as anyone else's.

At times, Matthews look timid. He disappears. It is what it is.

Having said that, with Matthews and this core, the Leafs can make the playoffs at 90% - maybe less. What they do when they get there... ???

 

[hockeyes]

No no no, to everyone saying this is a kneejerk reaction. Ive been watching the Leafs for 40 years, I dont have a lot of kneejerk reactions left in me anymore. This was just bad timing with a terrible game tonight.

Ive already stated, I dont think he has been bad or even just decent. There are times he looks great but the problem is consistency overall and there are far far too many games where he just simply disappears. Maybe he gets a goal, maybe an assist but then vanishes. My point being, that players who make the kind of money he is supposed to get cannot be passengers on the train, they have to be engineers.

If i put out a poll right now asking so far this year who has been the biggest difference maker, Marner or Matthews what would the response be? Marner would the choice I would hope and Reilly and Tavares would be next. Matthews is my second favorite player on this team so if I have bias it is towards him not against, but is supposed to be running this team and he simply is not and I cannot figure out why because he has done so in the past. Perhaps its because of Babcock or he has a nagging injury still, but to me there is something off with his time on the ice. If you disagree thats fine.

Consistency is part of experience and something that is learned, your not going to find many young elite players that can play their best every night. Tavares is the perfect role model for these guys, even when he has a rare off day he is still out there making plays and fighting through whatever issues he is having that night.

 

[wingman75]

Despite the fact he has put up some points recently, I don't disagree that he should be better. Teams seem to be really focusing on taking away his space.. and as great as he is in tight spaces, they are not leaving any room for him to get off a clean shot. He needs to move around the ice more to show that he is not a one spot player...

That being said, he is turning the puck over at an alarming rate, and is losing a growing number of puck battles. Not sure if he is just banged up, or just in a funk; but he is not playing as we are accustomed.

 

[Warden of the North]

He has not looked the same since the Kronwall hit. I think his shoulder is hurting. He has not snapped a shot in since.

Hes scored, but not sniped.

 

[ORRFForever]

Despite the fact he has put up some points recently, I don't disagree that he should be better. Teams seem to be really focusing on taking away his space.. and as great as he is in tight spaces, they are not leaving any room for him to get off a clean shot. He needs to move around the ice more to show that he is not a one spot player...

That being said, he is turning the puck over at an alarming rate, and is losing a growing number of puck battles. Not sure if he is just banged up, or just in a funk; but he is not playing as we are accustomed.

I think he is concerned about his shoulder(s). I'm sure they are fine but, in his mind, they may be one hit away from surgery.

 

[saffronleaf]

In terms of tonight's game Matthews had that great chance in the 1st period and if he was able to get the puck in the net it's a 1-1 game and who knows how the rest of the game plays out. So this thread is nothing but a hot take after a bad game.

Him missing easy goals doesn't really alleviate the concerns IMO...

 

[LeafsNation75]

Him missing easy goals doesn't really alleviate the concerns IMO...

Personally I would be more concerned when Matthews isn't getting chances like that.

 

[ORRFForever]

Maybe Don Cherry is right :

Matthews doesn't know how to take a hit so he's avoiding all the messy areas.

 

[hector morrison]

I want him to score every game! As unrealistic as that is,he gets multiple chances to do just that every game! Even when he misses it isn't by much!
The other team is very aware of him in the Ozone. But on a PP there isn't much anyone can do about that shot. So,5 on 5 he will need to focus on new ways of getting open because it's gonna get harder...especially in the play offs.
All that said...he be nursin' one of them shoulders cause he ain't ripped one in a while now. The pass to Marner against Columbus confirmed that for me.

 

[thewave]

Maybe Don Cherry is right :

Matthews doesn't know how to take a hit so he's avoiding all the messy areas.

He got reinjured. He always goes into all the areas when healthy.

 

[JamieG19]

This is not a knee-jerk reaction to tonight and definitely not a shot at him because he has produced a good clip of points overall.

I will also give him some slack for being 21 years old still, but not a lot of slack.

This is something that has been bugging me for awhile and ive mentioned it briefly before, but Matthews is not preforming the way this team needs him to.

I dont know if a future captaincy is within his sights or not. But absolutely a large payday in the neighborhood of 11-13 mill is. But IMO he is not playing like that type of player at all. Dominant players are noticeable for big chunks of the game and are threats much more consistently than he is. You know when players like McDavid are on the ice almost all the time even when they arent putting up points.

Matthews is not playing like he did last season, or even for a few games at the start of this one. If you leave him open he will burn you quite often, but outside of that the only names you constantly hear are Marner, Tavares, Reilly and even Kap.

This is just my opinion based on what ive been seeing. Hes done really well point wise overall, but typically its Marner that has been running this team engine.

Blaming Matthews is ridiculous. If he puts that puck in after showing the greatest hockey sense of anyone in being able to pull it out of the scramble, then you're posting about how only Matthews came to play tonight.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

I agree with OP.

The problem for me is that it seems to be his birthright to make 13 million next year.

I simply think he is too inconsistent to be making so much money. I still think he’s great overall and I’m glad we have him. But he is no McDavid, and I’m terrified we’ll pay him like one maybe before he even tops 70 points.

 

[JamieG19]

I agree with OP.

The problem for me is that it seems to be his birthright to make 13 million next year.

I simply think he is too inconsistent to be making so much money.

He will deserve 13 Mil and he will get it. Unless you want to go on the record of saying play hardball, low ball him, risk losing him, damaging the relationship and going through never ending drama next year of a contract dispute.

Inconsistent? Have you looked at his goals per game this year? Inconsistent??

 

[ORRFForever]

The other team is very aware of him in the Ozone. But on a PP there isn't much anyone can do about that shot. So,5 on 5 he will need to focus on new ways of getting open because it's gonna get harder...especially in the play offs.
All that said...he be nursin' one of them shoulders cause he ain't ripped one in a while now. The pass to Marner against Columbus confirmed that for me.

Well said.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

He will deserve 13 Mil and he will get it. Unless you want to go on the record of saying play hardball, low ball him, risk losing him, damaging the relationship and going through never ending drama next year of a contract dispute.

Inconsistent? Have you looked at his goals per game this year? Inconsistent??

But when he disappears, he really disappears.

And last year that happened when it mattered by far the most. He’s also at least slightly injury prone.

McDavid had scored over 100 points twice when he signed at 13. Matthews still hasn’t reached 70.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

I didn't even know he was playing tonight

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Here we have a bunch of posters who expect Matthews to score 70 goals in 70 games.