Leafs captain Auston Matthews' shooting percentage is uncharacteristically low this season, but there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for the variance.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, following a three-game winning streak.
One player who has been lighting the lamp more recently is Auston Matthews. However, despite his recent scoring uptick, Matthews is still experiencing a subpar season by his usual scoring standards, with 27 goals in 55 games, after an incredible 69-goal season the year prior.
It seems that Matthews' new responsibilities under first-year head coach Craig Berube are contributing to this dip in production. Matthews has now taken on a full-time role as a penalty killer, which has resulted in less time on the ice during 5v5 play.
This shift is evident in his shooting percentages at 5v5, as noted by Kevin Papetti on X:
'Matthews' 5v5 Sh% by season:
13.4%
18.4%
13.1%
15.1%
17.6%
15.6%
11.2%
15.5%
8.8%'
His 5v5 ice time has also been affected, as he spends more time on the ice during penalty kills. According to MatthewsFan on X:
'Matthews' 5v5 TOI by season:14:09 - PK 0:00
14:58 - PK 0:02
15:00 - PK 0:01
16:26 - PK 0:04
16:39 - PK 0:11
16:06 - PK 0:04
15:29 - PK 0:02
15:19 - PK 0:43
14:15 - PK 1:42'
It's clear that Matthews' new style of play, instilled by Berube, is a factor in his scoring woes this season, but this shift may not necessarily be a negative. Matthews has taken a clear step forward as a leader with his new captaincy, often speaking to the media and addressing the team's issues, while being defensively responsible.
Former Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has also been vocal about what the team needs to do to succeed. There may also be no player benefiting more from Matthews' increased penalty-killing role than Tavares, who is enjoying a strong rebound year, with 30 goals and 61 points in 63 games this season.
As the Maple Leafs approach the playoffs, this will be the first true test to see if Matthews' new responsibilities and Craig Berube's coaching style are what the Leafs needed to succeed in the postseason.
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