The media double-standard when it comes to Leafs stars has gotten out of hand
There has long been a pretty evident double-standard in the NHL when it comes to star players in Toronto and star players in other markets. A lot of it is likely due to the lengthy Stanley Cup drought and lack of playoff success of the Maple Leafs, but their stars - even ones who haven't been around a long time - are subject to some pretty unfair criticisms in comparison to stars from teams in smaller markets.
If we're basing our opinions purely off of playoff success, it's pretty easy to see why many throw their stones and target players like Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. However, if we're looking at playoff production, it's really wild to hear people talk about Auston Matthews in a negative light, while they praise players like Florida's Aleksander Barkov as if he's a world-beater for the Panthers.
Now, suffice it to say, this isn't a hit piece on Sasha Barkov, who is, in his own right, a fantastic hockey player and one of the best two-way centers in the game today. It's simply a means of pointing out what many seem intent on ignoring. Barkov is being viewed the way that he is right now simply because of where the Panthers are and not how he's produced. Meanwhile, Matthews is criticized for disappearing for much of Round 2, recording just 2 assists in 5 games against the Panthers.
It might surprise you to learn that while playoff powerhouse Barkov is competing in the Finals for a Stanley Cup right now, he has not registered a single point in any of the 4 games against Vegas in this series. He has also been limited to just 5 goals and 16 points through 20 playoff games.
On the other end of the spectrum, Matthews scored 5 goals and 11 points in 11 games, despite being held off the score sheet for his final 3 games against Florida. Is there any real guarantee that Matthews would have scored any more points than Barkov had he played the same number of games? No, nobody can say that with complete confidence. However, it's pretty strange how one is viewed as this clutch playoff performer, while the other is a huge part of the reason why his team will "never win in the playoffs", as the narrative goes.
Honestly, I've grown tired of the way the media, not only in Toronto, but around the league as well, treats Leaf players - especially their stars. The margin for error is so small in the playoffs. We're seeing that right now in the Vegas/Florida series. The Panthers went through arguably the toughest road to a Stanley Cup Final of all time, having to go through Boston, Toronto and Carolina - 3 of the league's top 4 teams in the regular season. Not only did the Panthers win all 3 of those series, but they outright dominated their opponents in 2 of them with their relentless efforts. Now, somehow, these playoff juggernauts find themselves on the wrong end of a 3-1 series and in need of 3 consecutive wins against Vegas to accomplish their goal.
Had the Leafs gotten past the Panthers in 5 games, I'm willing to bet that nobody would be criticizing Auston Matthews for scoring 11 points in 11 games in the playoffs. Quite the contrary, he might be up for the early Conn Smythe Trophy favourite. But instead, since the Leafs dropped the series in 5, Matthews is being viewed as this anti-clutch playoff ghost who can't get it done when it matters. The bottom line here is that a player's value in the playoffs has become more recognizable when the entire team does well. It's often dismissed or diminished when the team falls short of expectations.
Just once, I'd like to see a media outlet come out and appreciate some of these young Leafs stars as players who have very bright futures and are in the process of figuring things out and gaining valuable playoff experience, rather than the playoff duds they're being made out to be by the media. An extra save here, a lucky bounce there and the Leafs could just as easily have beaten Florida. They should stop treating the Leafs as this predictable entity and start acknowledging that much of the game, especially in the postseason, is completely and utterly random.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 11 | 673 ANSWERS The media double-standard when it comes to Leafs stars has gotten out of hand Do the Leafs take more criticism from the media than is warranted? | ||
| Absolutely | 411 | 61.1 % |
| No, the criticism is completely fair | 140 | 20.8 % |
| Sometimes yes, sometimes no | 122 | 18.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
