As the Toronto Maple Leafs approach playoffs, Auston Matthews calls for stability a little earlier

The excitement of the fans for the playoffs is now accompanied by indications of worry for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although their flashes of brilliance are remarkable, their recent inconsistency has generated panic. They have only been able to have five wins in 11 games so far in March, and have not learned to build momentum. An example of the issues was their latest defeat-suffocated 5-2 loss at the hands of the NHL team, Nashville Predators where they blew a 2-0 lead and conceded five unanswered scores.


While there is inconsistency in team performance, Auston Matthews' own form has become a topic of great conversation. The superstar forward has been bombarded with injuries throughout the season along with having lost more than 10 games. Even his production went down, scoring 27 goals and 36 assists for 63 points in 55 games; quite below last year, where he averaged 107 points and led the league with 69 goals.
Matthews's slump earlier this year became a major topic. The period of January to mid-March saw him score only three goals in 18 games—an astonishing underproduction from a consensus top goal-scorer in the NHL. Whether the injuries perhaps sapped some of his abilities or whether it is perhaps fatigue is the current debate amongst analysts and fans alike, with some questioning if he might ever regain full strength before the playoffs.

Speaking about these team's flights to reporters, he expressed the requirements for steadiness at this time of year.“The inconsistencies aren’t ideal, especially at this time of year,” he said. A team isn't as good after a few matches and then takes another nosedive, Matthews added. Coach Craig Berube himself was frustrated explaining how part of the defeat was because of mental errors. Currently tied atop the Atlantic Division with the Florida Panthers, the Leafs need to get this stuff sorted out before the postseason starts.

On the other hand, Matthews has been showing glimpses of becoming that player again. This was exemplified by a much-needed, three-point night versus the Calgary Flames in a 6-2 victory. In contrast, however, that was then followed by a far-from-memorable game against the New York Rangers. If the Leafs intend to make a serious run in the playoffs, they require their captain to be on top of his game.
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Inasmuch as the Maple Leafs have the ability to compete, the same inconsistencies may hinder their chances for a playoff run this season. With the obvious factor being Auston Matthews back to form and the team maintaining steady play, that will determine how far they go this spring.