Latest news with #Matthews'
Miami Herald
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Matthews scores for Toronto, Maple Leafs force Panthers into winner-take-all Game 7
All throughout their second-round Stanley Cup playoffs series, the Florida Panthers had managed to keep Toronto Maple Leafs star center Auston Matthews from scoring. On Friday, at the most inopportune time for Florida, Matthews finally struck — and now this series remains alive. Matthews' goal 6:20 into the third period gave the Maple Leafs the lead for good in a 2-0 win over the Panthers in Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena to even the best-of-7 series at 3-3. The winner-take-all Game 7 is at 7:30 p.m. Sunday from Toronto's Scotiabank Arena. After two scoreless periods to begin the game, Matthews opened scoring when he picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, pushed forward and fired a quick wrist shot from the left circle that beat Sergei Bobrovsky five-hole. It was Matthews' first goal in 11 career playoff games against the Panthers after being held scoreless in all five games of the teams' second-round series in 2023 and each of the first five games of this series. Max Pacioretty added an insurance goal for Toronto with 5:43 left in regulation. And it came after neither team was able to capitalize on a slew of chances through the first 40 minutes. Florida and Toronto combined for 82 shot attempts in the opening two periods, with the Maple Leafs the aggressors in the first period and the Panthers dominating the second but to no avail for either side. Joseph Woll stopped all 21 shots he faced to get the shutout — Florida's first time being held scoreless in the playoffs since May 23, 2022, when they were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. The Maple Leafs also blocked 26 Panthers shots. And now, it all comes down to one game. This story will be updated.
New York Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Maple Leafs pushed to brink of elimination after Game 5 loss to Panthers: Takeaways
TORONTO — Game 7 came early this season. With their season and, quite likely, the future of their core on the line in Game 5, the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to show up on home ice against the Florida Panthers. There were zero positives to find in a humiliating 6-1 loss that saw the team play all the old hits for a crowd that knows them well. Most of the lineup tightened up, their stars did not produce, their goaltending faltered at times and their effort was shockingly poor. Advertisement Shot attempts at five-on-five ended with a 66-44 advantage for the Panthers, per Natural Stat Trick. The numbers matched the eye test, provided Leafs fans hadn't always closed their eyes in horror. Yes, the Leafs could still have two chances to win this series if they can force a Game 7. But if Game 5 is any indication, it's tough to see them getting there. And it's even tougher to see this team as assembled returning next season. They provided little reason in Game 5 to prove they should. The Maple Leafs were at home, not down in a series and had, you would think, no reason to come out tight. Yet history is a great teacher and as in past pivotal playoff games, the Leafs' top players looked tight and offered little to no creativity and spark with the puck. You could practically feel the ghosts of past playoff failures peering down from the Scotiabank Arena roof. The tone was set early on for the entire game. The Leafs looked like a team not playing to win but instead playing not to lose. And where did that get them? In the first period, the Panthers had 33 shot attempts at five-on-five to the Leafs' eight shot attempts. The Panthers had a deafening 11-1 advantage in shot attempts when the Auston Matthews line — ostensibly the Leafs' best line — was on the ice in that period. And things didn't get any better. Matthews' best chance came midway through the second period when he brought the puck just outside of the blue paint and could only stuff the puck into Sergei Bobrovsky's pads. Midway through the second period, Mitch Marner looked like a junior player with an unnecessary blind pass up the middle of the ice and then zero effort defensively to prevent the Panthers' third goal. Two players don't lose you a game, to be sure. The Leafs' poor effort should fall on nearly 20 pairs of shoulders. But the Leafs are built to have their best players win them games. Just as in years past, those players looked incapable of doing so. Advertisement The crowd inside Scotiabank Arena started strong. But then, much like the online world following the Leafs, things turned. Then Leafs fans buried their heads in their hands. Then the boos emerged in the second period of a playoff game. Then the Bronx cheers followed when Joseph Woll made an easy save late in the period. A fan threw a Matthews Leafs jersey on the ice after the Leafs allowed their fifth goal against. The crowd reflected the online vitriol that was spreading like wildfire. You could practically feel an entire fan base turning on the stars they'd supported for years. And it's a turn that feels justified: this was a putrid effort that fans did not deserve. An Auston Matthews jersey was just thrown on the ice at Scotiabank Arena. — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 15, 2025 Remember Game 5 against the Ottawa Senators, when the Leafs had a chance to win the first round at home and laid an egg? Remember, well … you could use so many different failures from this core. Leafs fans inside the building felt more frustrated than ever at watching the same movie, once again. If the Leafs lose in Game 6, and Game 5 is the last time the home crowd sees their team, they wanted them to know how disappointed they were. Enduring images and sounds that could, and should, last long into the offseason. There were glimpses of hope that manifested in rushes and energetic checks from William Nylander and Matthew Knies, respectively. Those two players looked capable of turning the game in the Leafs' favor. But come the second period, just like the rest of the team, their energy completely dissipated. And that's the point: No Leaf showed any of the fight and emotion that's necessary in a late-series game. It doesn't matter if this is an intangible that's impossible to quantify. At the very minimum, effort and belief from an Atlantic Division-winning team are expected. Advertisement As the second period dragged on, it was clear no Leaf had the moxie to make that happen. The Leafs — again, all of them — deserved the boos that came their way. Yes, Woll should not have allowed the fourth goal. But pinning anything on him alone is futile. The way the team as a collective folded was embarrassing. Wherever MLSE boss Keith Pelley was sitting, he should have learned a lot about who can play and survive in Toronto and who can't. Because if Game 5 was any indicator, that list is way too short. In a long list of playoff failures, Game 5 might be the toughest to stomach. The Panthers started clawing their way back into this series when Bobrovsky turned into a brick wall. He didn't surrender a goal from the third period of Game 3 until there were 66 seconds left in Game 5 — a stretch lasting 143 minutes 25 seconds. Bobrovsky had to be sharp before this one got out of hand, stopping Nylander on a first-period breakaway before reaching back to deny Knies on Toronto's first power play. Making his stretch even more impressive is that Bobrovsky wasn't at his best form when this series began. He allowed 13 goals in the first three games. But his teammates never lost faith in a man who was integral in their reaching consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. 'What was the word you just used?' defenseman Aaron Ekblad asked a reporter to repeat when questioned about Bobrovsky earlier in the series. 'Legend. Yes. God-mode. That's what we have come to love about 'Bobby,' not to mention he's the greatest person on Earth as well.' Bobrovsky is one win away from securing his ninth series win since 2023. Jesper Boqvist entered the game without a playoff goal on his resume. He last scored in the regular season on Jan. 25. So it was only fitting that Boqvist was among Florida's unexpected offensive heroes after replacing the injured Evan Rodrigues in the lineup for Game 5. He made it 3-0 midway through the second period, effectively ending any chance Toronto had of making things interesting. THAT'S THREE UNANSWERED ‼️ Jesper Boqvist finishes off a Sam Reinhart feed to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead in Game 5 — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2025 It says something about the Panthers' culture that head coach Paul Maurice was comfortable dropping him directly onto the left wing of the top line. And it says something that Boqvist managed to score such a surprising goal — against Toronto's top line, no less. Maurice effectively called it before the game when discussing why Boqvist was being called on to replace Rodrigues. Advertisement 'He's got some experience,' said Maurice. 'When we bring guys in from the outside, they've had big impacts for us. They've been critical. I think a big part of that is they're never really on the outside. They're all part of the chirping and the practicing and all of the things that go on that feel like they're a part of it.' Among Florida's other Game 5 scorers were three defensemen not known for putting the puck in the net: Aaron Ekblad, Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MATW Q1 Earnings Call: Missed Revenue Targets as Energy and Memorialization Segments Face Headwinds
Diversified solutions provider Matthews International (NASDAQ:MATW) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales falling 9.3% year on year to $427.6 million. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.34 per share was 10.5% below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy MATW? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $427.6 million vs analyst estimates of $435.6 million (9.3% year-on-year decline, 1.8% miss) Adjusted EPS: $0.34 vs analyst expectations of $0.38 (10.5% miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $51.4 million vs analyst estimates of $49.9 million (12% margin, 3% beat) EBITDA guidance for the full year is $190 million at the midpoint, below analyst estimates of $205.6 million Operating Margin: 0.8%, down from 4.7% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$2.41 million, down from $47.15 million in the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $658 million Matthews' first quarter results reflected notable declines in key segments, with management attributing performance to continued softness in Energy Solutions and lower volumes in the Memorialization business. CEO Joe Bartolacci highlighted extended lead times and cautious customer activity in battery equipment sales, noting that the company only recently resumed full commercial engagement after resolving a patent dispute. He also pointed to normalization in post-pandemic death rates and the impact of facility closures as primary factors weighing on memorialization sales. Matthews' leadership provided updates on commercial momentum, operational shifts, and ongoing divestiture activity, each shaping the company's current results. Management cited prolonged sales cycles and external market factors as reasons for the revenue shortfall relative to analyst expectations. Energy Solutions patent clarity: Matthews recently secured the rights to commercialize its dry battery electrode (DBE) technology, allowing renewed engagement with battery manufacturers and auto OEMs. Management reported over $100 million in active DBE equipment quotes since mid-February, with demand from North America, Europe, and South Korea. SGK Brand Solutions divestiture: The company completed regulatory steps to divest its SGK Brand Solutions segment, expecting $350 million in upfront consideration and a 40% equity stake in the new combined entity. Proceeds will primarily reduce debt, with some allocated for share repurchases. Warehouse automation partnerships: Matthews entered a partnership with Teradyne to integrate autonomous robotic solutions with its warehouse execution software, aiming to improve cost and efficiency for logistics customers. Management sees this as a unique market differentiator as warehouse automation demand recovers. Cost reduction initiatives: The company remains on track with a $50 million cost reduction program, focused on engineering and corporate overhead, with $20 million in savings targeted this year and $30 million next year. Memorialization segment normalization: Lower casketed deaths and the closure of a UK cremation facility led to weaker bronze and granite sales. Management described these as a return to pre-pandemic norms, partially offset by improved pricing. Looking ahead, Matthews' outlook is shaped by divestiture proceeds, new commercial partnerships, and the pace of recovery in its core markets. Decisions on capital allocation and customer adoption of new technologies will be central to performance. SGK transaction proceeds: The completion of the SGK sale will significantly reduce net debt and provide liquidity for potential share repurchases, impacting financial flexibility. Energy Solutions sales pipeline: Management expects long sales cycles for battery production equipment, with retrofit solutions targeting both new and existing gigafactories. Broader adoption will depend on customer investment timing and technology validation. Warehouse automation recovery: The company anticipates order intake improvements to translate into higher sales in the second half of the year, contingent on customer project execution and ongoing partnerships in robotics. Daniel Moore (CJS Securities): Asked about the scale and geographic distribution of the $100 million in recent DBE quotes. Management emphasized the majority are new, driven by pent-up demand in South Korea and North America for both EV and grid storage applications. Colin Rusch (Oppenheimer): Inquired about the maturity of battery customers' testing and Matthews' ability to offer turnkey production lines. CEO Joe Bartolacci noted that most quotes are for mass production, with a demonstration system expected by fall to accelerate customer adoption. Colin Rusch (Oppenheimer): Sought clarification on warehouse automation strategy given labor market trends. Management highlighted new partnerships, including Teradyne, and the company's unique software-led position to integrate robotics without reliance on heavy equipment. Justin Bergner (Gabelli Funds): Asked for details on cost savings and their link to the SGK divestiture. CFO Steven Nicola clarified that cost reductions are primarily tied to energy and corporate functions, separate from SGK actions. Justin Bergner (Gabelli Funds): Probed the retrofit opportunity for DBE equipment. Management explained that retrofits use the same technology as new installations, enabling existing battery factories to improve efficiency without major plant overhauls. Over the coming quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the closing and integration of the SGK Brand Solutions transaction and how proceeds are deployed, (2) conversion of the robust DBE equipment pipeline into signed contracts, and (3) the pace of warehouse automation order recovery translating to revenue growth. Additional drivers include the realization of cost savings programs and stabilization in memorialization demand. Matthews currently trades at a forward EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 5.7×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? Find out in our free research report. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio
Ottawa Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
SIMMONS SAYS: Matthews' playoff stats tiny next to regular season output
Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon and Mark Messier share something rather incredible that seems so very far away from Auston Matthews. All three have scored more goals per Stanley Cup playoff game than they have ever scored in their National Hockey League regular season careers. Rarely do players, stars in particular, equal regular season numbers with playoff numbers — especially those with high end stats. But to surpass the goal numbers is simply remarkable. In the case of Matthews, the Maple Leafs captain who has yet to find his way as a playoff goal scorer, his playoff numbers aren't anywhere close to that of his goal-scoring statistics from regular seasons. And even in a down season for him scoring wise such as this one, his playoff numbers have still dropped considerably this time around. Matthews has two goals in nine playoff games this Stanley Cup season, this coming after scoring just one last year against Boston and no goals the year before that in the second round against the Florida Panthers. In his last 19 playoff games, Matthews has three goals. Seven of those games went to overtime, and the Leafs won two of them. Over an 82-game stretch, three goals in 19 games is equivalent to a 13-goal season. In Matthews' career, his seasonal scoring average is 52 goals. Career-wise, Matthews has scored at a 32-goal pace at playoff time, down 20 goals from his usual scoring. The drop is even larger this year. The biggest shock in this group of excellence might be the MacKinnon numbers. Never a giant goal-scorer like Matthews or Draisaitl, MacKinnon has averaged 34 goals over the course of his career, but has scored at a 47-goal pace in the post-season. The Maple Leafs surely need a shot from their captain, especially now in this series with Florida. Sunday night — and every night after that this playoff season — will represent the biggest game of Matthews' career. Can he cash in? Odds say no. THIS AND THAT There is one significant difference between having Anthony Stolarz in goal instead of Joseph Woll for the Leafs. Size aside, Stolarz is an excellent puck-handler, which Woll isn't. And that plays directly into the Florida dump-and-chase forecheck game … Anyone who wondered why Leafs GM Brad Treliving did his due diligence on Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline – asking Mitch Marner to waive his no-movement clause at the time — doesn't need to wonder any more. Rantanen is having an all-time great playoff run with the Dallas Stars … The quiet feeling in the Leafs dressing room: This is Marner's last run as a Leaf … Paul Maurice approaches playoff hockey as if it was a seven-round fight. You wear your opponent down in the early rounds, and work on what's left of them at the end. Winning the first round of the fight doesn't matter as much as surviving to the last round does. The Panthers already have gone hard at defenceman Chris Tanev and have knocked Stolarz out for possibly the entire series. They will continue … No one has turned their season around in a more impressive manner this year than the way Morgan Rielly has, which made the overtime goal scored Friday night hurt even more. The puck shot by Brad Marchand double deflected off Rielly's body, sending it into the Leafs net … Marner, like Matthews, watches his numbers drop in the playoffs. But not similarly. Marner averages 27 goals in his career, just 16 per 82 at playoff time. He averages 92 points in regular season and 77 at playoff time … What has been impressive about the Matthews, Marner and Matthew Knies line throughout the playoffs? They don't get scored on much at even strength. Just three goals against in nine games to date … William Nylander has basically the same scoring numbers, regular season or playoffs in his career. Just a touch more playoff goals and points than his regular season totals … Most explosive and erratic NHL player: Edmonton defenceman Evan Bouchard. He has been on for 14 goals at even strength and 12 goals against. That's the most in two categories in the NHL … If I was a young Canadian player and had a chance to play on a world championship team with Sidney Crosby, MacKinnon and Marc-Andre Fleury, I'd be there in about a second. Just for the experience. And I wonder, as many do, how much MacKinnon will work on Crosby and try and talk him into moving from Pittsburgh to Colorado next season … I haven't seen any real speed from Matthew Tkachuk in three games against the Leafs. He looks like he's playing hurt just as his brother did in Round 1. HEAR AND THERE There are many who are horrified that Joel Quenneville is back coaching in the NHL, this time with the Anaheim Ducks. You know who isn't horrified? Kyle Beach, the hockey player who was abused in the Chicago Blachhawks scandal that eventually cost Quenneville his job in Florida. More than a year ago, Beach told Quenneville he would not stand in the way of Quenneville's return to NHL coaching. Quenneville talked to Beach the other day before being announced as the new Ducks coach. If Beach is OK with Quenneville coaching, who are any of us to disagree? … The best hockey coaches I've seen up close: 1. Scotty Bowman; 2. Al Arbour; 3. Bob Johnson; 4. Quenneville. Next on that list would be Jon Cooper, still coaching in Tampa Bay. Big difference between 1 and 2 on the list, and the rest of the list … The best Leafs coaches I've been around: 1. Pat Burns; 2. Pat Quinn … For those counting at the knockdowns, 17 NHL teams have changed coaches or are about to change coaches in the past 12 or coming months … The Buffalo Sabres can't seem to do much right. They've just brought in the inexperienced Eric Staal to assist the underperforming GM Kevyn Adams. The two played together with the Carolina Hurricanes and isn't that nice? What the Sabres need is senior management person– a Lou Lamoriello-Cliff Fletcher type of years gone by — to take over the operation, show them the way, then hire a general manager, then hire an assistant … Tom Wilson has to be on Team Canada for the Olympics, doesn't he? Few players can impact a game in as many ways as Washington's Wilson can …. The difficulty for GM Doug Armstrong and coach Cooper come next winter is determining who winds up at the bottom of Canadian roster up front: You have a lot of deserving players, Wilson, Mark Scheifele, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Wyatt Johnston, Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard to choose from, and that's leaving off 4-Nations players Travis Konecny and Seth Jarvis, who will be in consideration. The Olympic rosters are 25 players, two more than 4-Nations rosters. They'll probably be eight or nine legitimate choices for the two last forward spots on Team Canada. SCENE AND HEARD If John Schneider is worried about being fired as Blue Jays manager, he isn't showing it. 'The short answer is no,' Schneider said in his weekly appearance on the Blair and Barker radio show on Friday. 'If I (was worried) I would be taking away from the players and the staff. Worrying about me is never the right thing to do, ever.' Schneider did admit 'it gets frustrating at times … Do I feel pressure? Yeah, for sure. Everybody does. To put any outside noise on your plate is not what's best for me, and not what's best for the guys.' … Firing Schneider, if that's even a consideration, would be the latest indictment of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins' ability to put together a quality big league roster … The Blue Jays entered play Saturday with 19 wins. That's 10th-best in the 15-team American League … How weak is the American League East this season? In the last 10 games, their AL East has a combined record of 21-29. The AL Central in that time: 35-15 … According to the New York Times, the Blue Jays can't hit pitches down the middle of the plate and can't hit pitches outside the strike zone. Which combined isn't necessarily a good thing. And that reminds me of the great old Harry Neale line. We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. My failure as a coach is I haven't found another place to play … Great as he may be, it's pretty much impossible for the 33-year-old Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees to catch or pass Hank Aaron at 755 career home runs or Albert Pujols for 703 homers among right-handed hitters. Judge is 428 homers behind Aaron and 376 behind Pujols … How does GM Bill Guerin pick six defencemen to start from a group that includes Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski, Adam Fox, Lane Hutson, Luke Hughes, Jake Sanderson, Noah Hanifin, Brock Faber, John Carlson and Cam Fowler for the U.S. Olympic team in February? … A question you couldn't have had an answer for a month ago: What do The Pope and Kyle Lowry have in common? Both graduated from Villanova … And wasn't there a Pope of Greenwich Village years ago? … It used to drive Masai Ujiri crazy that a Raptors team with Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl had all that talent and couldn't succeed in the NBA. Now you're seeing Siakam and Anunoby starring in the playoffs, and that must be driving Masai just a touch batty. AND ANOTHER THING Chet Lemon passed away the other day at the age of 70. What no one mentioned in the obituaries was the longtime outfielder played for the White Sox in the first Blue Jays game ever. He happened to go 0-for-4, with three strikeouts, on that frozen opening day of 1977 … Drafted into the WHL last week, Brock Lesnar's son, Duke. Wonder if he'll be a fighter like the old man … This has to excite Toronto Tempo people: Golden State played its first exhibition game in the WNBA and drew 17,428 … Paul LaPolice is the first head coach of Team Canada men's flag football team. The sport is scheduled to make its Olympic debut in 2028. There's already pressure on Team Canada to win a medal in Los Angeles. LaPolice has a 22-50 won-loss record as a CFL head coach … When he ran MLSE, Tim Leiweke told me that the easiest thing to fix was a Major League Soccer team. All you have to do is spend money the right way. Toronto FC is spending money the wrong way these days — with the second-highest payroll in MLS and just about the worst team in the league. It takes a certain skill to be this rich and this bad all at the same time … The London Knights are back in another OHL Final, and this time they've come in under the salary cap … I thought of this the other day when the story of the pranking of Shedeur Sanders came out. Years ago, back when we actually had personal phone books, my young kids somehow got hold of mine. They found Wayne Gretzky's number in the book. They giggled a lot and thought about phoning him. I think they dialed. I don't think anybody answered … The giant Mike Shaw would have turned 68 this week. He wrestled as Norman The Lunatic, Bastion Booger, (my personal favourite) Makhan Singh, Mad Monk and Klondike Mike in his career, mostly as a rather nasty piece of work … Happy birthday to Brad Marchand (37), Nancy Greene (82), Chris Berman (70), Ryan Getzlaf (40), Jerome Williams (52), Ulf Nilsson (75), Salvador Perez (35), Cam Newton (36), Alex Tuch (29), Samuel Dalembert (64), Jamison Battle (24), Adin Hill (29), Kardinal Offishall (49), Joey Loperfido (26) and Tito Santana (72) … And hey, whatever became of Jay McClement?
Vancouver Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
SIMMONS SAYS: Matthews' playoff stats tiny next to regular season output
Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon and Mark Messier share something rather incredible that seems so very far away from Auston Matthews . All three have scored more goals per Stanley Cup playoff game than they have ever scored in their National Hockey League regular season careers. Rarely do players, stars in particular, equal regular season numbers with playoff numbers — especially those with high end stats. But to surpass the goal numbers is simply remarkable. In the case of Matthews, the Maple Leafs captain who has yet to find his way as a playoff goal scorer, his playoff numbers aren't anywhere close to that of his goal-scoring statistics from regular seasons. And even in a down season for him scoring wise such as this one, his playoff numbers have still dropped considerably this time around. Matthews has two goals in nine playoff games this Stanley Cup season, this coming after scoring just one last year against Boston and no goals the year before that in the second round against the Florida Panthers. In his last 19 playoff games, Matthews has three goals. Seven of those games went to overtime, and the Leafs won two of them. Over an 82-game stretch, three goals in 19 games is equivalent to a 13-goal season. In Matthews' career, his seasonal scoring average is 52 goals. Career-wise, Matthews has scored at a 32-goal pace at playoff time, down 20 goals from his usual scoring. The drop is even larger this year. The biggest shock in this group of excellence might be the MacKinnon numbers. Never a giant goal-scorer like Matthews or Draisaitl, MacKinnon has averaged 34 goals over the course of his career, but has scored at a 47-goal pace in the post-season. The Maple Leafs surely need a shot from their captain, especially now in this series with Florida. Sunday night — and every night after that this playoff season — will represent the biggest game of Matthews' career. Can he cash in? Odds say no. There is one significant difference between having Anthony Stolarz in goal instead of Joseph Woll for the Leafs. Size aside, Stolarz is an excellent puck-handler, which Woll isn't. And that plays directly into the Florida dump-and-chase forecheck game … Anyone who wondered why Leafs GM Brad Treliving did his due diligence on Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline – asking Mitch Marner to waive his no-movement clause at the time — doesn't need to wonder any more. Rantanen is having an all-time great playoff run with the Dallas Stars … The quiet feeling in the Leafs dressing room: This is Marner's last run as a Leaf … Paul Maurice approaches playoff hockey as if it was a seven-round fight. You wear your opponent down in the early rounds, and work on what's left of them at the end. Winning the first round of the fight doesn't matter as much as surviving to the last round does. The Panthers already have gone hard at defenceman Chris Tanev and have knocked Stolarz out for possibly the entire series. They will continue … No one has turned their season around in a more impressive manner this year than the way Morgan Rielly has, which made the overtime goal scored Friday night hurt even more. The puck shot by Brad Marchand double deflected off Rielly's body, sending it into the Leafs net … Marner, like Matthews, watches his numbers drop in the playoffs. But not similarly. Marner averages 27 goals in his career, just 16 per 82 at playoff time. He averages 92 points in regular season and 77 at playoff time … What has been impressive about the Matthews, Marner and Matthew Knies line throughout the playoffs? They don't get scored on much at even strength. Just three goals against in nine games to date … William Nylander has basically the same scoring numbers, regular season or playoffs in his career. Just a touch more playoff goals and points than his regular season totals … Most explosive and erratic NHL player: Edmonton defenceman Evan Bouchard. He has been on for 14 goals at even strength and 12 goals against. That's the most in two categories in the NHL … If I was a young Canadian player and had a chance to play on a world championship team with Sidney Crosby, MacKinnon and Marc-Andre Fleury, I'd be there in about a second. Just for the experience. And I wonder, as many do, how much MacKinnon will work on Crosby and try and talk him into moving from Pittsburgh to Colorado next season … I haven't seen any real speed from Matthew Tkachuk in three games against the Leafs. He looks like he's playing hurt just as his brother did in Round 1. There are many who are horrified that Joel Quenneville is back coaching in the NHL, this time with the Anaheim Ducks. You know who isn't horrified? Kyle Beach, the hockey player who was abused in the Chicago Blachhawks scandal that eventually cost Quenneville his job in Florida. More than a year ago, Beach told Quenneville he would not stand in the way of Quenneville's return to NHL coaching. Quenneville talked to Beach the other day before being announced as the new Ducks coach. If Beach is OK with Quenneville coaching, who are any of us to disagree? … The best hockey coaches I've seen up close: 1. Scotty Bowman; 2. Al Arbour; 3. Bob Johnson; 4. Quenneville. Next on that list would be Jon Cooper, still coaching in Tampa Bay. Big difference between 1 and 2 on the list, and the rest of the list … The best Leafs coaches I've been around: 1. Pat Burns; 2. Pat Quinn … For those counting at the knockdowns, 17 NHL teams have changed coaches or are about to change coaches in the past 12 or coming months … The Buffalo Sabres can't seem to do much right. They've just brought in the inexperienced Eric Staal to assist the underperforming GM Kevyn Adams. The two played together with the Carolina Hurricanes and isn't that nice? What the Sabres need is senior management person– a Lou Lamoriello-Cliff Fletcher type of years gone by — to take over the operation, show them the way, then hire a general manager, then hire an assistant … Tom Wilson has to be on Team Canada for the Olympics, doesn't he? Few players can impact a game in as many ways as Washington's Wilson can …. The difficulty for GM Doug Armstrong and coach Cooper come next winter is determining who winds up at the bottom of Canadian roster up front: You have a lot of deserving players, Wilson, Mark Scheifele, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Wyatt Johnston, Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard to choose from, and that's leaving off 4-Nations players Travis Konecny and Seth Jarvis, who will be in consideration. The Olympic rosters are 25 players, two more than 4-Nations rosters. They'll probably be eight or nine legitimate choices for the two last forward spots on Team Canada. If John Schneider is worried about being fired as Blue Jays manager, he isn't showing it. 'The short answer is no,' Schneider said in his weekly appearance on the Blair and Barker radio show on Friday. 'If I (was worried) I would be taking away from the players and the staff. Worrying about me is never the right thing to do, ever.' Schneider did admit 'it gets frustrating at times … Do I feel pressure? Yeah, for sure. Everybody does. To put any outside noise on your plate is not what's best for me, and not what's best for the guys.' … Firing Schneider, if that's even a consideration, would be the latest indictment of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins' ability to put together a quality big league roster … The Blue Jays entered play Saturday with 19 wins. That's 10th-best in the 15-team American League … How weak is the American League East this season? In the last 10 games, their AL East has a combined record of 21-29. The AL Central in that time: 35-15 … According to the New York Times, the Blue Jays can't hit pitches down the middle of the plate and can't hit pitches outside the strike zone. Which combined isn't necessarily a good thing. And that reminds me of the great old Harry Neale line. We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. My failure as a coach is I haven't found another place to play … Great as he may be, it's pretty much impossible for the 33-year-old Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees to catch or pass Hank Aaron at 755 career home runs or Albert Pujols for 703 homers among right-handed hitters. Judge is 428 homers behind Aaron and 376 behind Pujols … How does GM Bill Guerin pick six defencemen to start from a group that includes Quinn Hughes , Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski, Adam Fox, Lane Hutson, Luke Hughes, Jake Sanderson, Noah Hanifin, Brock Faber, John Carlson and Cam Fowler for the U.S. Olympic team in February? … A question you couldn't have had an answer for a month ago: What do The Pope and Kyle Lowry have in common? Both graduated from Villanova … And wasn't there a Pope of Greenwich Village years ago? … It used to drive Masai Ujiri crazy that a Raptors team with Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl had all that talent and couldn't succeed in the NBA. Now you're seeing Siakam and Anunoby starring in the playoffs, and that must be driving Masai just a touch batty. Chet Lemon passed away the other day at the age of 70. What no one mentioned in the obituaries was the longtime outfielder played for the White Sox in the first Blue Jays game ever. He happened to go 0-for-4, with three strikeouts, on that frozen opening day of 1977 … Drafted into the WHL last week, Brock Lesnar's son, Duke. Wonder if he'll be a fighter like the old man … This has to excite Toronto Tempo people: Golden State played its first exhibition game in the WNBA and drew 17,428 … Paul LaPolice is the first head coach of Team Canada men's flag football team. The sport is scheduled to make its Olympic debut in 2028. There's already pressure on Team Canada to win a medal in Los Angeles. LaPolice has a 22-50 won-loss record as a CFL head coach … When he ran MLSE, Tim Leiweke told me that the easiest thing to fix was a Major League Soccer team. All you have to do is spend money the right way. Toronto FC is spending money the wrong way these days — with the second-highest payroll in MLS and just about the worst team in the league. It takes a certain skill to be this rich and this bad all at the same time … The London Knights are back in another OHL Final, and this time they've come in under the salary cap … I thought of this the other day when the story of the pranking of Shedeur Sanders came out. Years ago, back when we actually had personal phone books, my young kids somehow got hold of mine. They found Wayne Gretzky's number in the book. They giggled a lot and thought about phoning him. I think they dialed. I don't think anybody answered … The giant Mike Shaw would have turned 68 this week. He wrestled as Norman The Lunatic, Bastion Booger, (my personal favourite) Makhan Singh, Mad Monk and Klondike Mike in his career, mostly as a rather nasty piece of work … Happy birthday to Brad Marchand (37), Nancy Greene (82), Chris Berman (70), Ryan Getzlaf (40), Jerome Williams (52), Ulf Nilsson (75), Salvador Perez (35), Cam Newton (36), Alex Tuch (29), Samuel Dalembert (64), Jamison Battle (24), Adin Hill (29), Kardinal Offishall (49), Joey Loperfido (26) and Tito Santana (72) … And hey, whatever became of Jay McClement? ssimmons@ X: @simmonssteve
