Auston Matthews has taken a lot of — somewhat undeserved — flak over the last two years. Any superstar will face criticism when they aren’t playing or producing up to lofty expectations, but that’s especially true when you’re the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and were once widely viewed as one of the best players in the world.
Matthews is still a superstar center, but there’s no denying it has felt like the gap between him and the true upper echelon — players like Connor McDavid — has widened over time. Both the numbers and the eye test suggest that. However, according to Kevin Bieksa, the lack of eye-popping statistics and flashy highlights may not necessarily be a negative.
The former NHLer-turned-analyst discussed the differences between Matthews’ and McDavid’s games, pointing out how Matthews remains responsible defensively and takes care of all three zones, which might make it seem like he’s not creating as much offense.
“The thing about Matthews is he doesn’t cheat the game. He plays it the right way. So I think some people maybe compare him to Connor, and they’re like Connor’s getting the puck, he’s skating it through the neutral zone, he’s getting all of these points. But Matthews doesn’t cheat the game — he goes down low, he stops, he defends hard, he picks guys’ pockets. So for that reason, he doesn’t create maybe as much offense and wow you, but he wins his shifts.”
A staggering 96 points (34 goals, 62 assists) in 58 games for McDavid compared to just 48 points (26 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games for Matthews would imply there’s no contest. But Bieksa is right in that their styles are polar opposites, so the numbers don’t always tell the full story.
McDavid Matthews
There’s no question McDavid is the better player — and frankly, it’s not particularly close between him and anyone else in hockey right now. That said, the criticism of Matthews can sometimes go too far, which makes it refreshing to hear an experienced voice offer his perspective on the situation.
Toronto and Edmonton won’t meet again in 2025-26 unless both make the Stanley Cup Final — which we know is unlikely. However, fans could get one more Matthews-versus-McDavid showdown this year if Team USA and Team Canada take care of business and square off in the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics.
Next: Oilers Seen as Possible Landing Spot for Maple Leafs Defenseman
Discover more from NHL Trade Talk
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
