Matthews' wingers cause for concern.

[TheGroceryStick]

Promote Ennis to Kadri line.
Put Willy with Matthews
Marleau as 4C

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Kapanen - Matthews - Nylander
Johnsson - Kadri - Ennis
Brown - Marleau - Petan

 

[jrgtml67]

Center's constantly battle down low and along the boards, they just aren't the first on the forecheck. Watch Bergeron, Kopitar, Toews, Crosby, Barkov, Getzlaf etc. You are confusing first on the forecheck, with continuously battling along the boards to maintain a cycle. Matthews should be trying to win more battles along the boards, because a significant strength of his game is winning them and using his puck control to drive to center ice, which Tavares also does. Both of Matthews injuries happened in open ice, not along the boards.

Coming around the net and driving at it (trouba) isnt open ice. The point is by the time he arrives the puck battle has been lost already.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Like the post before yours says - it's that contract. When he has "games off" and "leaves you wanting more", you best believe he's going to hear about it.

He’s not hearing about it. People who want to rationally discuss this hockey team do, though, and it’s bloody tiring.

Can we just make and sticky gripe threads? Not to say we can’t discuss everything in other threads, but there are some posters here who do nothing but whine and spew garbage, and they could have their own thread for that, rather than pollute and de-rail good hockey discussion in other threads.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Willy and Matthews needs to happen but you know Babs is just going to strap Marleau back up there

I have a feeling Babs will do everything BUT put Willy back with Mathews. Why? I have no idea but his idea of balancing lines is to the point of stupidity at this juncture of the season. I wish I could bet some cold hard cash on it somewhere because we know he won't do it unless we are down 4 goals in a playoff game or some other stupid scenario.

 

[JEI]

William Nylander.

 

[93LEAFS]

Coming around the net and driving at it (trouba) isnt open ice. The point is by the time he arrives the puck battle has been lost already.

He was driving the net. They weren't board plays.

Again, it's not the initial forecheck. It's about the board battles to maintain possession once the zone has been established. Look at what strong possession/centers do to maintain possession in the opposite end of the ice. Matthews has been less willing to engage in that playstyle since his rookie year. Now, he likes to hang around the slot more often. He was more effective at generating high-danger chance when he wins the puck battle and then drives towards the net.

 

[biotk]

Ya ...his line isn't made up right this year. Last yr he had Nylander, and Hyman. Hyman is a d specialist, Nylander elite passer and shooter.

Hyman is not a d specialist.

What Matthews has lost in Hyman being on a different line is what Marner has gained.

CF/60 remains about the same, but SCF/60 and HDCF/60 go way up when playing with Hyman.

Matthews SCF/60 34.1 with Hyman 31.5 without. HDCF/60 13.5 with Hyman, 11.9 without.

Marner SCF/60 34.8 with Hyman 32.1 without. HDCF/60 13.8 with Hyman, 11.3 without.

Hyman's relentless style of play leads to more scoring chances and more high danger scoring chances. In 2016/17 it could be argued that was more than cancelled out by Hyman's complete inability to convert those chances, but Hyman has gotten much better at that each season (just check out his 5v5 shooting percentage improvement each year).

But Matthews wanted Hyman off his line. He wanted Marleau. So the blame is on himself.

 

[Stephen]

Matthews has set a very high bar for himself, has taken a massive contract and we all want him to succeed.

That said, it's unacceptable to blame Kapanen and Johnsson, two skilled rookies who play hard every shift for Matthews having a quiet night.When you're an $11.6+ million player, you make those kids shine. You shouldn't need another perfect linemate to succeed.

 

[hamzarocks]

Matthews right now should be playing at the level that Draisaitl is for the Oilers. Matthews has had a underwhelming season after his torrid start. He really needs a big playoffs. His contract kicks in next year and he will be held to extremely high standards. This is a player who will need to deliver on a nearly nightly basis moving forward and hasn't yet done so. Good news is despite all that he still has 60 points in 52 games with 2 rookies(talented ones but still young), marleau, a few games of unfit willy, and a few games of Hyman as his linemates. Hopefully we find a way around the cap next year and we can let matthews and nylander continue to build as a line. Nylander on the third line is a waste and it hurts our teams offensive potential. You dont pay 7 million dollars for a third line center, play him with our worse wingers, and let his value die as he puts up 35 pt pace. This year is a bad one for nylander but he and Mathews next year can grow back as one of the best duo's in the league.

 

[diceman934]

Matthews has set a very high bar for himself, has taken a massive contract and we all want him to succeed.

That said, it's unacceptable to blame Kapanen and Johnsson, two skilled rookies who play hard every shift for Matthews having a quiet night.When you're an $11.6+ million player, you make those kids shine. You shouldn't need another perfect linemate to succeed.

Posters complained all last year about Hyman being on his line and now are complaining about his wingers again. Many on here were clambering for these two wingers on his line and now are not happy.

 

[biotk]

Matthews has only 10 goals, 21 points and is a -12 over his last 25 games.

 

[biotk]

That said, it's unacceptable to blame Kapanen and Johnsson, two skilled rookies who play hard every shift for Matthews having a quiet night.

Good news is despite all that he still has 60 points in 52 games with 2 rookies(talented ones but still young)

Kapanen is not a rookie this year. He wasn't even a rookie last year.

 

[pcruz]

Matthews is a -1 this year.

How does he get to -1 on the Leafs ?

They give up quite a few empty net goals and he's on the ice for just about every one.
According to NHL.com, the Leafs have let in 12 empty net goals against.

 

[pcruz]

People don't hate Matthews. They just hate that he makes a lot of money now.

Really, well then, those same people should do nothing but keep their opinions to themselves lest they prove to the world their sheer ignorance.
Matthews is still, today, playing under his Entry Level contract.

Maybe, if one wants to criticize a player for not earning his paycheque, wait until that same player is being paid that particular cheque.

 

[Stephen]

Posters complained all last year about Hyman being on his line and now are complaining about his wingers again. Many on here were clambering for these two wingers on his line and now are not happy.

Such an immature take to blame "The Man's" struggles on his teammates.

 

[biotk]

They give up quite a few empty net goals and he's on the ice for just about every one.
According to NHL.com, the Leafs have let in 12 empty net goals against.

I count Matthews (-1) as being on the ice for the same number of EN goals against as Marner (+25) and Tavares (+20) and fewer than Rielly (+31) and Gardiner (+17).

The reality is that Matthews' line just hasn't played well this year at all. They still produce, but they get scored on a lot. I have been saying that since the beginning of the season including when he got off to his hot start (at that time his line was playing terrible, stuck in their own end constantly, but would score when they got it out while carrying an unsustainable oiSH%). I can't blame it on linemates. For about half of his rookie season his linemates were Brown and Hyman.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

ive been a leaf fan my entire 46 year life. Matthews is def hurt or worse...hes often lazy, a perimeter floater or worse. he rarely get points the last 10 games as an example. his effort is ranging from a B to an F. very lazy. soft. terrible esp. after that contract.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

seriously watch him without the puck; heck even with the puck hes shooting into skates or the goalies chest. one and done. bad looks etc, lazy play to the outside. def hurt or worse. pray this is not really him.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

hes also very slow lately too, cant take even a tiny hit. wth wrong with this kid. 10 leafs are outplaying him since 10 games ago.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Id try:
Hyman Tavares Marner
Moore Matthews Kapanen
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Ennis Marleau Brown

 

[Sniper99]

Hyman is not a d specialist.

What Matthews has lost in Hyman being on a different line is what Marner has gained.

CF/60 remains about the same, but SCF/60 and HDCF/60 go way up when playing with Hyman.

Matthews SCF/60 34.1 with Hyman 31.5 without. HDCF/60 13.5 with Hyman, 11.9 without.

Marner SCF/60 34.8 with Hyman 32.1 without. HDCF/60 13.8 with Hyman, 11.3 without.

Hyman's relentless style of play leads to more scoring chances and more high danger scoring chances. In 2016/17 it could be argued that was more than cancelled out by Hyman's complete inability to convert those chances, but Hyman has gotten much better at that each season (just check out his 5v5 shooting percentage improvement each year).

But Matthews wanted Hyman off his line. He wanted Marleau. So the blame is on himself.

Where do you get this from?

 

[Phion Keneuf]

hes also very slow lately too, cant take even a tiny hit. wth wrong with this kid. 10 leafs are outplaying him since 10 games ago.

He’ll be fine.

It’s Auston mothaf***ing Matthews

 

[saffronleaf]

It's really hard to convince people that Matthews' line combinations this year have sucked.

Everyone loves Kappy and AJ, so people take it as an attack on them.

And then Matthews will score a couple of goals, and people will scoff at you.

But it's obvious that AJ - Matthews - Kappy is NOT working, nor have Marleau - Matthews - Kappy. Put Nylander up there, immediately. AJ/Hyman - Matthews - Nylander.

 

[EXPECT THE LEAFS]

hes also very slow lately too, cant take even a tiny hit. wth wrong with this kid. 10 leafs are outplaying him since 10 games ago.

k we get the point.

 

[saffronleaf]

The problem isn’t Kapanen or Johnsson.
The problem is Matthews.
He’s getting outworked by Kappa John.

That’s basically it.

Matthews shouldn’t turn to his wingers to make him a better player.

Yea just put Matthews with AJ and Kappy and then Nylander with Marleau and Brown. Neutralize 2/4 of our offensive weapons. Who needs an opponent when you have coaching like that?