Hall of Famer Jeremy Roenick credited Matthews’ all-around game amidst goalscoring woes ahead of Game 5

Springtime in Toronto, is there anything like it? That wonderful time of the year when the warm weather sets in, the flowers start to bloom, and the city comes together to criticize the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Core Four for not stepping up to the task in the playoffs.

This year, it’s Captain Auston Matthews in particular catching a lot of heat for going cold. Matthews is now riding his second-longest goal-scoring drought of the year. Certainly not an ideal time for it, considering it’s the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But take a step back, and there’s more to the picture than what some see as an overpaid hack who can’t get the job done. Before Wednesday’s nightmare of a Game 5, Hall of Famer Jeremy Roenick joined Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take to give his two cents on the Leafs’ playoff run so far. And from his perspective, there’s more to Matthews’ game than his goalscoring prowess, or current lack thereof.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of Auston Matthews negative comments on social media, people calling 9-1-1 for a missing person’s report,” Roenick said. “I get it. Auston no question has the most pressure on him on that team, obviously because of his salary, his goalscoring ability, what he’s done. But Auston Matthews plays a 200 ft. game. He doesn’t play a one-way style of game, he’s not just a goalscorer, he kills penalties, he’s on the power play.”

Matthews currently has 10 points in 11 games played. While he regressed in the goalscoring department significantly this year through the regular season, it’s clear he’s dealing with some lingering injury that has had him snakebitten all year. That’s not to excuse a player making $13 million, but rather to highlight the multi-faceted skater he has become for Toronto in the face of his goalscoring woes. And in that department, it’s only a matter of time before he gets back on track.

“For him, it’s the determination to get to those high-scoring areas and not be denied,” Roenick said. “You know, when you start playing on the outside a little bit, because you’re thinking about too many things, or the pressure is mounting, you just gotta get back to the basics.”

None of this is to say anyone on the Maple Leafs is beyond criticism, especially after Wednesday’s blowout loss. They get paid the big bucks to show up when it counts, and, especially given their history, they’ll face scrutiny when they don’t do so. More than anything, it’s a plea that everything’s not lost, from a player who’s experienced his share of playoff anxiety.

“There were games where I was in the bathroom literally praying to the porcelain God,” he said, of his own playoff experiences in crucial games. “I was so afraid of losing, I wanted to keep playing. The fact of having the season possibly end really drove me to tears. It was just one of those passionate loves for a game.”

Now it’s up to Toronto to take that passion and let it fuel them rather them fail them with their backs against the wall as they fight for a place in the Conference Finals.