A face Maple Leafs fans could identify with who could help end the Stanley Cup drought?
uncertain
who → identify → drought
Since the moment he was drafted first overall in 2016, Matthews was always the one the organization could turn to.
uncertain
organization → draft → 2016
And on Tuesday night in Toronto, we saw a reminder of what has been missing far too often over the last few seasons.
asserted
what → see → seasons
Matthews looked every bit like his old self — a franchise superstar and one of the top players in the NHL — in leading his club to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators.
asserted
Matthews → look → Predators
With the Leafs down 3-0, Matthews willed them to a dramatic comeback victory with four points, including setting up Gavin McKenna’s first NHL goal and scoring the overtime winner.
asserted
Matthews → will → winner
It couldn’t have come at a better time.
asserted
It → come → time
Nights like this have become rare by Matthews’ standards, sparking terrifying worries that his body is actively breaking down.
asserted
body → become → worries
The No. 1 pick in the NHL draft had the kind of offensive night predicted for him at Scotiabank Arena.
asserted
pick → have → Arena
The No. 1 pick in the NHL draft had the kind of offensive night predicted for him at Scotiabank Arena.
asserted
pick → have → Arena
And that brings us to the most difficult question facing the Leafs as Matthews enters his 11th season at age 29: Is he still the guy?
asserted
he → bring → age
Matthews’ first eight NHL seasons produced some of the greatest individual moments in franchise history.
asserted
seasons → produce → history
He was the first Leaf since 1955 to win the Hart Trophy.
asserted
He → win → Trophy
He won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer three times.
asserted
He → win → scorer
Last season, he established himself as the greatest shooter ever to wear the Leafs jersey as he passed Mats Sundin’s franchise goals record in 317 fewer games.
asserted
he → establish → games
But after two seasons of producing well below his capabilities, the conversation about Matthews can no longer remain frozen in time like his accolades.
asserted
conversation → produce → accolades
The player the Leafs are counting on today has not consistently resembled the one who once appeared capable of being a perennial MVP candidate.
asserted
who → count → one
In the past two seasons his production has declined by his standards, and his impact on the team has become less reliable.
asserted
impact → decline → team
Whether the reasons are physical, emotional, tactical or simply due to the natural wear and tear that comes with carrying impossible expectations, the organization can no longer dismiss the gaps in his performance as temporary slumps.
asserted
organization → come → slumps
Is Matthews capable of leading this organization into its next era alongside McKenna, or is ownership making a potentially disastrous mistake by continuing to build around an eventual return to elite form that may never happen?
uncertain
that → lead → form
With just two years left on his contract, which means he’s eligible to sign an extension on July 1, the window to decide is narrowing.
asserted
window → leave → July
So much has been invested in Matthews as the cornerstone of the franchise.
asserted
much → invest → franchise
They’ve given him more than $100 million (U.S.) in contracts while escalating ticket prices, marketing campaigns and their public identity have revolved around his presence.
asserted
prices → give → presence
The temptation to continue believing that the player from the early vision is still waiting to re-emerge is understandable, especially when he shows flashes like he did Tuesday.
asserted
he → continue → flashes
But as they say, hope is not a strategy.
asserted
hope → say → ?
It’s an enormous risk.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
This season, the Leafs will have to make a judgment call on the player Matthews is today, not simply the player he was at his peak.
asserted
he → have → peak
That does not mean he will automatically be traded or walk to free agency if things go wrong.
asserted
things → mean → agency
Even a version of Matthews who produces below his career standard remains extremely difficult to replace.
asserted
who → produce → standard
And the Leafs can’t easily dismiss the legacy he has built.
asserted
he → dismiss → legacy
But what they can no longer do is act as though a return to scoring dominance is guaranteed.
asserted
return → act → dominance
For the Leafs to know Matthews is the one to lead them back to relevance, they need to see him consistently drive play over longer stretches.
asserted
him → know → stretches
They need sustained five-on-five impact, greater urgency in important games and a stronger ability to influence outcomes when physical teams such as the Florida Panthers take away his time and space.
asserted
teams → need → time
Past management failed to surround Matthews with the right kind of roster.
asserted
management → fail → roster
The team often lacked depth, physicality, defensive structure and dependable goaltending.
asserted
team → lack → depth
Those shortcomings placed an unreasonable burden on its best player.
asserted
shortcomings → place → player
That is why the changes to this supporting cast matter.
asserted
changes → support → cast
With as many as 12 new players, including power-play specialist Darren Raddysh and high-end talent such as Kirill Marchenko, the Leafs may finally be surrounding Matthews with a roster that works.
uncertain
that → include → roster
New management — the third regime since Matthews arrived — is pushing its chips into the middle of the table.
asserted
Matthews → arrive → table
If Matthews regains his health (before the season he said he’s “feeling as good as possible”), physical presence, confidence and scoring touch, he could lead the Leafs deep into the playoffs and make every worry about declining production feel premature.
uncertain
worry → regain → production
But unlike any of the previous 10 seasons, if the concerning decline in Matthews’ game persists it can no longer be ignored.
asserted
it → concern → game
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
