Matt Martin signs with the Leafs [4 years, $2.5mil AAV]

[CarltonTheBear]

Same answer.

I'm very comfortable saying Ben Smith was one of the 10 worst NHL forwards in the league last season. Maybe even top-5. Even leaving aside Matt Martin, if the team had just addressed that issue earlier in the year that may have been enough to bump us out of the wild card spot. Holland didn't develop as well as I had expected, but he's not THAT bad.

 

[Bates]

Holland gives up more chances against than he creates so I don't think he would have helped in any way.  I'm no Smith fan but I'd be fairly confident in saying in terms of goals for vs goals against he gas a much better chance of breaking even on a nightly basis than Holland,  I got to watch him most of this season in AZ and he's far from an Nhl player at this point either. Holland could barely crack an AZ lineup that basically had no NHL centers.

Same answer.

I'm very comfortable saying Ben Smith was one of the 10 worst NHL forwards in the league last season. Maybe even top-5. Even leaving aside Matt Martin, if the team had just addressed that issue earlier in the year that may have been enough to bump us out of the wild card spot. Holland didn't develop as well as I had expected, but he's not THAT bad.

 

[herman]

A hodge podge rotation of our fringe players would've been better than Martin and Smith. Dropping Hyman down to the 4th line in place of Martin and having another random player with marginally better hands (even Holland on LW) up with Matthews would've netted some of those crucial points.

Komarov - Kadri - Brown
JvR - Bozak - Marner
Leivo/Soshnikov - Matthews - Nylander
Holland/Soshnikov - Froese/Holland - Hyman

Not that different, but soooo different. $10M different.

 

[herman]

I thought about this further and I have re-affirmed that I would've much preferred to sign Michael Grabner instead, even if he somehow maintained his unsustainable 2015-16 shooting percentage.

 

[moon111]

Matt Martin is a guy who hasn't scored over 10 goals or 9 assists in a season.  We just witnessed him playing with Matthews and Marner.  Insane?  Leaf fans witnessed Martin's 2016-17 season where his goals and assists per 60 were at an all time.  Why?  As hard as it might be for some to fathom, it just might be Martin's linemates were the worst he's ever played with.  Soshnikov, Kapanen, Ben Smith... these are guys who put up equal to or less then Martin-type offense!  Now that being said, his shooting and passing will never be able to keep up to Matthews and Marner standards.  But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net. As fine as a soldier Leivo might be, Martin was like dropping artillery rounds.  He created a physical chaos... which was followed by an attack by Matthews and Marner.
This isn't to say offense is of any real strength from Martin.  But maybe it's not 100% as bad as some might think either.  Throwing his strengths into the fray just might come together with his line-mates nicely.  Martin wants in front of net presence, he's going to get it.  Of course there's also the ability to immediately knuckle anyone who might think about messing with a couple of star players as well.  When Matthews threw the puck into Hyman's corner, the opposition had to worry about Hyman's fore-check and popping the puck out the Matthews.  With Martin, they have to worry about being killed.  Puck goes into the board with Martin speeding down the wing?  Get that puck?  No.  I don't want to do that.  My instinct for survive overcomes any thoughts of the millions I might be getting paid to do it.



Matt Martin 
2009-10  0.00  1.81  1.81
2010-11  0.42  0.73  1.15
2011-12  0.43  0.43  0.86
2012-13  0.42  0.73  1.15
2013-14  0.51  0.51  0.89
2015-16  0.71  0.64  1.35 (10 goals his highest total)
2016-17    0.41  0.33  0.74
2017-18  0.36  2.15    2.51

Nikita Soshnikov was 0.89pts/60 in 56 games.  Kapanen was 0.70pts/60 in 8 games.  Martin's assists per 60 have never been as low as Ben Smith's, who might of just been one of the most offensive-inept player the Leafs have used in a long time.

 

[Bullfrog]

Surely, you're not suggesting that Martin's offensive abilities are even in the ballpark of Kapanen? Because they're not.

 

[AvroArrow]

Surely, you're not suggesting that Martin's offensive abilities are even in the ballpark of Kapanen? Because they're not.

Clearly they're superior.  Didn't you see some numbers?

 

[Kin]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/TheFlintor/status/932095808656228352

 

[Highlander]

Mitch Marner, Mat Martin..there are two many M&M's on this team and think if Maracin gets recalled? It could get frightening.

 

[TML fan]

Martin isn't that bad. It's not like he's Bates Battaglia.

 

[ZBBM]

Martin isn't that bad. It's not like he's Bates Battaglia.

Bates Battaglia wasn't that bad himself.  The real comparison is to guys like Orr.

 

[moon111]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

Martin goes to the net, Matthews and Marner do their thing... and it was in the back of the net.

 

[louisstamos]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

Martin goes to the net, Matthews and Marner do their thing... and it was in the back of the net.

I think the issue is the word "literal."  Like - he didn't actually turn into a freight train a la Transformers.  He was a figurative freight train.

 

[applecheeks]

Why not have Matthews with Marner and Martin?  Auston has missed a few games because of a cracked rib., from what i've read. We don't need the likes of Weber having his way with our star.
That line is certainly an option and with the lines changing all the time, it looks like they play well together with two good looking goals.

 

[Zee]

Why not have Matthews with Marner and Martin?  Auston has missed a few games because of a cracked rib., from what i've read. We don't need the likes of Weber having his way with our star.
That line is certainly an option and with the lines changing all the time, it looks like they play well together with two good looking goals.

Cracked rib?  Rrrrrr?

 

[TML fan]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

Martin goes to the net, Matthews and Marner do their thing... and it was in the back of the net.

I think the issue is the word "literal."  Like - he didn't actually turn into a freight train a la Transformers.

That would have been cool.

 

[Kin]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

Martin goes to the net, Matthews and Marner do their thing... and it was in the back of the net.

I think the issue is the word "literal."  Like - he didn't actually turn into a freight train a la Transformers.  He was a figurative freight train.

Well, yes. That is the opposite of what the word means.

But even beyond that it's not really an accurate description of any of the goals that took place. Martin was nowhere near the net on Matthews' first goal(the only goal where Marner touched the puck in the offensive zone). On Matthews' second goal it's not like he "freight trained" his way to the front of the net. He got around Weber when Weber moved to cut off Matthews' space and Mete didn't cover him. He didn't outmuscle anyone or go through anyone. He was untouched, standing five feet in front of the net when Matthews scored.

He may have screened Niemi some but even then it's one play in a 5-0 game with five minutes to play that was more the result of sloppy defensive coverage than any power on Martin's part.

 

[rdowdall]

But what he did last night against Montreal?  He was a literal freight train going to the net.

No.

Martin goes to the net, Matthews and Marner do their thing... and it was in the back of the net.

I think the issue is the word "literal."  Like - he didn't actually turn into a freight train a la Transformers.  He was a figurative freight train.

Well, yes. That is the opposite of what the word means.

But even beyond that it's not really an accurate description of any of the goals that took place. Martin was nowhere near the net on Matthews' first goal(the only goal where Marner touched the puck in the offensive zone). On Matthews' second goal it's not like he "freight trained" his way to the front of the net. He got around Weber when Weber moved to cut off Matthews' space and Mete didn't cover him. He didn't outmuscle anyone or go through anyone. He was untouched, standing five feet in front of the net when Matthews scored.

He may have screened Niemi some but even then it's one play in a 5-0 game with five minutes to play that was more the result of sloppy defensive coverage than any power on Martin's part.

I thought literal could mean literal and figuratively now.  Because people were using it wrong literally all the time.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/living/literally-definition/index.html

 

[Kin]

I thought literal could mean literal and figuratively now.  Because people were using it wrong literally all the time.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/living/literally-definition/index.html

I refuse to indulge in the dumbing down of society.