Disrespected? Matthews’ Place Among NHL Centers Sparks Doubt

The NHL’s annual center rankings have become a source of debate across the hockey world, and this summer they’ve sparked a surprising narrative: Auston Matthews is no longer considered a top-three center in the league. In fact, on many lists, he isn’t even ranked in the top five.

The crew from TSN OverDrive got into a discussion about the recent lists and how far down them Matthews now is. Hayes said, “It’s pretty clear there’s a community, perhaps it’s a majority of the NHL looking at him and saying, ‘What do you got, man?'”

At one point, the debate was if Matthews or McDavid was better. Now it’s not even close. In fact, Matthews isn’t thought of as close to two or three players on the list who now rank above him.

Where Did Things Go Wrong for Matthews?

Once seen as Connor McDavid’s closest challenger for supremacy down the middle, Matthews has slipped behind names like Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov, Sidney Crosby, and even Jack Eichel. The justification often comes down to one simple factor: playoff success.

While Matthews is a generational scorer who potted 69 goals just two seasons ago, his recent playoff résumé has left critics questioning his place among the league’s elite. Four goals in his last 18 postseason games — combined with Toronto’s collapse in last year’s second round — have only fueled the narrative.

That said, this “disrespect” may be exactly what Matthews needs. Unfortunately, Matthews hasn’t been the kind of player who responds well to the pressure. Dave Feschuk said, in fact, Matthews has often acted like he’s above the criticism.

Can Matthews Takes This Personally and Make It Work?

Great players have long thrived on perceived slights, and for Matthews, analysts and experts are about as down on him as they’ve been at any time in his career. All still think he’s a great player and few expect him to fall off a cliff, but he needs to respond to those overlooking him. That could be more difficult now that Mitch Marner is gone.

Matthews’ talent is undeniable, and his defensive game rivals any center in hockey. Hayes argued that when Matthews is at his best, he’s capable of tilting the ice as much as McDavid or MacKinnon. The issue is consistency in high-stakes moments — the very stage where his peers have cemented their legacies.

From Barkov leading Florida to a Stanley Cup, to Eichel’s breakout run with Vegas, the centers ranked ahead of Matthews all have playoff moments to point to. McDavid and Draisaitl, while they haven’t won the Cup yet, have been historically clutch in playoff games and gotten extremely close twice. Matthews hasn’t shown signs that he can take his team anywhere.