C Auston Matthews - ZSC Lions, NLA (2016 Draft) V

[vaiski]

The combine is useless. Save for guys like rielly and galchenyuk who were injured. Good to see how they were doing and how they healed. People who care about bench press and highjump ....... Ugh

I can't give you the source on this, but some scout explained that the combine is useful in spotting 1) players who aren't that great, even though they are in top shape and thus have less room to grow, 2) dominant players who are in top shape, which is a good combination to have, 3) dominant players who are in average shape and thus have a lot of room to grow. It can be used in projecting a ceiling for a player and measuring how ready they are to step in to an NHL lineup.

On topic, I think Auston Matthews is a good hockey player and he will be picked 1st overall. He has a good chance of having the best career among players from this draft.

 

[ijuka]

What’s the biggest weakness in Matthews’ game?

You shouldn't go there, that gives people a free ticket to be negative. It's not a good thing.


edit: Well let's play the game, then. I think that his defensive awareness is his biggest weakness.

You can take this to mean that if this is his biggest weakness, he has no big weaknesses... And you might be correct. In defense, I think that he has no issues with effort and no issues with the actual ability of defending against someone. However, he isn't at quite the same level at knowing when to be defensive and also who to defend against / where the danger lies. In the case of an all-arounder like Matthews, this doesn't necessarily mean that he's weak at this, by the way.

 

[93LEAFS]

What’s the biggest weakness in Matthews’ game?

He doesn't really have one. Maybe compared to other high-end centers you'd expect him to have slightly better vision (probably grades at a 60 to 65, personally I'd lean closer to 65), but he grades out at a minimum of 60 in practically every category on a 20-80 scale. His game is insanely well rounded and polished.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

You shouldn't go there, that gives people a free ticket to be negative. It's not a good thing.


edit: Well let's play the game, then. I think that his defensive awareness is his biggest weakness.

I would agree that his defensive play is a work in progress. He could also stand to be a bit less "passive" at time. Otherwise he's a very well-rounded player.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Funnily enough despite you know who being a bit taller Matthew's has the longer wingspan according to the combine so he's effectively taller

I found this interesting given all the talk about his reach being a unique attribute in protecting the puck...(a la Lemieux, Jagr etc).

 

[ijuka]

I found this interesting given all the talk about his reach being a unique attribute in protecting the puck...(a la Lemieux, Jagr etc).

Matthews is certainly very good at protecting the puck as well and I don't think that it's a unique ability, so to speak. Still, this might have something to do with the length of the stick. Is there information on Matthews's stick length?

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Matthews is certainly very good at protecting the puck as well and I don't think that it's a unique ability, so to speak. Still, this might have something to do with the length of the stick. Is there information on Matthews's stick length?

Its not a unique ability and I agree Matthews is very good/great at protecting the puck but I recall reading about He who won't be named having an incredible reach to go with his height, resulting in the puck being some absurd length away from defenders when his arms were fully extended/as a factor in his ability to protect the puck so well. No idea on stick length of either player.

 

[ijuka]

Its not a unique ability and I agree Matthews is very good/great at protecting the puck but I recall reading about He who won't be named having an incredible reach to go with his height, resulting in the puck being some absurd length away from defenders when his arms were fully extended/as a factor in his ability to protect the puck so well. No idea on stick length of either player.

It's the reason I asked about Matthews's stick, as the player you're most likely talking about uses an extra long stick for his height. Still, I don't think that defensemen are going to have an easy time taking the puck off of Matthews... He's actually really impressive at shaking them off especially along the boards.

 

[93LEAFS]

Matthews is certainly very good at protecting the puck as well and I don't think that it's a unique ability, so to speak. Still, this might have something to do with the length of the stick. Is there information on Matthews's stick length?

His all around puck control/hands for a guy is size is absolutely unreal and rare. He has the speed and agility to take guys on with finesse, but also the ability to shield the puck and hold on using strength. While neither individually is that rare, at 6'2.25 216 lbs the combo of it is.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Matthews makes the most ridiculous little plays that allow him to keep carrying the puck. If you watch any of his extended highlight packs you see that every game he does a few different crazy moves and you're just asking yourself how he still has the puck and he does this multiple times every game, it's why I'll never understand people who say he isn't flashy. He's very flashy he's just so good at it that you don't always catch the move even watching from TV until they slow it down for you

I agree with this strongly. A few plays in the WC stand out for me in this reguard; They was his no look soccer kick pass creating a scoring chance out nowhere, the flip pass over a defender to himself that nearly created a clean break and several crazy edge work highlights behind the net/elluding checkers/passes off the net to himself etc..Just all heady/advanced stuff. Not to mention the obvious stuff like amazing vision/shot/creating offensive chances additionally in finding teammates/open seams. He's not overly physical but looks plenty sturdy to me when in 50/50 puck situations..

 

[ijuka]

His all around puck control/hands for a guy is size is absolutely unreal and rare. He has the speed and agility to take guys on with finesse, but also the ability to shield the puck and hold on using strength. While neither individually is that rare, at 6'2.25 216 lbs the combo of it is.

I wasn't referring to Matthews with that "unique" remark, sorry if it came across that way. Third language and all.

You might be correct, yes. When Matthews has the puck along the boards, it's as if it takes three opposing defenders to take the puck off him, and they still might fail. This is what I certainly find to be most impressive while watching him.

 

[Liminality]

I wasn't referring to Matthews with that "unique" remark, sorry if it came across that way. Third language and all.

You might be correct, yes. When Matthews has the puck along the boards, it's as if it takes three opposing defenders to take the puck off him, and they still might fail. This is what I certainly find to be most impressive while watching him.

He's one of those players that just draws the opponents attention to himself making his team mates more open. A slightly different way to taking on multiple defenders but just as effective imo. He's a player that makes quality opportunities happen in the offensive zone with or without the puck.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Funnily enough despite you know who being a bit taller Matthew's has the longer wingspan according to the combine so he's effectively taller

Where can you find Laine's wingspan measurements? Or all his results for that matter..

 

[vaiski]

Where can you find Laine's wingspan measurements? Or all his results for that matter..

https://www.nhl.com/news/patrik-laine-believes-he-should-be-top-pick/c-280886088

Matthews had a 76.75-inch wingspan, one inch longer than Laine.

So Laine's wingspan is exactly the same as his height.

 

[mydnyte]

What impresses me most is his drive to the slot... He always tries to take the puck into the slot, and these days that is a rare skill

 

[Stephen]

Read the above comment, who is moving the goalposts? I called out people saying he will be better than Kopitar straight away, no one was saying anything about ceiling or potential, they were saying he's better already, then when you see just how stupid that sounds you wanna claim you were discussing ceilings. Oh and I assure you I am not terrified of Toronto. Everywhere outside the GTA it has been accepted Buffalo has the better core players up until now, and Matthews still isn't a better prospect then Eichel. You can go post another poll if you like but they are usually pretty lopsided. In fact the only thing that worries me is that Toronto will ruin this kids confidence by ripping him down if he doesn't put up 60 points this season. It terrifies me that the future of the US National teams may come down to whether or not Toronto media decides the kid had a few too many hot dogs because he goes cold at some point, that's what terrifies me.

I've been watching Dwight Schrute assemble the prospect pool in Buffalo the past few years and outside of the failed McDavid tank that yielded Jack Eichel, I'm not sure that he's assembled anything particularly noteworthy as far as rebuilding teams with access to top 2 picks are concerned. What exactly is so special about what Buffalo's put together? To the Leafs credit, at least when they finished 30th they did so with more points, and managed to draft 1st overall.

 

[WilliamNylander]

He has that grinder aspect to his game too.

Reminds me of Kopitar or Crosby the way he can protect the puck on the wall

 

[FlareKnight]

He has that grinder aspect to his game too.

Reminds me of Kopitar or Crosby the way he can protect the puck on the wall

Definitely appreciate that kind of quality. Being able to protect the puck and hold onto it against the wall is great to see a guy do. Hold onto it, move around, and find an avenue to move it while retaining possession.

 

[snowkiddin]

I've been watching Dwight Schrute assemble the prospect pool in Buffalo the past few years and outside of the failed McDavid tank that yielded Jack Eichel, I'm not sure that he's assembled anything particularly noteworthy as far as rebuilding teams with access to top 2 picks are concerned. What exactly is so special about what Buffalo's put together? To the Leafs credit, at least when they finished 30th they did so with more points, and managed to draft 1st overall.

Are you actually giving a team credit for finishing last in the league?

 

[djdev]

Are you actually giving a team credit for finishing last in the league?

considering the leafs finished last with 69(one more than the year before with kessel) points and the 3 years prior the sabres finished last with
42, 52, and 54 points..it wasnt your typical tank for lemieux or daigle in which we won 16 or 10 games the whole year

 

[Lempo]

Yawn. Both Matthews and Eichel will be suiting up for the U.S., and that's good enough for me.

Not for the World Cup, though.

Only after my initially answering, I actually got thinking about this. With the NHL participation in the Olympics still a question mark and no info whatsoever about a possible next World Cup, these youngers guns aren't guaranteed to be suiting up for U.S. on any acceptable best-on-best games in foreseeable future. Unless Matthews for WJC, which I would guess he likely will.

If Stanley Cup playoffs only allow it, could Matthews' (and co's) presence be generating heightened North American interest towards the every-spring hockey carnival lovingly known as Skoda Cup next year? I would welcome that development. He in all likeliness will still be making into the team despite there probably being general extra interest towards participating next year with the players' wives wanting to go to Paris and all.

edit: It's maybe all in all a wider question of what about these interesting new prospects in the potential New Normal of the international hockey, so outside Matthews the discussion may not belong under this title. And Matthews himself neither is a prospect anymore in the context of international hockey, as he already made it into the national team with flying colors. (So I went and started a thread about it on the International forum.)

 

[Stephen]

Are you actually giving a team credit for finishing last in the league?

No, I'm laughing at the Sabres' GM for not even getting one of Ekblad or McDavid after two years of next level abject, blatant tanking.

 

[Kanu]

Only after my initially answering, I actually got thinking about this. With the NHL participation in the Olympics still a question mark and no info whatsoever about a possible next World Cup, these youngers guns aren't guaranteed to be suiting up for U.S. on any acceptable best-on-best games in foreseeable future. Unless Matthews for WJC, which I would guess he likely will.

If Stanley Cup playoffs only allow it, could Matthews' (and co's) presence be generating heightened North American interest towards the every-spring hockey carnival lovingly known as Skoda Cup next year? I would welcome that development. He in all likeliness will still be making into the team despite there probably being general extra interest towards participating next year with the players' wives wanting to go to Paris and all.

edit: It's maybe all in all a wider question of what about these interesting new prospects in the potential New Normal of the international hockey, so outside Matthews the discussion may not belong under this title. And Matthews himself neither is a prospect anymore in the context of international hockey, as he already made it into the national team with flying colors. (So I went and started a thread about it on the International forum.)

The chances of Matthews playing in the WJC next year are little to none.

 

[Lempo]

The chances of Matthews playing in the WJC next year are little to none.

I was counting on there being a winter break on NHL schedule during the WJC time, I was doing wrong? I actually have no idea how the 19 y.o. NHL players have this far done with the WJC, I took it for granted that of course the national teams will ice the best U20s they got (unless they should be playing NHL games at the time) as it may be).

My lot will so totally be playing J.P. and P.L., and Aho and be lying his age if we need to.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I was counting on there being a winter break on NHL schedule during the WJC time, I was doing wrong? I actually have no idea how the 19 y.o. NHL players have this far done with the WJC, I took it for granted that of course the national teams will ice the best U20s they got (unless they should be playing NHL games at the time) as it may be).

My lot will so totally be playing J.P. and P.L., and Aho and be lying his age if we need to.

Even if there is a break, I think he just means that if Mathews in contributing well in the NHL, it's unlikely they will let him go to WJC.