Best American Center Right Now

[CatchyTune]

Nah, Matthews would be the real puck hog here. Has all that elite talent around him and hasn't even hit 40 assists yet, despite 250+ shots each year.

Sorry IPS, but you're wrong once again. What a shame.

Maybe cause he has arguably the best shot in the league and plays with a premier playmaker in Mitch Marner?

Has to be satire.

 

[wabagee]

Serious lack of talent on the us team, no? I thought they would climb.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Maybe cause he has arguably the best shot in the league and plays with a premier playmaker in Mitch Marner?

Has to be satire.

Yes it is, I'm giving the poster a dose of what nonsense he dishes out.

I have always felt Eichel and Matthews are equal, though I've historically preferred Eichel. It's honestly who you prefer, between these two.

 

[CatchyTune]

Yes it is, I'm giving the poster a dose of what nonsense he dishes out.

I have always felt Eichel and Matthews are equal, though I've historically preferred Eichel. It's honestly who you prefer, between these two.

Absolutely. Always been an argument but I think they're pretty equal. Could go either way, or with preference.

 

[CapnZin]

He’s not the best player on that list, but it’s a disservice to not have Sean Couturier on that list.

 

[Dekes For Days]

This is clearly Matthews.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Matthews.

Equal offensively, but I prefer Matthews defensive/overall game. He's also good on draws, something Eichel really struggles with.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I prefer Eichel but absolutely there’s nothing wrong with picking AM here

 

[filinski77]

Pretty close between Matthews and Eichel, overall offence is pretty similar, but Eichel does it on a trash team. In the end, Matthews goalscoring advantage tips the scales in his favour.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’s not the best player on that list, but it’s a disservice to not have Sean Couturier on that list.

He was on the Canadian list.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Nah, Matthews would be the real puck hog here. Has all that elite talent around him and hasn't even hit 40 assists yet, despite 250+ shots each year.

Sorry IPS, but you're wrong once again. What a shame.

Why is it that the goal posts keep changing about Matthews assist totals? After his rookie season when he had 29 assists a lot of people on here complained that he didn't get at least 30 assists.

 

[CapnZin]

He was on the Canadian list.

Ah, he was born in the US, but I guess has the choice to designate either the US or CAN as his national team, correct?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

In a statistical vacuum it may be close. Not going to argue if people pick Matthews. But using context, and given what both players have to work with in their careers, Eichel is more impressive. One can only imagine how good he would be if he played with the equal talent that Matthews has played with, or just to have a Center that can take the checking off him the odd the night.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Eichel
Larkin
Trochek


Top 3 imo.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ah, he was born in the US, but I guess has the choice to designate either the US or CAN as his national team, correct?

He did.

 

[All Mod Cons]

So Toronto isn't a better team than Buffalo?

Depends. Are you asking a comment question or a poll question?

 

[LeafsNation75]

In a statistical vacuum it may be close. Not going to argue if people pick Matthews. But using context, and given what both players have to work with in their careers, Eichel is more impressive. One can only imagine how good he would be if he played with the equal talent that Matthews has played with, or just to have a Center that can take the checking off him the odd the night.

Eichel still hasn't scored 40+ goals and it took him until his 5th season to score at least 30 goals.

You seem to forget that in Matthews rookie season when he scored 40 goals that he was on a line with William Nylander or Connor Brown and Zach Hyman, who were also rookies themselves. So it was Matthews who had to carry the line and whatever success they had.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

He’s not the best player on that list, but it’s a disservice to not have Sean Couturier on that list.

I think he would be the best player on the list if he were on it but yeah he identifies as a Canadian and represents them internationally.

 

[Stephen]

In a statistical vacuum it may be close. Not going to argue if people pick Matthews. But using context, and given what both players have to work with in their careers, Eichel is more impressive. One can only imagine how good he would be if he played with the equal talent that Matthews has played with, or just to have a Center that can take the checking off him the odd the night.

Eichel had Ryan Conn Smythe O'Reilly backing him up for 3 seasons in Buffalo. I don't recall him doing "jack" then either.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

tbh why bother including anyone beyond the first three? man what a drop off.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Eichel still hasn't scored 40+ goals and it took him until his 5th season to score at least 30 goals.

You seem to forget that in Matthews rookie season when he scored 40 goals that he was on a line with William Nylander or Connor Brown and Zach Hyman, who were also rookies themselves. So it was Matthews who had to carry the line and whatever success they had.

No Jack hasn't, but he had 36 in 68 games before COVID. But ok using this argument. Matthews has yet to score 82 points in a season either. Jack has, on a tire fire of a team no less.

Eichel had Ryan Conn Smythe O'Reilly backing him up for 3 seasons in Buffalo. I don't recall him doing "jack" then either.

O'Reilly had 60, 55, and 61 points in his 3 seasons as a Sabre. Sure he was a Conn Smythe winner, and well deserving of it. But the Sabres were one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL and a virtual tire fire he was there. That's the context that is missing from your post. The Leafs are one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL the past 3 to 4 seasons. You tell me, is it easier to score on a tire fire offensively challenged team or a team that focuses on high scoring?

 

[LeafsNation75]

Eichel had Ryan Conn Smythe O'Reilly backing him up for 3 seasons in Buffalo. I don't recall him doing "jack" then either.

I still remember people on here calling the Sabres rebuild ahead of the Leafs, because they had just drafted Eichel and traded for Ryan O'Reilly.

 

[LeafsNation75]

No Jack hasn't, but he had 36 in 68 games before COVID. But ok using this argument. Matthews has yet to score 82 points in a season either. Jack has, on a tire fire of a team no less.

Keep moving the goal posts about Matthews point totals, it's what people like you are good at. After Matthews rookie season when he got 69 points the talk was how he didn't get 70 points. Now that Matthews gets 80 points you keep brining up more numbers to keep discrediting him.

 

[All Mod Cons]

No Jack hasn't, but he had 36 in 68 games before COVID. But ok using this argument. Matthews has yet to score 82 points in a season either. Jack has, on a tire fire of a team no less.

Are you saying the Leafs are better than Buffalo? This pademic has changed you.

 

[Stephen]

I still remember people on here calling the Sabres rebuild ahead of the Leafs, because they had just drafted Eichel and traded for Ryan O'Reilly.

Based on the above poster's contextual research in the past, I thought Matthews was the one working with less talent in Toronto.