That's what I think is likely and am hoping for. You can't have him at 11.6 cap hit now and dominated per 60 more than any NHL player and have him at 18 minutes. It's (frank)ing stupid.
- RogerRoeper

He should get 21, Tavares 19 the 3rd line 12 and the 4th 8.

If you include D he's outside the top 200.

This is the guy who's been the best goal scorer since the second he entered the NHL 5 on 5.

People think the Leafs lack toughness? They lack a coach with half a brain.
- RogerRoeper

Man come on.

The leafs have a lot of talent up front...check TB TOI...Kucherov has the same mins as Marner. Stamkos has even less than Matthews.

Rielly and Hedman have similar mins.


(frank) off with this.

Man come on.

The leafs have a lot of talent up front...check TB TOI...Kucherov has the same mins as Matthews. Stamkos has even less than Marner.

(frank) off with this.
- Santo_44

And look how that worked out for Tampa.

Babs did have a 3rd line C that scored 30 a couple times and J.T., not too many guys getting more ice then Matthews compete with those kind of teammates JMO
- Garnie

Yup.

Deep teams spread the wealth (ice time). This isn't a revelation.

No Kadri this coming season will in and of itself give Matthews more ice time. And if the refs would actually give one of the fastest and most skilled teams in the league a (frank)ing power play, that's another boost.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Before Tavares was signed though Matthews was still underused. It's Babcock's thing.

I do agree though eventually they can't be 31st every year in PP time and with no Kadri it'll help.

And look how that worked out for Tampa.
- bobbyisno1

One of the best regular seasons in history?

If you are talking about playoffs its the playoffs....TB is winning that series 9 times out of 10. They lost and you don’t have to be the best team to win a cup.

No one should argue that TB wasn’t the best team last year.

Yup.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Whatever, Babs is a seasoned coach and he knows that 3rd line centre is never gonna match those numbers again.
C'mon, playing with Marleau.

He should get 21, Tavares 19 the 3rd line 12 and the 4th 8.
- bobbyisno1

Yup. 3rd and 4th lines got too much last year.

One of the best regular seasons in history?
- Santo_44

And one of the best playoff failures.

BTW, Matthews TOI increased once Tavares joined them. This is Mike Babcock. This is how he coaches. With no Tavares Matthews was still playing 2-3 minutes less than Jack Eichel.

I tend to agree here, but I can see why he did it - they're basically banking on the fact that Ceci isn't actually as horrible as he seems. And given that he played with Phaneuf (lol), Borowiecki (double lol) and other Junior-B quality players in Ottawa, he'll have by far the best D-partner of his life in either Muzzin or Rielly. He'll at least have a chance to show whether he can cut it at this level with an actual NHL D-man at his side, especially as he'll not be playing like 23 mins a night anymore.

I don't hold much hope on him being better than Z in all truth, but if that is indeed the case they can just be done with him at the end of the year

- lumlums

Yeah I get everyone's arguments about Ceciand the 1 year contract. Taken by itself, I don't disagree. We can't ice another rookie and expect them to chew up those minutes.

The problem is that we are going to struggle to shoehorn Marner in. We would not have that problem if we went dumpster diving for a dman in September...

and Ceci has not proven to be better than anyone likely to be left over in the dumpster.

It is 4.5 million, taking a chance on a poor player, when we are right up against the cap.

That's what I think is likely and am hoping for. You can't have him at 11.6 cap hit now and dominated per 60 more than any NHL player and have him at 18 minutes. It's (frank)ing stupid.
- RogerRoeper

P/60 10 other guys were ahead of him

G/60 he was 6th

I love Matthews too, but you’re stuck on hating Babcock.

And one of the best playoff failures.
- bobbyisno1

Read the comment above.

That’s irrelevant.

BTW, Matthews TOI increased once Tavares joined them. This is Mike Babcock. This is how he coaches. With no Tavares Matthews was still playing 2-3 minutes less than Jack Eichel.
- RogerRoeper

Don’t try and compare Buffalo to the Leafs.

They are forced to play echiel.

Don’t try and compare Buffalo to the Leafs.

They are forced to play echiel.
- Santo_44

I am just pointing out Matthews' usage before Tavares signed and before we had as good depth.

BTW, Matthews TOI increased once Tavares joined them. This is Mike Babcock. This is how he coaches. With no Tavares Matthews was still playing 2-3 minutes less than Jack Eichel.
- RogerRoeper

Jack ECHL plays most of every power play and kills penalties because they need to over play him.

Leafs are very thankfully not the Sabres.

Mitch Marneau?
- gergeswillems

sign a deal or GTFO.

Read the comment above.

That’s irrelevant.
- Santo_44

So I guess losing to Boston is irrelevent also?

Read the comment above.

That’s irrelevant.
- Santo_44

Also, how is your comment relevent and mine not?

BTW, Matthews TOI increased once Tavares joined them. This is Mike Babcock. This is how he coaches. With no Tavares Matthews was still playing 2-3 minutes less than Jack Eichel.
- RogerRoeper

But he had a second line 2 time 32 goal scorer.

Meh. Matthews will likely get a small boost in ice time. I'm far less concerned about his ice time than I am him staying healthy. Last thing you want is injuries piling up with a young player.

But he had a second line 2 time 32 goal scorer.
- bobbyisno1

Kadri took all the tough shifts allowing Matthews and Nylander to strike often, people tend to forget about these things.

We should have gave them the tough matchups and they wouldn’t have scored as much and we wouldn’t be paying them so much.

He should get 21, Tavares 19 the 3rd line 12 and the 4th 8.
- bobbyisno1

5v5 or total?

Kadri took all the tough shifts allowing Matthews and Nylander to strike often, people tend to forget about these things.

We should have gave them the tough matchups and they wouldn’t have scored as much and we wouldn’t be paying them so much.
- Garnie

Also, the other line was Marner's line. So it was still three pretty even lines being run.

Also, the other line was Marner's line. So it was still three pretty even lines being run.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Marner was on Kadris line. Or maybe it was Bozak and JVR, Why are you asking me to think.