00:00I was reading a little bit, Toronto-based media, that Austin Matthews has a lot on the line here.
00:05That really, he's the one.
00:08Because who are the two or the three best players the Americans are counting on the most?
00:13Are the guys that will be looked at the most for, you've got to get it done?
00:16It's Eichel.
00:17It's Matthews.
00:18It's probably Hellebuck.
00:21It's Quinn Hughes.
00:22Who are the guys with the pressure?
00:24The pressure would be, I think, because Eichel's won.
00:27Kachuk has won.
00:28And that's where it comes to Matthews.
00:30Whereas Matthews and Hellebuck are considered to be two of the best at what they do in the league.
00:36And they have the reputations for you shrinking the biggest moment.
00:40Right.
00:40So here's Austin Matthews on a Leafs team that might not make the playoffs.
00:44Struggling season for them.
00:45And oh well.
00:46Sorry about that.
00:47You still have crushing pressure.
00:49You better win.
00:50You've got a two-week tournament and the pressure's on you to get it done.
00:55And he had a great third game, which was nice.
00:57I saw Travis Yost asking, and there seems to be a general conversation about who the best
01:02American player is and that Eichel has passed Matthews and whether or not Eichel is clearly
01:08better.
01:09And we can all see, like, okay, it's pretty clear who the better player is.
01:12But Matthews has had a strong couple of games.
01:14He really has to win something.
01:17And by he, I mean he is a member of a team that wins something.
01:20Has to win something to kind of get people off his back.
01:23So big, big game for Matthews on a Tuesday, or sorry, Wednesday.
01:28On a Wednesday in February.
01:29At three o'clock.
01:30In Italy.
01:31Right.
01:31Good luck, man.
01:32I would think that McDavid has more of that than Matthews does.
01:36He's been to two cup finals in the last two years.
01:38Lost them both.
01:39And now he's in the biggest spot in the sport other than that.
01:41He scored the game-winning goal at the Four Nations, which is not a big tournament.
01:46I don't know that I want to say.
01:48Right.
01:48I think McDavid is in mostly Allen territory.
01:52Which is, we know you're good enough and it's not your fault.
01:55Right.
01:56And I don't think Matthews has that.
01:58That's fair.
01:59I think that's fair.
02:00He's definitely great.
02:00It's almost like McDavid is Allen and Matthews is Lamar.
02:04Sure.
02:05It's not just like McDavid's not winning.
02:08But he has been incredible.
02:10I almost said incredible.
02:11Florida has shut him down pretty well.
02:13Whatever.
02:14But like, he won the Conn Smythe as a loser, right?
02:17That's right.
02:17Two years ago.
02:17In large, the general scope, for the most part, he shows up.
02:21He's still the best player on the ice.
02:22They just haven't won.
02:24Whereas, and that's Allen, right?
02:26For the most part, you know, you can point to the Denver game if you want.
02:28But for the most part in his career, he rises to the occasion in the big game, in the playoffs.
02:33But they just don't win.
02:34Whereas Jackson has shrunk a bit, has played worse than he has in regular seasons, they've lost.
02:43That feels like Matthews more so, which is sometimes you do this disappearing act, and I don't know where you
02:48went for games three, four, and five of a playoff series.
02:51I don't know where you went for games three, four, and five of a playoff series.
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