Matthews Moment of Truth: Can He Deliver for the Maple Leafs Now That He’s Back?

In a recent conversation, Nick Kypreos, Gord Stellick, and Sam McKee discussed what to make of Matthews’ impressive return to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. They agreed that Matthews’ return was impressive, which makes a difference to the Maple Leafs. They also wondered how much of his return factored into his desire to show he could play at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

Saturday’s Game Was the Best Matthews Has Looked

As the panel began its discussion, they praised Matthews’ play on Saturday night. To their eyes, it was the sharpest he’s looked all season. They focused on Matthew’s speed, physicality, and decisiveness as he played with the puck. Kypreos and Stellick noted that Matthews was strong and wondered whether he had been holding back earlier in the season because of his injury. But they couldn’t tell.

McKee suggested that Matthews might have had to prove himself before the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. He wondered whether Matthews was under pressure because he was supposedly to be a key player for Team USA. The panel asked whether the upcoming tournament would motivate Matthews to elevate his game. He doesn’t have much time to prepare. How good can he be?

To the Panel, Matthews Looked Better than He Has All Season

Whatever was going on, the panel believed Matthews looked rejuvenated. He certainly played with energy. They wondered whether he was rested mentally, physically, or a combination of both.

Kypreos wondered whether Matthews’ return indicated that he was fully recovered. He also asked whether lingering issues might resurface at a later date. Like many other analysts, he suggested that he believed it was important that Matthews was fully healthy before he entered the season; that was particularly true for how he played during the playoffs. Stellick suggested that Matthews needed to sustain his game, which would be critical for the Maple Leafs and Team USA.

More critical for the Maple Leafs was how good Matthews could be for the rest of the season. Now that the calendar year has flipped, the panel wondered whether Matthews might refocus this game and enter a new phase of the season. He certainly isn’t going to score 69 goals, but can he lead his team to a successful end of the regular season and, more importantly, success in the postseason?

If Matthews Is Fully Healed, Can He Carry His Team to Postseason Success?

They wondered whether this game suggested that Matthews was healed for the first time in the season and what difference that would make. Similarly to the analysts, I believe the biggest question is whether Matthews’ stellar play continues. That was the question that they ended the discussion with.

And it’s a good question indeed. How well they do in the postseason will define the Maple Leafs season. Could this be the year they go all the way? If it is, it will be partly because of Matthews’ good health.