Rift between Babcock, Matthews?
Do we have a problem? Mike Babcock asked the question directly to Auston Matthews in their exit interview on Thursday morning.
It isn’t normally the kind of question a coach asks a player on the last real day of their hockey season but a text message had reached Babcock Thursday night after attending his daughter’s graduation in Michigan, informing him that a radio conversation involving Nick Kypreos on Fan590, basically indicated that not all was well between the Maple Leafs coach and his star centreman.
And Babcock wanted to be clear and up front — which is his way — in a business that is rarely clear and up front.
This wasn’t a great ending to the Leafs season and Matthews didn’t have the best of playoff performances and at least twice in Wednesday’s Game 7 loss to the Bruins, he appeared to lose his temper on the Toronto bench. There was one stretch of time when he missed five straight minutes of play, so before Kypreos said what he said, there were reasons to wonder if all was well between the high-priced Babcock and the soon to be high-priced Matthews.
Babcock, who specializes in blunt, didn’t want any surprises from Matthews.
“I heard about that last night at 11 o’clock,” he said. “I was at my daughter’s grad yesterday. Someone texted me about it and I texted them back. I figure, I’ll find out tomorrow. I’ll meet him. I’ll ask him in the morning.” So he asked.
“I said, ‘What’s going on?’ Auston was pissed off in the third period (in Boston) and in the last 10 minutes of the game. I’m sure 23 other guys were feeling the same. It’s interesting in Toronto, you guys do such a good job here, you’re everywhere, so anytime anyone says anything, there’s a big story. And sometimes, maybe 12 per cent of the time, it’s true.
“I think Auston and I have a good relationship. I asked him exactly that today. I’ve told Auston a lot. I have a ton of respect for his mom and dad and their parenting. When parents leave you their children, they expect you (to take care of them). I try to push Auston to be better every day. I made it very clear to him (from the beginning), if I’m pushing him too hard, to come into my office and tell me.
“Sometimes people snap (on the bench). So what? That’s the game. I asked him flat out ‘Do we have any problem? He was sitting right there. We don’t seem to (have a problem).’’
Babcock continued. “I think Auston is a young man trying to be the best player in the world. He wants to get better. He’s like everybody else on the team, disappointed today. The hardest part in life is when you’re disappointed and you expect more of yourself. He’s a good young man, we’re lucky to have him, I’m lucky to coach him.”
We repeat the question: Is there a problem here?
There isn’t a problem but there is a situation. Matthews yearns to be great, yearns to be a difference maker, and sometimes is held back by Babcock’s egalitarian ways. He doesn’t treat Matthews the way Anze Kopitar gets treated in Los Angeles or Aleksander Barkov gets treated in Florida or Sean Couturier gets treated in Philadelphia.
They play the most icetime for forwards in the National Hockey League. Matthews ranks 71st among forwards in ice time in the NHL. That isn’t where he sees himself, where he wants to be.
He won’t say anything about it because that’s not who he is.
It’s worse with the man advantage, which is a mystery that cannot be explained. He is the best five on five scorer in hockey. A better scorer than Alex Ovechkin at even strength. Ovechkin plays four minutes and 12 seconds a night with the man advantage, most in the NHL. Matthews plays just over two minutes a night on the Leafs power play, or less power play time than 177 different NHL forwards. That defies hockey logic in almost every conceivable way.
Matthews plays the part of the good soldier and in fairness was outwardly angry at what Kypreos said about him and Babcock on the radio. He toned his anger down completely for locker clean-out day. He doesn’t want controversy.
He says the relationship with Babcock is “fine. It’s been good. You guys can speculate all you want but to me and Mike, it’s pointless.”
Four different Leafs were asked if there was an internal problem between Matthews and Babcock and all of them said they knew nothing of it. All seemed surprised by the question.
Babcock did talk about Matthews season and a regression of his skating after he injured his back. After that, there was a head injury, likely a concussion, and shoulder problems. Matthews started the season red hot, ended the regular season on fire, but couldn’t create enough offence to change the series against the Bruins.
He ended the year frustrated with himself, his team, the way in which they lost. Matthews wants more — more scoring, more starring, more ice-time, more power play time. If there’s a problem here, it isn’t personal. Matthews wants to be great. Babcock wants him to be great. They don’t necessarily agree on how best to get there.