Matthews sent the hockey world a message with one cross-check

May it turn into $116,402.50 effectively spent? An fascinating query.

Once you’re an NHL star in a league that has solely passing curiosity in permitting its greatest to be their greatest — and is beset by persistently poor officiating, and an unqualified chief disciplinarian who protects goons however not stars — it turns into a large problem to simply play via the crap evening after evening. Connor McDavid lastly received to the purpose the place he’d had sufficient, and this week we discovered Auston Matthews had reached the identical level.

Look, Rasmus Dahlin is a extremely good participant with a lot of upside, however he’s no Ed Van Impe. When non-combatants on non-playoff groups reminiscent of Dahlin begin taking free photographs, and the crew you play for chooses to not encompass you with gamers assigned to come back speeding to your defence, there’ll come a time when a participant reminiscent of Matthews has to reply in a decisive manner.

On this case, it was a cross-check to the neck of Dahlin, incomes Matthews a two-game suspension and the aforementioned loss in revenue.

With out the league’s prime ahead, the Maple Leafs beat Dallas and Carolina anyway, a significant collective feather within the crew’s cap. Matthews was suitably apologetic and remorseful when he lastly spoke publicly on the difficulty, and can return Saturday in opposition to Nashville.

Groups may need discovered from this incident that the league’s prime aim scorer can snap, and can attempt to goad him into related responses sooner or later. On the identical time, particular person opponents may need additionally discovered for the primary time that Matthews is able to reacting in a most unfriendly solution to being manhandled, and that might work to his benefit.

He’s going to once more need to battle for his area within the playoffs this spring, greater than ever. If opponents suppose he’ll simply take no matter is dished out, understanding full effectively Gary Bettman’s toothless administration will at all times favour the grunt over the gifted, then there’ll by no means be any motive for these opponents to again off.

In the event that they suppose, then again, that he simply may flip and dish out some punishment of his personal, that might work in his favour. You may want the NHL didn’t function this manner, however the unhappy truth is that it does.

Quite a lot of Leafs followers, bear in mind, weren’t too comfortable when Matthews’s response to being punched from behind thrice by Montreal defenceman Ben Chiarot in final yr’s playoffs was to snort at Chiarot, as if the photographs had been ineffective and a bit ridiculous. It was as if he was saying, “Significantly, you’re gonna let this man get away with this?”

Effectively, after all the officers did. Chiarot saved it up for the entire collection — particularly after the whistle, when there’s successfully no NHL rule ebook. That was his worth. It wasn’t like he was going to attain a aim or something. Would Chiarot have backed off if he thought Matthews may flip round and feed him a lumber sandwich? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

However until Matthews loses his five-goal bulge within the operating for the Rocket Richard Trophy partly due to lacking two video games this week, the suspension received’t have damage him wherever however the pockets and should have truly helped him. His crew received anyway, and responding as he did to Dahlin’s cross-check and clumsy tried spear definitely received the hockey world’s consideration.

Matthews has already confirmed he’ll take a success to make a play. He has the puck as a lot as anybody on this league, however has solely drawn six minor penalties. The truth that he hasn’t misplaced his mood like this earlier than is proof of a powerful willingness to soak up punishment in quest of offensive success. This isn’t a participant with a brief fuse.

However when Bettman’s lowest widespread denominator league goes from the insufficient rule enforcement of the common season to absolutely the farce of the playoffs, there are occasions when being keen to take a slash or a spear to make a play received’t work in a star participant’s favour.

Doug Gilmour needed to play like he may snap at any second and knock any person’s enamel out as a result of he was at all times a small man taking part in in opposition to greater opponents. Mats Sundin steadily discovered it was helpful to dole out some punishment and never simply soak up it, and it made him a greater playoff performer. The place the road is drawn and at one level reacting to an opponent’s ways begins to undercut your personal recreation are questions for each participant to determine.

We do know that an enormous query for a Leafs crew that has misplaced 5 opening-round playoff collection in 5 years might be whether or not its prime forwards — Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares — are going to provide you with the required offence this spring. Nylander did come via in opposition to the Habs. Tavares received damage and couldn’t play. Marner didn’t rating within the collection, whereas Matthews scored in Recreation 2, however didn’t rating within the closing 5 video games.

For Marner, he has to show his ability and smarts will be reproduced in a playoff scenario. He doesn’t have the choice of utilizing measurement or muscle to create area and alternative.

For Matthews, it will likely be whether or not he pushes again when he’s pushed after which rises above the fray to ship one thing particular offensively. We’ve seen Sidney Crosby do it many instances. They’ll check you and check you till they arrive to the conclusion that there’s a price, both bodily or on the scoreboard, and that’s what Matthews must show.

Retaining it to a degree the place he doesn’t get suspended is clearly vital. However Leafs followers received’t thoughts seeing a bit extra fireplace from their greatest participant. They by no means have.

Damien Cox is a former Star sports activities reporter who’s a present freelance contributing columnist primarily based in Toronto. Comply with him on Twitter: @DamoSpin