Craig Berube on the state of Auston Matthews' game: "It's not at the level he wants it at, or us... It's not just about scoring goals... It's the whole game in general"

"It is not at the level he wants it at, or us. It is not just about scoring goals. It is the whole game in general, I think. I do believe - and I know he believes - it is going to get better here. It is not just him; it is our team in general. Like him, I thought it was trending in the right direction on the road trip, and since we have been home, our game has dropped a little bit"

"It is not just on one guy. I think our consistency has been up and down a lot this year. It bleeds through everybody on the team. I am not going to focus on one guy; it is not about one guy. It is about the team. Consistency is important in this league. If you look around the standings and how tight it is, you have to be consistent. We have to be better"

Auston Matthews' overall play remains below the level he and the team expect. The issue extends beyond goal scoring to all aspects of his game; performance improved on the road but has dipped since returning home. William Nylander will play on Matthews' right wing to form a potential new top line and address offensive and defensive shortcomings. Team consistency has been uneven and affects every player, with consistency identified as crucial in a tight standings race. The line of Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton and Easton Cowan shows strong chemistry and energy. Chris Tanev and Joseph Woll are progressing toward returns, and the organization will honor Joe Bowen.

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