Ex player explains why McDavid and Oilers made finals before Matthews and Leafs
A former NHLer explained why Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers made the Stanley Cup Finals before Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It's safe to say that both Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are superstars in the NHL. Since their arrival in the league, the first overall picks in 2015 and 2016 have often been compared to each other. At the moment, one is in the Stanley Cup Finals, and the other has been on vacation for over a month.
This pattern has been observed many times in recent years. Matthews and the Leafs have only won a single playoff round, while McDavid has won seven series.
According to the former member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, Kris Versteeg, there are two main items that can explain that discrepancy: their point production and the contribution from their teammates.
In the playoffs, we often saw McDavid changing the outcome of games by himself. He can take matters into his own hands and give his team the victory. Matthews can't seem to be able to do so for the Leafs in the playoffs.
McDavid, in 67 playoff games, scored 106 points, while Matthews has 48 in 55 games.
"If you get your role guys understanding, buying in, loving what they're doing, killing the clock essentially some of them. That's what the Leafs do not have."
It's hard to say if the Oilers had a better team on paper than the Maple Leafs going into this year's playoffs. But leaders and role players took their games to the next level.
It's hard to believe Matthews earns more money than McDavid after comparing their playoff performances. The Oilers captain will seek a new contract after the 2025-26 season and should get much more than Matthews and his $13 million contract.
Source: Maple Leafs Daily
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| POLL | ||
Who will win the finals between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers? | ||
| Oilers | 399 | 57.6 % |
| Panthers | 294 | 42.4 % |
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