Maple Leafs
- Thread starter Indiana
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A game that doesn't matter, like an exhibition game.Oiy. This has gotta be the Leafs worst loss in like 90 years
I think maybe they overdid the whole helping TB secure 3rd place thing....
11-1-1 in their last 13. Missing the league MVP, and a top 3 defenceman and a rookie goalie in net. One loss to the cup champs affects none of those.
Among the elite for sure. Only 21 players in NHL history have ever reached 60 goals. What is even more mind-boggling is when you look at those who have somehow managed to amass even more than 60 in the regular season. Truly incredible...
Gretzky 92
Hull 86
Lemieux 85
Espo, Selanne, Mogilny 76 each
Kurri 71
Nicholls 70
Bossy 69
McDonald 66
Ovechkin, Yzerman 65 each
60 is a milestone and historic in Leafs history book. It’s been 10 years since the last time there was a 60 goal scorer so Matthews truly deserves to be labeled a “generational talent”. What’s more impressive to me though is how hard he’s been trying to improve his two way game and not only he’s the best player, he’s also the hardest worker on most nights.
The lad has mad skills and you're right. His two-way game is so impressive. Who knows what he'll do when he's a UFA, but it's likely Toronto won't see another player of his caliber ever again.
‘The biggest complaint I had on his contract extension was the term being too short. I wouldn’t even mind giving him an extra million or so to get at least a couple more seasons. Hopefully having Marner there may entice him to stay longer. They have great chemistry and seem to enjoy playing together on a line. I don’t know if there’s a better play maker than Marner who’s also about the same age. McDavid may be the best player but I don’t think he can compliment Matthews’ game as well as Marner does.
I think he'll go, or hopefully stay where he has the best chance at winning the Cup.
Or at the very least, a very strong contender.
Without Marner on his wing, is Matthews still as successful do you think? Serious question.
On this Leaf team, I don’t think so. Marner has played with 3 centres since he became a regular winger, Kadri, Tavares and Matthews. All three centres had their best career season with him on the wing. All three had played with Nylander for extended periods but their performances never came close. The winger talent drops off significantly after Marner and Nylander.
If Matthews signs elsewhere when he’s unrestricted, there’s a chance he’ll get a winger as talented as Marner. There maybe a handful of players that are equally or more talented, but I’d argue that Marner‘s play making skill set is among the best and that compliments Matthews’ exceptional scoring ability very well. There’s also the chemistry factor. It wouldn’t make sense, for example, to put Tavares and Matthews on the same line on a regular basis as both are centres.
Matthews will do very well regardless who’s on the wings, but history shows that there have been many great forward tandems with two superbly talented players, Hall & Oates, Bossy & Trottier, Gretzky & Kurri just to name a few. There’s the chance that when Matthews’s and Marner’s careers are over, their names will be right up there with the greatest tandems in history and hopefully as the greatest Leaf tandem.
