Player Discussion Auston Matthews Discussion

[Jojalu]

He's not getting the quality looks he gets in the regular season. Time and space is getting taken away a lot quicker , Domi doesn't get him the puck quite as fast as Marner does , He doesn't go get the puck on his own as much as he should . He plays pretty high up a lot , think more being defensively resposible than playing the perimeter or looking for soft spots but either way , long ways from the net . He's not great at carrying the puck and his lnemates aren't either [ i still like the line ] .
PP in general is aweful . To little movement , to slow moving the puck. One guy has it , 4 guys slowly drifting around , pass around the perimeter . That coupled with Boston is fast to pressure , double teaming the puck carrier ect. Rarely cross ice passes through the box.

Yeah.

I don't get the cross ice pass.

Van executed it perfectly to get it to Boeser yesterday. Marchand seems to be open in the same spot Matthews likes to shoot.

Leafs just can't do it

 

[BraveCanadian]

Yeah.

I don't get the cross ice pass.

Van executed it perfectly to get it to Boeser yesterday. Marchand seems to be open in the same spot Matthews likes to shoot.

Leafs just can't do it

The Leafs are horribly predictable. Rielly is useless on the powerplay because he can't shoot. In the absence of someone better they need Liljegren back there again because he will actually shoot the puck.

You get that cross seam pass open by having enough net front threat to collapse the defense and pass to the one timer from the top of the triangle at the point, or by drawing the defending forwards out to a potential point shot and creating space between the forwards and the defense.

All the Leafs do is pass from the point to the corner and back and the defense knows they never shoot so they can just cover passing lanes from the point and we're done.

 

[Jojalu]

The Leafs are horribly predictable. Rielly is useless on the powerplay because he can't shoot. In the absence of someone better they need Liljegren back there again because he will actually shoot the puck.

You get that cross seam pass open by having enough net front threat to collapse the defense and pass to the one timer from the top of the triangle at the point, or by drawing the defending forwards out to a potential point shot and creating space between the forwards and the defense.

All the Leafs do is pass from the point to the corner and back and the defense knows they never shoot so they can just cover passing lanes from the point and we're done.

They also need to use the threat of Tavares more.

He needs to move up and down the slot when Marner or Nylander have the puck down low.

Draw the defender to you and leave Matthews open on the other side.

 

[ACC1224]

He has shown up every game.

He hasn't executed well every game.

He is top 10 in the playoffs in hits, leads the playoffs in hitting the post, still playing 200 feet of hockey. For whatever reason, he can't finish. It's maddening

Not nearly good enough.

 

[BraveCanadian]

They also need to use the threat of Tavares more.

He needs to move up and down the slot when Marner or Nylander have the puck down low.

Draw the defender to you and leave Matthews open on the other side.

I agree totally. The ONE thing I have to give Tavares credit for is that he goes to the front of the net and takes the abuse to stay there and garbage collect. He's so slow now that is pretty much all he is good for..

The problem is that the Leafs never get the puck there and when they do it is with cross-ice stuff down low where you don't get rebounds and scrambles. Again, the problem is that they have no point shot or anyone shooting north-south to create rebounds and stuff right in front.

 

[ULF_55]

Matthews, marner and Nylander sitting in a bar.

Which one says grow up?

I am not shocked, but kind of amused by the interaction and response.

Can't tell if it was one to one, or one to two directive?

 

[Jojalu]

Not nearly good enough.

Since it's a results orientated business, I have to agree with you.

I am just saying his compete level has been good. His reults have been poor

 

[Stephen]

He's not getting the quality looks he gets in the regular season. Time and space is getting taken away a lot quicker , Domi doesn't get him the puck quite as fast as Marner does , He doesn't go get the puck on his own as much as he should . He plays pretty high up a lot , think more being defensively resposible than playing the perimeter or looking for soft spots but either way , long ways from the net . He's not great at carrying the puck and his lnemates aren't either [ i still like the line ] .
PP in general is aweful . To little movement , to slow moving the puck. One guy has it , 4 guys slowly drifting around , pass around the perimeter . That coupled with Boston is fast to pressure , double teaming the puck carrier ect. Rarely cross ice passes through the box.

I see those things too but for the life of me can’t understand why Matthews needs to be playing defensively cautious against the Charlie Coyle in the center matchup. You’re worried about basically Brad Marchand.

At least the Marner line can say they’re trying to neutralize Pastrnak and have for the most part.

 

[Jojalu]

I see those things too but for the life of me can’t understand why Matthews needs to be playing defensively cautious against the Charlie Coyle in the center matchup. You’re worried about basically Brad Marchand.

At least the Marner line can say they’re trying to neutralize Pastrnak and have for the most part.

The only explaination I can think of is that they have zero faith in Samsonov to make a save.

 

[Stephen]

The only explaination I can think of is that they have zero faith in Samsonov to make a save.

I don’t see defensive conscience from any Leaf as the cause for their scoring failures. I just see offensive timidity when it’s time to go north with speed and poor coaching that doesn’t have an answer for Boston’s zone coverage. Those flaws are exposed clear as day on the PP when the need for defense is negated.

 

[Tak7]

On one hand, if you're unwell you absolutely should listen to doctors & get off the ice.

On the other, your season is on the line, in a league where guys have played through broken bones & torn muscles and punctured lungs.

Not romanticizing the idea of playing through injury, which can only cause more harm, but I'm having a hard time with the idea that Matthew Tkachuk was playing games in the playoffs last year despite his trainers needing to help him put his equipment on and off, yet Matthews seemingly can't play through illness..

It's probably harsh and unfair, but it does make you wonder if he has that drive & dawg in him to win at this time of year. Is MacKinnon coming out of that game?

 

[horner]

The only explaination I can think of is that they have zero faith in Samsonov to make a save.

Have you seen any other series crap goaltenders but there teams don't stop playing. If that's wi in there head thllen that's a lame excuse.

We don't put pucks on the net
We try to make fancy plays
They also need to raise the puck in close which the dont

 

[Jojalu]

Have you seen any other series crap goaltenders but there teams don't stop playing. If that's wi in there head thllen that's a lame excuse.

We don't put pucks on the net
We try to make fancy plays
They also need to raise the puck in close which the dont

Yes. I am grasping at straws to try to keep a shred of hope

 

[francis246]

On one hand, if you're unwell you absolutely should listen to doctors & get off the ice.

On the other, your season is on the line, in a league where guys have played through broken bones & torn muscles and punctured lungs.

Not romanticizing the idea of playing through injury, which can only cause more harm, but I'm having a hard time with the idea that Matthew Tkachuk was playing games in the playoffs last year despite his trainers needing to help him put his equipment on and off, yet Matthews seemingly can't play through illness..

It's probably harsh and unfair, but it does make you wonder if he has that drive & dawg in him to win at this time of year. Is MacKinnon coming out of that game?

Having extreme dehydration is fatal. It’s not the same as playing through a regular illness and an 18 minute IV in the intermission isn’t going to have you ready. You tack on other possible symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, you cannot in good faith have him go out there.

 

[Stephen]

On one hand, if you're unwell you absolutely should listen to doctors & get off the ice.

On the other, your season is on the line, in a league where guys have played through broken bones & torn muscles and punctured lungs.

Not romanticizing the idea of playing through injury, which can only cause more harm, but I'm having a hard time with the idea that Matthew Tkachuk was playing games in the playoffs last year despite his trainers needing to help him put his equipment on and off, yet Matthews seemingly can't play through illness..

It's probably harsh and unfair, but it does make you wonder if he has that drive & dawg in him to win at this time of year. Is MacKinnon coming out of that game?

You know, when it comes to building a playoff reputation as a real gamer, it’s not so much demanding a player play through illness or injury at all since I doubt he could have helped the Leafs in that state of health… but more like… could have always showed up in Game 1 when you had the health, the series was 0-0 and you could positively author your own fate.

 

[Stephen]

Having extreme dehydration is fatal. It’s not the same as playing through a regular illness and an 18 minute IV in the intermission isn’t going to have you ready. You tack on other possible symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, you cannot in good faith have him go out there.

We don’t have any of those details so I’m not sure we need to be framing this as a life and death situation by tacking on multiple details. He wasn’t well enough to continue. He’ll probably be back. That’s about all we can go on. I’d say the criticism should be limited to when he’s available and on the ice.

 

[Tak7]

Having extreme dehydration is fatal. It’s not the same as playing through a regular illness and an 18 minute IV in the intermission isn’t going to have you ready. You tack on other possible symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, you cannot in good faith have him go out there.

Like I said, it's probably unfair to criticize him.

But it all feeds into the reputation that he's not a gamer at this time of year. I have a hard time believing other players like MacKinnon or Tkachuk would have sat that out - whether that's pushing through, or getting IVs between periods etc.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

How bad is this norovirus? I have heard it is sweeping through Toronto .. Will Matty recover for game 5??????????????????????//

 

[uncleben]

How bad is this norovirus? I have heard it is sweeping through Toronto .. Will Matty recover for game 5??????????????????????//

Norovirus f***ing suuuuucks

And while it passes through you usually within 24 hours it can take up to a week for your body to bounce back

 

[Leafs4Life77]

Mark Masters: "Leafs preparing for a scenario where Auston is unavailable for Game 5"

https://x.com/markhmasters/status/1784964428917559425

 

[Maple Leaf]

WOW

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

He should've sat on the bench with his TEAMMATES like Brayden Point if he couldn't play. I'm sure he could've sat there and drank his Gogurt.

 

[DarkKnight]

What the hell does he have...This season has easily been the weirdest for illness.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Only in Toronto.

 

[Confucius]

I agree totally. The ONE thing I have to give Tavares credit for is that he goes to the front of the net and takes the abuse to stay there and garbage collect. He's so slow now that is pretty much all he is good for..

The problem is that the Leafs never get the puck there and when they do it is with cross-ice stuff down low where you don't get rebounds and scrambles. Again, the problem is that they have no point shot or anyone shooting north-south to create rebounds and stuff right in front.

There was a stat posted during the game 3 broadcast, JT was by far and away our best player when it came to puck battles won.