[Gaskal]

I wouldn't say Matthew is "in decline" but lately it seems like the play dies more often than not when he has the puck, and that to me is a confidence issue. To his credit it's actually gotten better in the Edmonton games and I can tell he's trying, but trying to do too much. He is forcing too much fancy stuff. Yes he is a high skill player but really needs to focus on the things he does best, his defensive shutdown/agitator game, instead of forcing the between the legs crap.

I would absolutely take 2016 Tkachuk over the version we are seeing, Darryl would have adored him. He would always, 100% make the right play, the high percentage play. Dumping it in instead of trying to deke a defender wide. Sliding it back to the point to Gio instead of trying to wire a pass through two defenders.

Perhaps it's because he feels the pressure of that contract and the offensive production it implies, that he wants to try-hard the offensive stuff? Either way, needs to get back to base-Tkachuk first.