Elliotte Friedman Exposes the Hidden Factor Behind Auston Matthews' Scoring Drought
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Elliotte Friedman, an NHL insider, recently discussed Auston Matthews' struggles thus far this season and how he can get past them.
After the team's first three games of the season, Auston Matthews, one of the best pure goal scorers in the sport, has yet to record a point. For a three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner, that is unusual; there isn't much reason to be concerned about a lack of output. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing well; if it weren't for a spectacular performance by Sam Montembeault for the Canadiens in the season opener, they might have had a chance to win three games.
Regarding Matthews' approach, Elliotte Friedman recently shared an intriguing anecdote on his 32 Thoughts podcast: "He's just not stressing about his slow start," Friedman said. The fact that Matthews has grown as a player since wearing the Leafs' captain's 'C' is more significant because he is now more dedicated to the team game and the defensive end of the puck.
"Matthews has no points after 3 games. It's rare for him, but it's not unheard of, but I thought the thing that was really interesting was I got a couple of texts from people who were like 'he's doing different stuff out there... what one guy said to me was that they put the C on him, and they say it's wrong to say that he didn't care about defense before, because he did, but it's almost like they said it raised him to like a higher level of consciousness about what he's suppose to be, right? And what the captain is supposed to be.
He might dispute that. I'm not sure he would like that, because he takes great pride in how well-rounded he wanted to be in the first place, but a couple of guys did say to me -- he doesn't give away a lot, but he almost looks completely unbothered by the fact that he's not producing while they're winning.
He's trying to be even more detailed than he was... I just thought that was an interesting take on him so far."
-Elliotte Friedman
He might dispute that. I'm not sure he would like that, because he takes great pride in how well-rounded he wanted to be in the first place, but a couple of guys did say to me -- he doesn't give away a lot, but he almost looks completely unbothered by the fact that he's not producing while they're winning.
He's trying to be even more detailed than he was... I just thought that was an interesting take on him so far."
-Elliotte Friedman
Being a fantastic two-way player, Matthews has consistently garnered votes for the Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's top defensive forward. His defensive play is now even more important because he is captain. In addition to helping him advance in his career, this could encourage his teammates to adopt a more defensive mindset, making the team harder to play against.
Ultimately, Matthews' drought shouldn't be a major concern for anyone, as he has been one of the world's most reliable goal scorers. The objectives will materialize. His dedication to winning and his focus on underappreciated aspects of the game are far more important. With a better defense and some strong goaltending, this version of Matthews might be the secret to the kind of postseason success the Leafs have yet to achieve.
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