2017-18 Around the League

[Avs71]

Pretty funny that people still think Matthews is on MacKinnon's level.

MacKinnon has more assists this season than Matthews has had in his whole career.

 

[dahrougem2]

I mean, I absolutely think Auston Matthews is on MacKinnon's level. Why wouldn't he be? Because he got injured this season?

If you're going to point out how many more assists MacKinnon has than Matthews, point out the fact that Matthews has over half of MacKinnon's career goals while having played 230 less games.

 

[Pokecheque]

I dunno...what does it matter if AM34 is at or above NM29's level? So long as both are franchise-level players it doesn't bother me. And yeah, he's very much a shoot-first center, which makes me think they shouldn't take Nylander off his wing.

And let's just say it--MacKinnon will need to play like this for more than one season to prove the naysayers wrong. Thus far he has one fantastic rookie season, a Hart-caliber season this year, and three in between where he was merely "good." If he regresses back to that other guy, that's a problem.

 

[Foppberg]

Until Matthews has a season like the one MacKinnon is having this season, then he's not quite on Macks level.

 

[Pokecheque]

And until I see MacK sustain this level of play into 2019 and beyond, I'm not quite setting a "level" for MacK.

 

[dahrougem2]

Until Matthews has a season like the one MacKinnon is having this season, then he's not quite on Macks level.

MacKinnon will need to do this once again next season in order to separate himself from Matthews IMO. Not 1.40 PPG, but an 80-90 point season. He simply cannot go back to being a 50-65 point player or else we're in huge trouble.

Matthews was on pace for 44 goals and 77 points this season if he didn't get injured. The guy is already one of the top goal scorers in the league IMO along with Ovechkin and Laine.

 

[Freudian]

Matthews has this ability where the puck just finds him around the net. If it just happens during a couple of weeks, it's luck, but when it happens all the time it's just some sixth hockey sense.

 

[Foppberg]

MacKinnon has to continue this play into next season before most people believe this is the real MacKinnon, obviously. Not disputing that.

But from what MacKinnon has done this season unless Matthews puts up a comparable year I wouldn't have him on par with MacKinnon yet, if this proves to be the real MacKinnon.

 

[bigbizze]

MacKinnon has to continue this play into next season before most people believe this is the real MacKinnon, obviously. Not disputing that.

But from what MacKinnon has done this season unless Matthews puts up a comparable year I wouldn't have him on par with MacKinnon yet, if this proves to be the real MacKinnon.

MacKinnon has a poor xGF% of 48.5% and an actual GF% of 59.5% as well as a PDO of 104. This may be a big step in his development as a player but this isn't the "real MacKinnon" none of those numbers are remotely sustainable.

 

[Foppberg]

MacKinnon has a poor xGF% of 48.5% and an actual GF% of 59.5% as well as a PDO of 104. This may be a big step in his development as a player but this isn't the "real MacKinnon" none of those numbers are remotely sustainable.

What does his girlfriend percentage have to do with anything. I'm sure once he matures he'll settle down and meet someone.

 

[AvHooligan]

MacKinnon has a poor xGF% of 48.5% and an actual GF% of 59.5% as well as a PDO of 104. This may be a big step in his development as a player but this isn't the "real MacKinnon" none of those numbers are remotely sustainable.

Are you using fancy math to doubt Mack Daddys greatness?

How dare you

 

[Eltuna]

MacKinnon has a poor xGF% of 48.5% and an actual GF% of 59.5% as well as a PDO of 104. This may be a big step in his development as a player but this isn't the "real MacKinnon" none of those numbers are remotely sustainable.

Obviously he won’t continue playing at the level he currently is, his current level is higher than anything a player has done recently sans Crosby, Malkin, and Ovechkin. Playing at a 114 point level is something that you couldn’t even expect of McDavid. Hopefully, he can keep his play up to be close though and get 90-100 points, which is still amazing.

 

[AvHooligan]

What does his girlfriend percentage have to do with anything. I'm sure once he matures he'll settle down and meet someone.

Exactly. With a Post Diner Opportunity score as high as 104 he's not in any rush to settle down. Those numbers aren't sustainable forever though...

 

[Foppberg]

Exactly. With a Post Diner Opportunity score as high as 104 he's not in any rush to settle down. Those numbers aren't sustainable forever though...

Seriously though. Obviously he can't keep this up, he's been at roughly an 110 point pace this season. But I think a PPG MacKinnon is the new norm vs the 50 point guy.

 

[Pokecheque]

Seriously though. Obviously he can't keep this up, he's been at roughly an 110 point pace this season. But I think a PPG MacKinnon is the new norm vs the 50 point guy.

I certainly hope so and there's plenty of reasons to believe that. We will see though. I remain cautiously optimistic which is pretty much my default mode with all things Avs-related.

 

[dahrougem2]

If you want to see just how bad Andrei Vasilevskiy has been since the All Star break, he's played 19 games going 13-5-1 but having given up 65 goals. He's given up 4 or more goals in a game in 8 of those 19 games.

If Tampa Bay didn't have a ridiculous offence, they'd be in big trouble. I honestly believe if they play Florida in the 1st round, there's a chance they get upset.

 

[ABasin]

I mean, I absolutely think Auston Matthews is on MacKinnon's level. Why wouldn't he be? Because he got injured this season?

If you're going to point out how many more assists MacKinnon has than Matthews, point out the fact that Matthews has over half of MacKinnon's career goals while having played 230 less games.

Exactly.

I've never found these debates between two elite players - trying to determine who's best - to be terribly useful. We're talking about Matthews and MacKinnon here. I'd sign up in 0.5 seconds to have either guy on my roster.

 

[Pokecheque]

If you want to see just how bad Andrei Vasilevskiy has been since the All Star break, he's played 19 games going 13-5-1 but having given up 65 goals. He's given up 4 or more goals in a game in 8 of those 19 games.

If Tampa Bay didn't have a ridiculous offence, they'd be in big trouble. I honestly believe if they play Florida in the 1st round, there's a chance they get upset.

I think he and the Bolts would be in better shape had Budaj not gotten hurt. That left their third option as...Domingue. I mean, they hedged their bet by going out and getting the best available backup, so even they weren't 100% sold on Vasilevskiy, and I'm sure had he not gotten hurt Boods would've gotten a lot of starts. Both he and Holtby just got plain worn out. I sure as hell hope Varly does not have the same issue down the stretch, though he had a bit of rest forced upon him by injury.

 

[Avs71]

A center who is playing at 115 point pace is not the same level as a center playing at a 77 point pace. That is almost a 40 point gap.

Sure, they're in the same "category" in terms of young first overall picks to start a franchise with, but MacKinnon is having a season well beyond what anyone can reasonably expect out of a 1st overall pick.

And I should have phrased my first post a little differently. Look at this title from a thread started yesterday: "Is MacKinnon now in McDavid/Matthews/Laine bracket?"

A potential Art Ross/Hart trophy season now puts MacKinnon on the same level as Matthews (who some think is in the same tier with McDavid)?

 

[Avs_19]

McDavid is in his own tier when it comes to ranking these young franchise centers. He might be in his own tier regardless of age but Malkin has been great again and Crosby will step his game up as well so maybe they'll have something to say about it for another year or two.

I think the rest of them are around the same range and all still have something to prove. This was always MacKinnon's potential so I do believe he'll repeat it but I understand that he needs to do it again. Matthews has been great once again and was showing more of a complete game but injuries effected his season. With Eichel it's all about staying healthy and doing it over a full season but there are also some holes in his game.

Right now I'd put them in this order: McDavid, MacKinnon, Matthews, Eichel.

 

[ABasin]

McDavid is in his own tier when it comes to ranking these young franchise centers.

His even strength points are perfectly fine this season. I can't really fathom that he has only 16 pp points all season. I think Kerfoot has as many.

Did Tim Army get a job in Edmonton or something?

 

[The Abusement Park]

His even strength points are perfectly fine this season. I can't really fathom that he has only 16 pp points all season. I think Kerfoot has as many.

Did Tim Army get a job in Edmonton or something?

I think I read on the main boards that McDavid has like a 30 point lead on ESP over the last two seasons. His ESP production is just insane.

 

[Ivan13]

His lack of production on PP is his fault as well. He is alergic to shooting the puck on the PP in the games I've seen.

 

[dahrougem2]

The PP in general in Edmonton hasn't been good. McDavid doesn't shoot, Draisaitl doesn't shoot, Lucic doesn't stay in front of the net, they have no bomb from the point given Klefbom's struggles with his shoulder this season.

If he continues his EV play next season, I expect him to get 110+ points because no way is their PP as bad once again.

 

[dahrougem2]

Nikita Scherbak has some serious skill, but wow is he slow. That's what is going to keep him from being a full time NHLer.