C Auston Matthews - USNTDP, USHL (2016 Draft)

[Commander Clueless]

Season is months away from starting and you're hoping for a top five pick already?

Sure, it's early July, but take a look at our projected roster right now. We don't really have the assets to turn this thing into anything via trade, and the FA pool is/was slim pickings this year.

Barring a miracle, this is going to be a painful season. Good to have something to look forward to, at least.

We finished 4th worst this year, and two of the teams below us just got significantly better while we trading our far and away best scorer away for a third liner and some prospects/picks. If Babcock gets this team out of the bottom 5, IMO he deserves the Jack Adams.

 

[stavs*]

*Better

That attitude stinks.

Sure it does, but most teams in our place hope for the same thing. It's quite obvious by looking at our roster we are a bottom 5 team. What would a bottom 5 team get excited for exactly then? Surely being competitive is out of the question. Leaf fans realize we will suck for another 2 years and are prepared for a proper rebuild, might as well shoot for the moon in the draft.

 

[These Are The Days]

Anyone think he'll be better than Eichel?

Not sure but the USA is gonna be hell to deal with on the Olympic stage if the NHL elects to have it's players participate.

 

[snizzbone*]

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Go to Everett so then Tyson Jost decides to go there which in turn gets Dante Fabbro to head to Seattle and everyone, except Penticton Vees, is happy!!!haha

 

[snizzbone*]

Go to Everett so then Tyson Jost decides to go there which in turn gets Dante Fabbro to head to Seattle and everyone, except Penticton Vees, is happy!!!haha

I was just talking to @codynickolet and he seems to think Fabbro is basically a lock to stick with Penticton. He wants to go to school after.

Jost could still go to Everett, especially if Matthews comes.

 

[wej20]

Wouldn't Switzerland, Sweden or Finland make more sense? Germany doesn't seem to have as good a rep for developing players (obviously Matthews is a different case than most though.)

 

[93LEAFS]

Wouldn't Switzerland, Sweden or Finland make more sense? Germany doesn't seem to have as good a rep for developing players (obviously Matthews is a different case than most though.)

He tried going there but it seems he can't get a work permit because he didn't play "professionally" last year.

 

[snizzbone*]

Wouldn't Switzerland, Sweden or Finland make more sense? Germany doesn't seem to have as good a rep for developing players (obviously Matthews is a different case than most though.)

Friedman said Munich was another interested team. Not that Matthews is interested in going there. Sounds like basically every league in Europe has shown interest.

 

[ness180]

How about Matthews, Jost, and Fabbro all commit to play NCAA hockey? Be awesome if any one of them decides to play for North Dakota. Gladly take them! So said every other NCAA program recruiting and CHL team that drafted them.....

No way Matthews goes NCAA route though.

 

[DuckJazz]

Would love to see Matthews play in Finland for a year. Its a pipedream though, but would love it for the league.

 

[snizzbone*]

Just go to Everett so I can see you play live, cmon.

 

[KingBrian]

Why hasn't anybody compared him to pavel datsyuk? a two-way forward that can put up unbelievable number and reliable at both ends of the rink

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Why hasn't anybody compared him to pavel datsyuk? a two-way forward that can put up unbelievable number and reliable at both ends of the rink

Because that is a pretty vague description. There are many other players that could be described like that.

 

[VictorLustig]

Why hasn't anybody compared him to pavel datsyuk? a two-way forward that can put up unbelievable number and reliable at both ends of the rink

Because he looks nothing like Datsyuk.

 

[KingBrian]

There hasn't been that many twf's in the nhl that has put up those type of points

 

[bigdog16]

Not sure if anyones watching the Jr evaluation camp on fast hockey, but USA white is playing Finland right now. After 2 periods it seems as if Matthews is on a completely different tier than Puljujarvi. Not sure if its jet lag or what, but Puljujarvi and Laine are pretty invisible to me right now

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Not sure if anyones watching the Jr evaluation camp on fast hockey, but USA white is playing Finland right now. After 2 periods it seems as if Matthews is on a completely different tier than Puljujarvi. Not sure if its jet lag or what, but Puljujarvi and Laine are pretty invisible to me right now

I've always has a hard time with the Matthews Puljujarvi comparisons. It's just never seemed that close to me.

 

[bigdog16]

I've always has a hard time with the Matthews Puljujarvi comparisons. It's just never seemed that close to me.

Still think Puljujarvi is a great player, just not a good showing here. I really wish I could see a Matthews Chychrun matchup. I think those 2 are probably the clear cut top 2.

 

[hockeykid87]

Has there been any update on this friggen kid yet? I want to know where he's going to play next year

 

[bigdog16]

Apparently he was quoted saying he will make his decision shortly after the world jr camp. I feel like he ends up in the dub. I think his first choice was to play in Europe but there seems to be some implications and visa work that they can't straighten out. I think if he was going to go play overseas we would have heard by now, because thats a pretty big life decision for an 18 year old kid. Just my gut feeling

 

[sirwilliam]

Apparently he was quoted saying he will make his decision shortly after the world jr camp. I feel like he ends up in the dub. I think his first choice was to play in Europe but there seems to be some implications and visa work that they can't straighten out. I think if he was going to go play overseas we would have heard by now, because thats a pretty big life decision for an 18 year old kid. Just my gut feeling

The WHL is a great development league and would give us a good sense of how he stacks up to other recent top picks like Draisaitl, Reinhart, etc.

Still, I feel like the NCAA will be his second choice, followed by the Dub.

 

[bigdog16]

The WHL is a great development league and would give us a good sense of how he stacks up to other recent top picks like Draisaitl, Reinhart, etc.

Still, I feel like the NCAA will be his second choice, followed by the Dub.

Hes already stated its between WHL and Europe. Not going NCAA

 

[ness180]

Hes already stated its between WHL and Europe. Not going NCAA

He did? Link? NCAA is still an option according to Pat Brisson his agent uhhh family adviser. Even posted the tweets from Andy Strickland if you scroll up this page.

Either way, even if it is still an option, he ain't going to the NCAA imo.

PS Talk about a lot of mixed signals...says one thing one day, next day something else etc.

 

[dwanmaster*]

1000

New thread: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1936767