Edmonton Oilers
Oilers-Maple Leafs No Longer McDavid vs. Matthews as the Gap Widens?
Connor McDavid and the Oilers schooled Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, so is their rivalry no more?
We were all set up for a classic on Saturday night; Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. McDavid was incredible, but the fans didn’t exactly get the marquee matchup they were hoping for.
Both teams had been coming out of their early-season struggles just in time for a prime-time matchup in front of the hockey world. It marked yet another chapter of McDavid vs. Auston Matthews — a rivalry the Maple Leafs captain has often risen to, proving he can go toe-to-toe with the best player on the planet.
Matthews had the opportunity to do so again on Saturday, but instead it was pure dominance from McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Oilers, who steamrolled the Maple Leafs 6-3 in front of their home fans.
Edmonton’s two-headed monster combined for six points (two goals, four assists) while Toronto’s superstar center was held pointless and limited to just two shots on goal. It was a disheartening performance from both the Leafs and their captain, prompting questions about whether Matthews will ever return to being seen in the same stratosphere as McDavid and Draisaitl — a topic JD Bunkis and Sam McKee discussed postgame on Leafs Talk.
“He used to show up for this game. When he was able to show up for this game, he always showed up for this game, he cared about this game, he was competitive with McDavid. And that’s the scariest part. This isn’t one that he ever shrunk away from. This is one that he lived in, that he couldn’t wait for, that like, every time, take over the game at times, score more than McDavid in this matchup. And tonight it was just not noticeable,”
“Tonight, where it’s just like, this is supposed to be McDavid-Matthews, it was just impossible to ignore it tonight. One guy was creating a million plays at the net and a bunch of goals, and the other guy you were hoping for a good back check,”
The 28-year-old Matthews has produced 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) in 26 games this season, respectable numbers, but well below the standard he’s set throughout his career.
What’s Up With Auston Matthews?
It’s the question every Maple Leafs fan has been asking themselves of late: What happened to our two-time 60-goal scorer? This won’t be what they want to hear, but it’s complicated.
A combination of injuries, Craig Berube’s low-event system, and the departure of Mitch Marner have all played a factor in Matthews’ dip in scoring and overall production.
That being said, whatever ailment that continues to nag at Matthews is evidently what’s hindering him the most, because any explosion or burst he usually has just isn’t there right now.
He’s still playing a responsible two-way game, creating turnovers, and generating scoring chances, but the strength and speed needed to capitalize on more of those opportunities are missing. The eye test reflects that, and so do the numbers: his hardest recorded shot (86.82 MPH) and maximum skating speed (21.57 MPH) have both dropped significantly, even just from last season.
Matthews remains very valuable even while playing at this level, but with Marner gone, the Maple Leafs need the Hart Trophy version of their captain, because they’re not currently constructed to keep up with the league’s elite without it.
Next: Maple Leafs News and Rumors: Injury Updates, Maccelli Trade Talk, and Targets
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