Auston Matthews vs Patrik Laine - Round IV

[geoo9]

if Toronto miss laine their GM must be fired. Laine -moves like Jagr but shuts like Ovie beating almost all rookie scoring records

 

[kujo31]

Laine with another great performance!

He is going to be a great goal scorer in the NHL!

I still prefer Matthew's when I watch them play Matthew's to me is more NHL ready and he kinda just plays the game with so much effectiveness be it a face-off, PK, Power-play he seems to me that he has a huge NHL toolbox already. He looks like a veteran out there. He also has a really shoot at being a 30 goal scorer!

Laine to me is one of those guys you almost wish you could draft over Matthew's he is so exciting to watch and his RAW talent is just oozing out. To me though Laine even though a very high end potential play has a much smaller toolbox to Matthew's. He is so talented!

I kinda see it as you take a risk taking Matthew's all be it a small one, Matthew's is most likely going to play in the NHL either way, I mean he should be a top line C that puts up 80 points a season and also has a strong two way game and at worst if something goes wrong he'll probably would still be an effective 2 line or 3rd line centre although i'd say its pretty certain he'll be a top 10 C in the NHL

Laine is one of those guys that could absolutely become the best player out of this draft but I'd put the odds lower on that, but if he does TO would have to feel bit bad

Oh well great tournaments so far for both guys! so rare to see 2 18 year olds dominate at this level, Eichel didnt even dominate like this!

leaving this link here its Ray Ferraro talking about both guys and I think he sums up my opinion just about right: http://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/vid...ews-was-the-best-u-s-player-on-the-ice~865018

Have a good day and keep it civil in here we have 2 great players on our hands why do we all have to be at each others throats if we have diff opinions

 

[MiniMoose]

I think Laine will struggle initially in the NHL due to his subpar skating. He will be closed down alot quicker in the NHL due to the smaller rink

 

[skillhockey]

I think Laine will struggle initially in the NHL due to his subpar skating. He will be closed down alot quicker in the NHL due to the smaller rink

His skating isn't subpar, he needs just more explosive first few steps which will improve. he got great top speed and edge work etc. Also it doesn't matter if they close down on him, he knows how to use his reach etc.

 

[FinPanda]

I think Laine will struggle initially in the NHL due to his subpar skating. He will be closed down alot quicker in the NHL due to the smaller rink

He can improve it. He just turned 18 and his skating isn't that bad.

 

[QnebO]

Hes skating is close to elite, glide is elite. His leg strenght is subpar, which is why he doesn't accelerate as fast as elite NHL'ers now. It'll be alright because you can add leg strenght.

 

[Gabranth]

Would you rather a taller Joe Sakic or a taller but worse skating Kovalchuk? The answer seems easy....Sakic (I am saying this is these player's ceiling, not what they are guaranteed to be fwiw).

In all honesty Matthews' ceiling is both higher than Laine's, they both have equal offensive ceiling's and Matthews has a significantly better 2 way game (40 Goals + Over PPG and Selke defence >> 40-50 goals + Over PPG). Even if Laine were also a center Matthews would still be the better player and if Winnipeg had the 1st pick - They'd be taking Matthews.

And before any of you say anything, no, Laine's ceiling is not Ovechkin, he will never be Ovechkin, so just stop with that nonsense now.

So you're saying that Matthews will be the greatest two way center ever? Bergeron's defense while potting 40 goals a season like Tarasenko? Okay... [mod]

 

[MiniMoose]

He can improve it. He just turned 18 and his skating isn't that bad.

That's why I said initially stuggle. His skating is better than Tavares at the same age and I think he will be a better skater than Tavares is now.

 

[agent082]

if Toronto miss laine their GM must be fired. Laine -moves like Jagr but shuts like Ovie beating almost all rookie scoring records

Only has beat FEL playoff rookie records and WCH U18-player records. There is at least WJC and FEL regular season records he didn't beat.

 

[Hagged]

I understand that Finland has a terrible hockey program and it's rare to see good players come out of that country but come on.

Laine is great due to his level of play. Not the nationality, not the home country hockey program. I don't necessarily agree Finlands hockey program level even has a place in this discussion.

 

[MiniMoose]

So you're saying that Matthews will be the greatest two way center ever? Bergeron's defense while potting 40 goals a season like Tarasenko? Okay... [mod]

I don't think any Leafs fans are saying he'll be the greatest two way center ever. I think most realize that his ceiling will be Selke level defense with a possibility to pot in 40 goals. Just like how Laine's ceiling is to be a perennial 40 goal scorer with the 50 goal seasons sprinkled in.

Its a lot more likely that Matthews is a 30-35 goal scorer playing defense at a tier below Kopitar/Toews/Bergeron but its not a stretch to say he won't ever be in the top 3 of a Selke nomination

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I think people underestimate the effect the transition from the bigger ice to smaller will have on a player who scored around two third of his goals this season from the point without much coverage from the opposition. The difference between Liiga and NHL in terms of the amount of shot blocking and point coverage is HUGE.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

It's funny because around the 2013 draft, Mackinnon was said to be better than Barkov because he had more "raw talent" than Barkov regardless that Barkov was more of a complete player and still is... and now Matthews is better than Laine because he's a more of complete player, regardless how much more "raw talent" Laine has.

 

[Doublechin]

I think Laine will struggle initially in the NHL due to his subpar skating. He will be closed down alot quicker in the NHL due to the smaller rink

His skating is slightly above average for a guy his size. Calling it subpar is a bit off.

 

[General Borschevsky]

I can't imagine what the board would be like if the Leafs were picking 2nd. Leafs fans and Finns uniting to pump Laine's tires would have been impossible to survive.

You're not wrong about this. Can't blame anybody for being excited about either of these prospects though.

 

[CashMash]

His IQ is nice. But it's just not on the same level or even that close to AM.

AM's Hockey IQ is the highest of any prospect we've seen since Crosby, other than McDavid (Well, McDavid's offensive IQ is definitely better, it's better than anyone else's in the whole league, defensively AM's hockey IQ is better though).

I'm going to have to ask you to give some sources on that statement about his hockey IQ. You can't just say something like that.

 

[Hagged]

People need to chill. Matthews will likely put up a great performance against Germany as well, because well.... it is Germany.

Even Germany, as crazy as it sounds, provides a higher competition than either Matthews or Laine have faced in their pro career. There are top line Euroleague players on the other side (along with Ehrhoffs, Draisatls and the old legends).

Same thing with Belarus. It was the highest competition they had yet faced in their career. That both are 3PPG against that level of competition is CRAZY (I don't count the Canada game for Matthews for this comparison for obvious reasons).

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Even Germany, as crazy as it sounds, provides a higher competition than either Matthews or Laine have faced in their pro career. There are top line Euroleague players on the other side (along with Ehrhoffs, Draisatls and the old legends).

Same thing with Belarus. It was the highest competition they had yet faced in their career. That both are 3PPG against that level of competition is CRAZY (I don't count the Canada game for Matthews for this comparison for obvious reasons).

Yeah, but they also get a better supporting cast from their teammates so obviously the points come easier.

 

[Semantics]

Here is Laine shift by shift in the playoffs. Also someone asked earlier, he had 9 PP goals in regular season and 5 in the playoffs.

Fail... none of those are from the recent game against Belarus. Also he looks slow and useless when he's not in the offensive zone.

 

[Romang67]

His IQ is nice. But it's just not on the same level or even that close to AM.

AM's Hockey IQ is the highest of any prospect we've seen since Crosby, other than McDavid (Well, McDavid's offensive IQ is definitely better, it's better than anyone else's in the whole league, defensively AM's hockey IQ is better though).

Would you rather a taller Joe Sakic or a taller but worse skating Kovalchuk? The answer seems easy....Sakic (I am saying this is these player's ceiling, not what they are guaranteed to be fwiw).

In all honesty Matthews' ceiling is both higher than Laine's, they both have equal offensive ceiling's and Matthews has a significantly better 2 way game (40 Goals + Over PPG and Selke defence >> 40-50 goals + Over PPG). Even if Laine were also a center Matthews would still be the better player and if Winnipeg had the 1st pick - They'd be taking Matthews.

And before any of you say anything, no, Laine's ceiling is not Ovechkin, he will never be Ovechkin, so just stop with that nonsense now.

Yep, saying that Laine's ceiling is Ovechkin is a stretch. Good thing you're staying away from that behavior.

 

[Mad Brills*]

Is his ceiling say stamkos as a winger?

 

[Purity*]

Yup good luck with your 50 point #1 center (not saying we are any better right now)

Can tell you're scared already.

Don't worry, we got Marner and Nylander just waiting to torch your team as well.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I read comments from Finns complaining about North American bias and US posters being biased in their praise of Mathews, yet some of the same posters don't see they are doing the exact same thing now.

 

[BayStBullies]

It's funny because around the 2013 draft, Mackinnon was said to be better than Barkov because he had more "raw talent" than Barkov regardless that Barkov was more of a complete player and still is... and now Matthews is better than Laine because he's a more of complete player, regardless how much more "raw talent" Laine has.

It's almost as if people learn

 

[BB88]

Fail... none of those are from the recent game against Belarus. Also he looks slow and useless when he's not in the offensive zone.

You really plan on going against Laine because highlight video wasn't made after belarus game?
That might be one of the worst things I've seen here.

I asked you before, why do you even post here if you haven't watched Laine play?

I read comments from Finns complaining about North American bias and US posters being biased in their praise of Mathews, yet some of the same posters don't see they are doing the exact same thing now.

That goes both ways and happens in every thread pretty much.