News Article: Why Auston Matthews is Embracing a Penalty-Killing Role at Maple Leafs Training Camp and How it Might be Deployed

[Gallagbi]

Most teams don't play their stars on PK because its the toughest minutes and you risk broken bones blocking shots and you want them fresh for offensive shits and PP.

Leafs would be smarter to double shift Matthews at times tossing his out there for an extra shift then tire him out killing penalties.

Its not surprising, we lost half our PKing forwards from last playoff and didnt replace them, but he and Marner wont be the only stars PKing.

 

[Sypher04]

Most teams don’t have 2 star players in the top 10 selke voting. When your best 2 players offensively are also the best 2 players defensively on the team why would you not want them on the penalty kill?

 

[pcruz]

Most teams don’t have 2 star players in the top 10 selke voting. When your best 2 players offensively are also the best 2 players defensively on the team why would you not want them on the penalty kill?

I'm convinced Matthews is a perennial Selke finalist if he plays pk these past few seasons.

Voters don't vote for anyone not on the pk for whatever reason.

That he was top 10 one year given this major handicap is a testament to how well he has played defensively.

The advanced stats have shown him to be near the top of the league year after year in puck dominance.

The traditional stats associated with defense back that up.

Last year, he had 2 of the best puck dominance lines in the NHL, one with Nylander, and one with Marner.

 

[justashadowof]

Cons:
- Obvious shot blocking pitfalls. Let's not act like it's nothing to go through a regular season with additional foot and leg bruises not to mention the chance of a cracked bone in the foot.
- Indirectly takes away even strength ice time, Matthews played more than a minute more at even strength than Marner last season.
Pros:
- Even some time during the regular season getting accustomed to this role puts another weapon in the belt for the playoffs: Matthews and Marner out on the PK as a devastating counterpunch.
- Could force the some of the opposition to abandon the 4 forwards-1 defender PP model.

 

[Sypher04]

Cons:
- Obvious shot blocking pitfalls. Let's not act like it's nothing to go through a regular season with additional foot and leg bruises not to mention the chance of a cracked bone in the foot.
- Indirectly takes away even strength ice time, Matthews played more than a minute more at even strength than Marner last season.
Pros:
- Even some time during the regular season getting accustomed to this role puts another weapon in the belt for the playoffs: Matthews and Marner out on the PK as a devastating counterpunch.
- Could force the some of the opposition to abandon the 4 forwards-1 defender PP model.

It’s not nothing, but when he already led the league in blocks by a forward, even without pk time, I’m not sure it dramatically changes anything

 

[ACC1224]

Cons:
- Obvious shot blocking pitfalls. Let's not act like it's nothing to go through a regular season with additional foot and leg bruises not to mention the chance of a cracked bone in the foot.
- Indirectly takes away even strength ice time, Matthews played more than a minute more at even strength than Marner last season.
Pros:
- Even some time during the regular season getting accustomed to this role puts another weapon in the belt for the playoffs: Matthews and Marner out on the PK as a devastating counterpunch.
- Could force the some of the opposition to abandon the 4 forwards-1 defender PP model.

Has Marner missed any time from the bolded? I don't recall it but could be wrong.

 

[justashadowof]

Has Marner missed any time from the bolded? I don't recall it but could be wrong.

The way teams hide the nature of injuries it's tough to say. Marner missed time with two undisclosed injuries and 1 "general soreness" over the past 3 seasons (source: Capfriendly). And who even knows when the bumps and bruises actually happen? I'm largely going on the nature of penalty killing. It's more passive giving the opposition space to tee up their point shots more than other instances during games. And remember you don't have to miss actual games to be affected by bruises and the like. Pro sports careers are largely death by a thousand cuts of little injuries many of which they're able to play through.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Cons:
- Obvious shot blocking pitfalls. Let's not act like it's nothing to go through a regular season with additional foot and leg bruises not to mention the chance of a cracked bone in the foot.
- Indirectly takes away even strength ice time, Matthews played more than a minute more at even strength than Marner last season.
Pros:
- Even some time during the regular season getting accustomed to this role puts another weapon in the belt for the playoffs: Matthews and Marner out on the PK as a devastating counterpunch.
- Could force the some of the opposition to abandon the 4 forwards-1 defender PP model.

I wonder if the new rules in junior leagues is giving some motivation to this. I could see the NHL adopting new policies to promote a more dynamic penalty kill than just icing the puck. Maybe the Leafs are getting a head start so if it actually happens they will already be best prepared?

 

[JKG33]

At his cap hit he better damn well be PKing

 

[inthe6ix]

- Indirectly takes away even strength ice time, Matthews played more than a minute more at even strength than Marner last season.

TSN did a bit on this topic and Masters said this was the main reason why Keefe didn't like #34 on the PK.

He should be playing his young studs way more minutes per night like RC used to do with Perry and Getzlaf in their primes and they both PK'd as well.

 

[Maple Leaf]

That is a lot of money
Hopefully he dlivefrs

 

[Optimist]

Nope. You want Matthews out there nice and fresh when the penalty ends and the best players from the other team are catching their breaths on the bench. We pay him to score goals.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

Expect 60 +110 point season, with Selke defense. Anything less is an utter failure.

 

[Sypher04]

Expect 60 +110 point season, with Selke defense. Anything less is an utter failure.

Utter failure is a little strong, but I could see that if he’s healthy.

 

[pcruz]

Expect 60 +110 point season, with Selke defense. Anything less is an utter failure.

That is a description of the best player in the NHL by a comfortable margin and a top 5 player ever..........


To say that it's this or failure is a huge stretch.

 

[ITM]

So...Embracing a role in the penalty kill post-wrist injury?

Sounds Leafy and fabulous.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

That is a description of the best player in the NHL by a comfortable margin and a top 5 player ever..........


To say that it's this or failure is a huge stretch.

He wanted to be paid like the best: perform like the best.

 

[tmlms13]

There are a few proposed rule changes to penalties and power plays.

Full duration of power play regardless of scoring power play goal.

Power play granted regardless of scoring immediately before power play, but after penalty is signaled.

Shorthanded goal immediately ends penalty.

They are doing that in some European Leagues this year

 

[notbias]

At his cap hit he better damn well be PKing

He currently PKs about as much as the highest paid player in the league... weird comment.

 

[JKG33]

He currently PKs about as much as the highest paid player in the league... weird comment.

Weird, you'd think their point production would be similar then since their cap hits are so similar.

Wait, you mean there not? Well Matthews has to make up the difference somehow