TORONTO (Mar. 15) — As much as I contend that he’ll never be a consistently big–game performer for the Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews is clearly hampered by… something. No one anticipated another 69–goal season. In the 109–year history of the Toronto franchise, only four players — Matthews, Rick Vaive, Dave Andreychuk and Gary Leeman — have cracked the 50–goal plateau. And, Vaive’s record of 54 from the 1981–82 season endured until Matthews topped it 40 years later. Still, few expected Matthews to become half the player he was a year ago.
If the No. 1 selection of the 2016 National Hockey League draft is fighting through a confining and restrictive injury, there’s your answer. He’ll return to form when he recovers. Likely not before next season. Conversely, if “market fatigue” is beginning to suppress performance, the Leafs are in trouble. BIG trouble. Though he came within a whisker of capturing the 4Nations event for the United States, Matthews has been largely unrecognizable with the Blue and White: three goals in his past 16 games, dating to Jan. 25 (in the same period, Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton has 14 goals). So, this needs to be asked: Has the letter ‘C’ on Auston’s jersey become an emotional anvil? In a hockey region thirsting for glory, yet anticipating heartache? Can Auston envision yet another playoff calamity for the beleaguered Core–4? Though a machine–like scorer during most regular seasons, Matthews has never warmed up in the heat. The all–encompassing word “pressure” seems to weigh on him. To thwart him.
This has been rather glaring through eight aborted playoff excursions. The Auston of October to April routinely withers as the Stanley Cup stakes increase. Though he’s the “best player” on the Leafs with respect to piling up goals, no hockey observer has ever seriously considered Matthews captain material. Except for the genius (Brendan Shanahan? Keith Pelley?) that decided to humiliate an actual captain, John Tavares, by ripping the letter off his jersey and handing it to Auston. Suffice to say, the switch hasn’t been productive. On this Saturday in mid–March — and though he has missed 15 games during the season with injury — Matthews sits 49th in NHL points; 47th in goals (with 23). Alex Ovechkin, who looks 75 years old, has 10 more tallies in the same number of starts.
AUSTON MATTHEWS SEEMED MORE COMFORTABLE WITH AN ‘A’ ON HIS MAPLE LEAFS JERSEY.
Matthews missed the morning skate but will dress for tonight’s unanticipated colossus against Ottawa at Scotiabank Arena. Should the visitors prevail in regulation time, the Leafs will be four points out of wild card territory in the Eastern Conference. For the record, the Senators finished 24 points in back of Toronto last season; as many as 42 points behind in 2021–22. So, the teams are motoring in opposite directions… even if the Leafs haven’t changed much. Toronto had 84 points after 65 games a year ago; 81 today. But, its two big gunners are quiet. William Nylander stands second in NHL goals scored (to Draisaitl) with 36, yet he continues to show up whenever so moved. Since notching a hattrick in Calgary on Feb. 4, Willie has three goals in 12 games. That’s six goals in the past 16 encounters for two players absorbing $24.75 million this season — only $14.25 million less than the original team salary cap ($39 million) in 2005–06. So, the Leafs need to determine the value that Matthews is providing, while evidently battling through physical malaise. If he cannot help the club and is only aggravating an injury, shut him down. The NHL isn’t big on “load management” (rampant among spoiled, pampered athletes in the NBA), but the playoffs are still a month in the distance. Get the guy as friggin’ healthy as possible.
If, as I suspect, emotional malaise is partly to blame, then once more: the Leafs are in trouble — now and in the immediate future. Again, Matthews has never been a big “spotlight” guy, even if paid as such. The Leafs require for him to somehow decode his DNA and start acting like one of the big boys at Stanley Cup time. For which the club and its fans have been waiting… interminably. No elite skater in franchise history has so struggled when chips are on the table. Not Charlie Conacher, Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy, Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler, Borje Salming, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour or Mats Sundin. All of whom elevated performance in the Cup chase very soon after joining the Blue and White. Matthews is approaching a full decade of comparative playoff apathy. That’s way too long. Something has to give. If he’s overwhelmed as the quasi–team leader and new captain, which fawning management believed would enhance him, the Leafs are stuck. No chance they’ll tear the ‘C’ off No. 34’s jersey. Even the diminutive Gilmour, with a pair of sore ankles, shlepped the Leafs through deep playoff runs in 1993 and 1994. He grew larger as the Cup tournament progressed (here and in Calgary, beforehand). For a big man, Matthews plays a puzzlingly small game after mid–April. I don’t think he’s appropriately wired to pull a Gilmour. Same with Nylander. Same with Mitch Marner. The playoff results are uniform. Nothing is going to change until the team changes. Which has been the central theme of this website since the 2021 COVID Cup debacle against Montreal.
Another option is finding a rabble–rousing linemate for Matthews. Remember how much ice Brady Tkachuk created for Auston during the 4Nations event? By barreling in on the forecheck like a wild man? None of the current Leafs perform in such a manner. Matthew Knies has no compuction toward planting his backside in front of opposition goalies. Many of his 24 goals have resulted from havoc created by his big body. Still, young Matthew is devoid of a nasty bone. I’ve often wondered how untouchable he might be if possessing a fraction of the mean streak Shanahan displayed throughout his Hall–of–Fame career (656 goals and three Stanley Cups with Detroit).
Even the most–gifted Maple Leafs remain playoff–soft.
A BAD RASH: Don’t be fooled by the sudden departure of Sportsnet fixture Arash Madani. He did nothing wrong. Rogers Communications let him go for the same reason as Bob McCown, Don Cherry, Glenn Healy, Doug MacLean, John Shannon and others: he started to make the money he’d earned. Nothing could be more detrimental to an employee at One Mount Pleasant. Or, at competitor, Bell Media. Human beings are nothing more than employee numbers at both enterprises. Arash will bounce back more strongly than his former network.
LOOK WHO TURNS 50 TODAY:
HAPPY MILESTONE BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF PAT QUINN’S TRUE PLAYOFF WARRIORS A GENERATION AGO, DARCY TUCKER. OH, HOW THE CURRENT LEAFS COULD USE HIS FIRE AFTER MID–APRIL.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
Mlse is in the stars business, signing Auston, Mitch, Tavares, Willy to ridiculous contracts before they won anything sounds crazy to us, but to the corporates its money in the bank. Spin the notion that you’re a contender through your sub outlets, media, TV, commercials, and there you go. As far as stagnent SHANAHAN goes, yes one of the best power forwards I can remember along with 3 Stanley cups, when he walks into the boardroom every quarter the boardmembers say great ? job shanny, revenues are up again this quarter, and that’s really all thats material to Mlse. Shanahan couldn’t even risk trading Marny 2 years ago when they could of and signed a stud dman which they so desperately needed. Now Shanahan is acting like some sort of philanthropist that’s really accomplished something, instead of showing fans that their appreciated for their support. By the way Howard you left out the big m when you mentioned the leaf greats, he was my idol. I made my mom buy me 20 boxes of Wheaties until I finally got the one with his picture in the back. As far the leafs go and mlse, I don’t know of any other organization that can get away with this monopoly that they have, expect more of the same, they know how to make money hand over fist, winning is secondary. Do you believe the face on Pelley, we’re not here to sell jerseys, sure Keith sure.
I think the core issue with the leaf’s is that they’re more a media property than a competitive entity and are treated as such by their ownership. How else can one explain the elevation of an emotionless small gamer as captain and face of the franchise? It also explains the “run-it-back”, path of least resistance approach since the drafting of the 3.
This “team” isn’t a team in the true sense of the word. It doesn’t operate with the GOAL of winning the cup, it operates with the PURPOSE of drawing eyes to its broadcasts, and bums to its seats. In short – monetizing demand from its customers.
How else can one explain the organization selling M. Reilly as a #1 defenceman and ignoring the obvious flaws in the core 4 plan and players themselves?
The teams’ media possessions and sycophants decry the attention and sometimes scorn heaped upon the players and team. They ignore, and want EVERYONE ELSE to ignore self-induced pratt falls like losing to an emergency back up goalie, blowing a 3-1 game lead in a playoff series, giving away 1st round draft picks (one being Seth Jarvis) for a few games from the likes of Foligno and Marleau, and of course the proven time and time again inability of their 3 anointed star players to come up big for even a single moment in ANY must-win situation.
I fully expect them to offer the largest contract in NHL history to little Mitchie, complete with no movement clause for the entire duration as well as commitments that he will always have at least an “A” on his sweater. They’ll do it because the fatal flaws of this organization are at its core; arrogance and stubbornness. For one of their players to CHOOSE to leave would reflect poorly on the organization in their view (even if it’s for the best) so that can’t be allowed to happen, even if keeping him kneecaps the team competitively moving forward. Because as I opined, competition isn’t the point.
I have said this for 5 years. Not enough grit and snot. Emotionless vanilla pudding leadership ( Tavares and Mathews) and fancy dancy Willy and Mitch. A number one D man who is small and soft and mistake prone. This is not a championship calibre team. We missed the ability to trade bitch Marner when Treliving let dare pass of no trade. At that time Mathew Tkahuck was available. That would have been a great swap. Until we get some real grit and a solid big thumper D man as a 1D we are never going on a deep run. This is a great regular season team. So enjoy the 82 plus maybe a bonus 10-12.
if you have watched the last two physical games you see the playoff LEAFS shying away from the contact.this will be the norm for this team and if your best player is going to be MAX DOMI with no other production from the other top? talent this season will end quickly.
I can’t recall Matthews getting visibly excited about anything. Not sure he has it in him. Just the way he’s wired, as you say, Howard. It’s certainly not conducive to raising his game or inspiring teammates when it matters most. Tends to come up awfully small in the big moments.
I don’t blame or question the players, Howard. Sure, Matthews isn’t his normal self. We don’t know what the problem is, so it’s their problem, him, his people and the team. The only problem with the Leafs is management. They are totally inept at building a hockey team. The team is soft and heartless. Now the three stars Matthews, Marner Nylander are all finesse but they are also strong and good defensively. It’s the next tier of players, Tavares and Rielly that are truly soft and clueless defensively. Rielly won’t even try. He defers to everyone else on the ice to create anything, or defend anything. Then there’s Domi, doesn’t understand the defensive side of the game. His good plays are few and far between. Laughton, is nothing more than a body and they gave up a first and Grebenkin for him. What a laugh. Connor Dewar scored two more goals this afternoon in a 7-4 win for Pitt. Conor Timmins assisted on one of his goals. Dewar threw a hit to turn the puck over on his first goal. Leafs needed to have Domi on the roster and so blocked Dewar from playing. Egg on their faces. Well earned. This rig is going off the cliff. It wasn’t easy, and took many years. But they are doing it. Slowly, painfully, surely.
Shanny and his GMs. His coaches too. All of them. Good smart people come to Toronto and turn stupid.
I ask fans this (it’s not really a rhetorical question – I’ll keep my own opinion out of it). Are the Leafs a better team with Marner at $13 million and Tavares at $6, or with Ekblad at $10 million and Sam Bennett at $8.5 million?
Jon, you nailed it. Imagine a 1st line of Brendan Hagel, Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson. A $21mm line that would go to war every night and hold themselves accountable. Instead we’re forced to watch the immature annual dumpster fire twins bitch and moan about everything other than themselves. Imagine – in their playing days – Dougie, Wendel, Darcy, Roberts, Corson, Domi, Stumpy, Mats etc would walk in to the room and see the C on this clowns jersey. They’d torch the place. Well, the cash flow hasn’t stopped, so let’s run it back yet again. A joke of a franchise from top to bottom.