Matthews to assume PK duties
‘It’s something I could grow into,’ says top sniper
Auston Matthews, penalty killer. The Maple Leafs’ top centre doesn’t mind the sound of that.
“I like it,” Matthews said during a Zoom call with media following practice at the Ford Performance Centre on Friday.
“I think it’s something that I can grow into. It takes a little bit of thinking but at the end of the day, you’re just playing hockey.”
While the role for Matthews when the Leafs are short- handed during the abbreviated 2020-21 season might be limited to start, we don’t see anything wrong with coach Sheldon Keefe’s decision to use the 23- yearold when there’s a teammate in the box.
In short, the greater number of situations Matthews is on the ice, the better it is for the Leafs. In the wider view, Matthews’ defensive awareness has been on an upward trajectory for a while now, and there is no doubt he is ready for the added responsibility.
The goal for Matthews, and it’s attainable considering his collective skill and hockey brain, is to become among the top two-way centres in the game. Helping to kill penalties is another step toward that.
“Auston is establishing himself as a dominant defensive player, and with the work habits and the competitiveness that he has, he’s ready to take on more,” Keefe said.
“We’re not going to use him on a full-time basis, but ( Friday) was the first time I’ve seen him take a penalty- kill rep in practice, and you can see the presence and difference he can make. We want to capitalize on that and we want to capitalize on the fact that he’s strong in the faceoff circle (55 per cent last season, good for 21st in the NHL).”
Matthews spent part of the day picking the brain of Zach Hyman and Mitch Marner, two of the Leafs’ effective penalty killers in their own right. Matthews, when he is on the kill, likely would be with Marner. As you might imagine, Marner is only too happy to help.
“We want to be smart,” Marner said.
“We don’t really need to look for opportunities to score. If we do get out there together, it’s being smart with the puck, getting it out, getting down-ice pressure. If we do get chances, then go for it.
“I think he has the potential to be a great penalty killer. It’s something I look forward to doing. It’s a great challenge, part of the game when you’re getting out there against the best players when you’re down a guy.”
Joe Thornton is of the same mind. Back when he was getting his prolific National Hockey League career going with the Boston Bruins, Thornton was eased into the chore of killing penalties every so often, and figured that a player such as Matthews and his 6- foot- 3, 211- pound frame should be given that chance to be further impactful.
“It keeps you going,” Thornton said.
“A big horse like that could play 22, 23 minutes a game ( Matthews’ career high is 20:58 last season). He has a great hockey mind and can use that big stick, use his speed.”
Some would argue that using superstars on the penalty kill might not be wise because it could increase those players’ chances of getting injured, for example, in blocking shots. That’s not a large risk.
And as it is, the Leafs need improvement on the kill. They were 21st in the category in the NHL last year with a 77.7 per cent success rate. Included in the off-season departures was winger Kasperi Kapanen, who averaged 1: 39 a game while the Leafs were short-handed.
Fact remains, killing penalties would serve as another avenue for Matthews to contribute from the other side of the puck.
“Knocking on pucks, getting in lanes and anticipating the play,” Matthews said. “There’s a lot characteristics that I can bring that are positive to the penalty kill, it’s just learning some new stuff along the way.”
Count on Matthews being a quick study.