Auston Matthews Discussion VII:

[IPS]

It ultimately becomes impossible to try and find a comparison for Matthews. He has such a unique flavor to his game that no comparison will ever cover it all.

I think he's going to peak as a 50+ goal, 90+ point multi Selke trophy winner. He will utterly dominate advanced stats (he already is FFS). His ability to tilt the ice is going to be unparalleled.

It was ugly seeing us miss out on the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes, but by golly - the hockey gods ended up blessing us after all.

 

[Apotheosis]

It ultimately becomes impossible to try and find a comparison for Matthews. He has such a unique flavor to his game that no comparison will ever cover it all.

I think he's going to peak as a 50+ goal, 90+ point multi Selke trophy winner. He will utterly dominate advanced stats (he already is FFS). His ability to tilt the ice is going to be unparalleled.

It was ugly seeing us miss out on the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes, but by golly - the hockey gods ended up blessing us after all.

And then in 8 years, we have one year where we have McDavid-Matthews down the middle because #Oilerssuck

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Maple Leafs practiced at the MasterCard Centre on Monday.

Auston Matthews is off to a hot start this season, posting five goals and three assists in Toronto’s opening five games. Among the goals are two overtime winners. And yet, there are still areas in need of improvement.

“We had a good meeting here today just about some things that we need him to clean up,” Mike Babcock revealed. "But that's (something we do) with every player."

Neither the player or coach wanted to get into great detail.

“You can always be better in a bunch of different areas, not just specifically one,” Matthews said. “So, I want to be a complete player and there’s always stuff you can work on.”

Matthews sure looks like a complete player these days as he deftly handles the tough match-ups, often producing a highlight-reel play or two in each game. On Saturday night in Montreal his incredible hand-eye co-ordination was on display on both his goals and even on a disallowed one, in which he batted the puck twice in the air.

“It seems like any puck, no matter if it’s on the ice, off the ice, bouncing, any puck that’s within any circumference of his body, he’s finding a way to track down, settle it and make a good play with it,” James van Riemsdyk observed.

 

[Narow]

It ultimately becomes impossible to try and find a comparison for Matthews. He has such a unique flavor to his game that no comparison will ever cover it all.

I think he's going to peak as a 50+ goal, 90+ point multi Selke trophy winner. He will utterly dominate advanced stats (he already is FFS). His ability to tilt the ice is going to be unparalleled.

It was ugly seeing us miss out on the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes, but by golly - the hockey gods ended up blessing us after all.

Most of the leafs actually ^^.

 

[Mess]

It appears that Matthews is projecting to be a better and more dominant player than Mats Sundin was as a Leaf and that is saying something.

Mats hit 41 goals X 2 (personal best) as a Leaf and Austin got 40 in his rookie season.

 

[Puckstuff]

The question for me is; how will Matthews' overall playmaking and assist game translate over time?

Sundin was a MUCH better playmaker, even early on his career. Matthews has shown he can score goals, but can he be an elite playmaker too?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The question for me is; how will Matthews' overall playmaking and assist game translate over time?

Sundin was a MUCH better playmaker, even early on his career. Matthews has shown he can score goals, but can he be an elite playmaker too?

yes. His passing and anticipation is ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with his playmaking

 

[Nithoniniel]

All it would take is for Matthews to be within 5-10 points overall for him to be considered better than McDavid, what with all the other aspects he’s brings (size, more goals, better shooter, better on FO%, better in the corners, better defensively)

The bolded directly relates to the point totals though.

 

[Stephen]

Matthews plays the hockey like he learned the game on an alien planet. His hand eye coordination, in-tight moves, ability to touch loose puck in the air, passing, shooting, receiving passes, the mechanics look nothing like a normal hockey player. He's a little like Crosby, a little like Malkin, a little like Forsberg.

 

[authentic]

The question for me is; how will Matthews' overall playmaking and assist game translate over time?

Sundin was a MUCH better playmaker, even early on his career. Matthews has shown he can score goals, but can he be an elite playmaker too?

He has the ability to be, and pretty much is if you ask me, but the assist totals require your linemates to score goals when you set them up. It would seem odd to me if he finished this season with less than 40 assists based on what I've seen of him and the team so far.

 

[authentic]

It appears that Matthews is projecting to be a better and more dominant player than Mats Sundin was as a Leaf and that is saying something.

Mats hit 41 goals X 2 (personal best) as a Leaf and Austin got 40 in his rookie season.

Sundin's 41 was also 2nd in the league in 2001-02 so I suppose Matthews has already equaled him in goal scoring during his rookie season. He is already a better and more dominant player than Sundin was.

 

[MJ65]

He is going to be one of the front runners for the Hart trophy this season, he might not win but is definitely going to be top 3 in voting if can continue the way is playing

 

[Apotheosis]

Should have had like 4 points in the first period alone. Can't wait until he has a few 3 point games on a streak and is leading the league in scoring.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Auston Matthews is drawing comparisons to Mario Lemieux and getting noticed by Bryce Harper amid a hot start to his second NHL season.

Last season’s Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year, Matthews went into training camp seeking to be more assertive on the ice. That has translated to five goals and three assists in his first six games and the kind of improved all-around play that makes the face of the Toronto Maple Leafs a superstar already at age 20.

“He’s got a skillset that ranges from just about everything,” Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri said Tuesday. “The ceiling’s the limit for Matts, and he knows he can be a great player and he already is. It’s crazy to think he’s (still) at such a young age.”

Even though Matthews remains in the shadow of Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby on hockey’s pantheon of top players, he already has filled up the highlight reel thanks to some tweaks and adjustments. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native was the first rookie to score 40 goals since Alex Ovechkin in 2005-06 and is conscious of the pressure to keep up that pace.

“You’re always reinventing yourself,” Matthews said. “The league’s always adjusting and you’ve got to adjust right back to it.”

Capitals coach Barry Trotz has been watching Matthews’ growth and likened him — already — to a Hockey Hall of Famer and one of the best players in history.

“Auston Matthews, I’ve been saying it: He’s a young Mario Lemieux,” Trotz said. “He’s (big), he can skate, he’s ultra-skilled, he’s very, very competitive, he makes plays.”

 

[Man Bear Pig]

F off with the Mario comparisons. Absolutely ridiculous. Auston is an elite player but it's absolutely unfair and utter nonsense to compare him to arguably the best player ever. Comparisons make me cringe at times because of how embarrassing they are. The kid has enough pressure on him.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Better then an Old Mario I guess.

 

[Walshy7]

didnt click last night but some of those shifts Willy, Matthews and to a lesser extent Hyman pull off are outstanding. Rarely in their own zone and they just make fools of entire 5 man opposition units.

 

[thewave]

Mario did amazibg things in his time. Matthews does amazing things in this time as well. The difference is half the league was smoking darts and getting trashed all the time. Mario and Gretzky were so much better because so much more of the competition was not serious about fitness. Sure half the league was serious and so big picture stats can be adjusted but they kinda leave out the people playing under the influence.

I am not trying to diminish the accomplishments but likely if you adjusted everything in step properly, Gretzky and Lemieux a would still be the best and Jagr the third for the transition era. We all know the three of them were military experiments (jokes). Remember chains are only as strong as their weakest link and their were a lot of smokers lungs hacking away on D and in net back then. Not as much now.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Matthews plays the hockey like he learned the game on an alien planet. His hand eye coordination, in-tight moves, ability to touch loose puck in the air, passing, shooting, receiving passes, the mechanics look nothing like a normal hockey player. He's a little like Crosby, a little like Malkin, a little like Forsberg.

I' telling you. it's going to come out, Ema Matthews will get drunk one night and spill the the cookies. They concocted this entire story with the Leafs organization but Babcock, Shanahan and Lamoriello actually developed this kid in a laboratory and somehow brainwashed the world that he existed for 18 years before he was drafted by Toronto.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

The question for me is; how will Matthews' overall playmaking and assist game translate over time?

Sundin was a MUCH better playmaker, even early on his career. Matthews has shown he can score goals, but can he be an elite playmaker too?

Sundin and Matthews had the same adjusted assist total (32) in their rookie (age 19) seasons. Difference was an adjusted goal total of 21 vs 44.

I love Mats (greatest player in franchise history, to date IMO), but the Leafs have something completely different on their hands right now.

 

[Kazparov]

He's a great player but he's not Mario.... 66 would still dominate these days.

 

[Stephen]

If you took those hand eye coordination abilities alone and dropped them into an 80s game, you'd probably have a 250 points a year circus on your hands, but yeah relative to his peers he's probably not a Mario. Yet? Haha!

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

this guy is a player
10 points in 7 games and in my opinion he could be doing even better. This is not his best and he's being very dominant

 

[Mikeyg]

XD so in other news... buffalo fans think matthews has peaked and won't get any better from here. Classic.

 

[BM14]

I' telling you. it's going to come out, Ema Matthews will get drunk one night and spill the the cookies. They concocted this entire story with the Leafs organization but Babcock, Shanahan and Lamoriello actually developed this kid in a laboratory and somehow brainwashed the world that he existed for 18 years before he was drafted by Toronto.

I posted this in another thread earlier in the week...

"Wayne Gretzky - LA Kings - Phoenix - Brent Gretzky - Baseball - Auston Matthews born in California, raised in Arizona.

Its pretty evident: AM34 is the illegitimate lovechild of the Great One."

6 degrees of separation....