Top Sports Analysts Break Down Matthews and Marner's Struggles Against Elite Teams
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
On the Real Kyper and Bourne show, NHL Analyst Justin Bourne ended up explaining why the Maple Leafs' top stars tend to go invisible when faced with tough teams.
If the Maple Leafs want to have the best shot at winning anything of note in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, they need to get the best out of their top players. A struggling and possibly injured Auston Matthews isn't the answer, and the team can't rely on Mitch Marner alone.
Their game against the Florida Panthers was certainly one where the top line needed to make an impact and really didn't, and it's a worrying sign for the playoffs.
NHL analyst Justin Bourne noticed something was up, and thinks he has an idea of what's going on with the team's superstars against the best teams:
Since the 4 Nations break, I see a team that came out of it with their top two players, Matthews and Marner, playing significantly worse than they did before the 4 Nations break.
I see a team that is more top-heavy and built on the success of three or four players than any other team, and so they're more hurt by the lack of success from the top guys.
I did some research on two guys who went to the 4 Nations. A lot of the top guys have seen their production dip since, particularly the Canadian and American players who had the week-long build-up to two big games.
They haven't been as good. It hurts the Leafs more than other teams that their top guys played in that event.
Matthews missed a game in that event. He wasn't right to begin with, and so I don't know if they're tired. I don't know if they're hurt. I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's contract stuff with Mitch. I don't know what.
The two of them are not good right now, and so they're losing.
I see a team that is more top-heavy and built on the success of three or four players than any other team, and so they're more hurt by the lack of success from the top guys.
I did some research on two guys who went to the 4 Nations. A lot of the top guys have seen their production dip since, particularly the Canadian and American players who had the week-long build-up to two big games.
They haven't been as good. It hurts the Leafs more than other teams that their top guys played in that event.
Matthews missed a game in that event. He wasn't right to begin with, and so I don't know if they're tired. I don't know if they're hurt. I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's contract stuff with Mitch. I don't know what.
The two of them are not good right now, and so they're losing.
Auston and Mitch's Bizarre Adventure
It's a lot of negativity but can you blame Bourne? Marner and Matthews haven't been their dominating self since coming back the third week of February, and while Matthews had a long point streak; he was barely scoring during it.
Matthews has three goals since the 4 Nations, Marner has five goals and nine total points. That's a total of eight goals from the top two forwards of the team in the last ten games combined. Those numbers are not good, plain and simple.
the team is tired, some people are thinking Mitch Marner is distracted, others believe Auston Matthews was never actually healthy to begin with. It's a ton of speculation, but clearly something is off.
Does Marner signing fix things? Would making Matthews face the music and be forthcoming about his health give Toronto a chance to figure it out in time for the playoffs?
Hard to say, but the lack of production from the top forwards means it lays in the hands of the other forwards; those who haven't done much either (Matthew Knies hasn't scored in four games and only has three since the break as well).
Though both men have struggled recently, they aren't having the worst seasons whatsoever.
Marner was enjoying a career-high pace in points but needs to pick it up if he wants to eclipse the 100-point mark for the first time. He has 80 points in 64 games (21G, 59A) and is expected to be the most coveted free agent come July 1; if he hasn't signed an extension by then.
Matthews, through two separate injury stints has missed 15 games, but has put together 56 points in 50 games (23G, 33A) but is having some of the worst goal-scoring output of his career, shooting less, and his 5v5 numbers have dropped dramatically.
It's a worrying sign if Marner and Matthews don't pick things up in the next couple of weeks. The playoffs aren't far off, and if they don't finish strong, their going to end up in a brutal spot come season's end.
| POLL | ||
MARS 15 | 598 ANSWERS Top Sports Analysts Break Down Matthews and Marner's Struggles Against Elite Teams Do you think the Maple Leafs need to split up Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner? | ||
| Yes | 390 | 65.2 % |
| No | 208 | 34.8 % |
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