McDavid or Matthews

[Shayne Corsi]

I think another poster correctly pointed out that the OPs (somewhat clickbait-y thread title can only intelligibly be construed as: whose style of play do I prefer? Because, otherwise, the question is spitting distance from: if Matthews becomes as good as McDavid, who is better? In any case, to answer the OP: McDavid is a marvel whose greatness just screams at you every time he touches the puck. Matthews is more like a fine wine -- it takes some time to appreciate just how much he tilts the ice in your favour. If I had to choose who to watch, it would be McDavid; but, if I had to choose what style of play I suspect would be less vulnerable to adjustments or tightening D etc., I would probably go Matthews. Though keep in mind that this is ceteris paribus, which leads me to my next point ...

As an aside (which may or may not be an actual aside lol), it would take a mighty leap for Matthews to get on the same trajectory as McDavid, impact wise. That said, if you look at Matthews' underlying metrics, consider the goal total, the relative lack of ice time and first unit power play time, and the unusually bad luck with respect to secondary assists, Matthews' rookie season--which, notwithstanding all of these qualifications, was still amazing--looks even more promising. So I don't think it's totally without the realm of possibility that Matthews does make such a leap. Right now, though, McDavid is clearly better. This season will give us a lot more information about whether Matthews is "merely" a franchise #1c or whether he's a true competitor for the baton that Sid handed off to McDavid last season. Should be fun to see how it plays out!

 

[DanM]

I think another poster correctly pointed out that the OPs (somewhat clickbait-y thread title can only intelligibly be construed as: whose style of play do I prefer? Because, otherwise, the question is spitting distance from: if Matthews becomes as good as McDavid, who is better? In any case, to answer the OP: McDavid is a marvel whose greatness just screams at you every time he touches the puck. Matthews is more like a fine wine -- it takes some time to appreciate just how much he tilts the ice in your favour. If I had to choose who to watch, it would be McDavid; but, if I had to choose what style of play I suspect would be less vulnerable to adjustments or tightening D etc., I would probably go Matthews. Though keep in mind that this is ceteris paribus, which leads me to my next point ...

As an aside (which may or may not be an actual aside lol), it would take a mighty leap for Matthews to get on the same trajectory as McDavid, impact wise. That said, if you look at Matthews' underlying metrics, consider the goal total, the relative lack of ice time and first unit power play time, and the unusually bad luck with respect to secondary assists, Matthews' rookie season--which, notwithstanding all of these qualifications, was still amazing--looks even more promising. So I don't think it's totally without the realm of possibility that Matthews does make such a leap. Right now, though, McDavid is clearly better. This season will give us a lot more information about whether Matthews is "merely" a franchise #1c or whether he's a true competitor for the baton that Sid handed off to McDavid last season. Should be fun to see how it plays out!

This my friend is a fantastic post, and what I was getting at originally. Very well thought out.

 

[Treent1]

Matthews

 

[FinRanger]

These are my favourite posts.

If all teams have to do is "concentrate hard" on shutting down McDavids speed then why don't they do it during the regular season too?

You really think coaches tell their players "don't try and stop McDavid today, it's not the playoffs yet"?

In playoffs you have more time to adjust to opponents play. During regular season you mainly try to improve your own game. Also there is more interference etc. allowed during playoffs. You are the ignorant one here.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

I'm perfectly happy to let fans rant and rave about the superiority of McDavid on a message board while watching a quality team build around Matthews. I'll be rooting for our guy to keep getting better and maybe surprise some people.

Matthews is a beast, the only part of his game that isn't on par or better with McDavid is speed. And I'll take the guy being coached on how to win rather than the guy being played minutes like a defenseman just to compete for scoring titles. I laugh when I see over 26 minutes a game from a 20 year old.

 

[bionic]

Matthews is a beast, the only part of his game that isn't on par or better with McDavid is speed. And I'll take the guy being coached on how to win rather than the guy being played minutes like a defenseman just to compete for scoring titles. I laugh when I see over 26 minutes a game from a 20 year old.

Yeah. Mcdavid does get a ton of minutes a game. Even Babcok mentioned it after the leafs played them last year.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

EIchel just passed Matthews in points....I'm just saaaayin. ...yet we cant win and the leafs can so I'd rather have that. Leafs look like they will get that home slot easily in the Atlantic with 2nd place, I think it will be Boston and Ottawa fighting for that third spot and maybe....if a certain team can get it together.

No but seriously, his injury last year made people completely forget how productive he is each night when everyone was screaming "LAINE, MATTHEWS, MCDAVID, CROSBY" "THE BIG 4" rememebr that thread?

McDavid will come around, he and the oilers both, the Oilers slow start wont even be a thing.

 

[Laineux]

Matthews is a beast, the only part of his game that isn't on par or better with McDavid is speed. And I'll take the guy being coached on how to win rather than the guy being played minutes like a defenseman just to compete for scoring titles. I laugh when I see over 26 minutes a game from a 20 year old.

McDavid doesn't play surprisingly much for being arguably the best forward in the league. He has 4th highest ice time among forwards and if you remove his PK time he plays maybe 30 seconds more per game than Sidney Crosby (who had more PP time). So your comment about being played so much to compete for scoring titles doesn't really hold up at all.

 

[Laineux]

McDavid has a 5vs5 OiSH% of 5. He had over double of that last year.
McDavid has an all-situations OiSH% of 6.3. He had double of that last year.
McDavid has a expected goals for of 12,49. His actual goals for is 6.

Despite all that, McDavid has a point per game pace that would've won him the Art Ross last year.

Not doing a comparison with Matthews, who I understand has been fabulous in his first games. But the talks of McDavid's slow start are greatly exaggerated, even if I agree that he can be much better than he has shown in the past few games. He has also been unlucky and snakebitten.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

McDavid doesn't play surprisingly much for being arguably the best forward in the league. He has 4th highest ice time among forwards and if you remove his PK time he plays maybe 30 seconds more per game than Sidney Crosby (who had more PP time). So your comment about being played so much to compete for scoring titles doesn't really hold up at all.

McDavid - 22:37 (2nd behind Getzlaf who only played 2 games)
Crosby - 20:02 ( 22nd)

Centers that get high ice-time usually have one thing in common (a couple minutes a game for face-off duty) but since Connor sucks arse in that department his bloated ice-time looks even worst!

Last year was the same type story so it's your unsubstantiated comment that doesn't hold up pal.

 

[ijuka]

To me it looks like McDavid is ready to cash in his cheque and thinking about booking a private golf course this spring. This is why you don't sign your guy to a massive deal right off the bat but let him work for his next contract with a bridge deal.

 

[Laineux]

McDavid - 22:37 (2nd behind Getzlaf who only played 2 games)
Crosby - 20:02 ( 22nd)

Centers that get high ice-time usually have one thing in common (a couple minutes a game for face-off duty) but since Connor sucks arse in that department his bloated ice-time looks even worst!

Last year was the same type story so it's your unsubstantiated comment that doesn't hold up pal.

Oh wow, you're basing your views on a 5 game sample where the Oilers have been trailing a lot, naturally playing their best forward more than usual? Also his ice time basically is boosted from last year only because of last night and Draisaitl's injury.

McDavids ice time was 4th among forwards last year and he was the best forward. What's so bloated about that? Little Johnny would get Kane minutes too, if he was anywhere near the player McDavid and Kane are.

 

[Thenameless]

To me it looks like McDavid is ready to cash in his cheque and thinking about booking a private golf course this spring. This is why you don't sign your guy to a massive deal right off the bat but let him work for his next contract with a bridge deal.

Are you serious? Guys like Crosby and McDavid are the ones that you make exceptions for if you're the owner of a team. In a market like Edmonton, if they don't show him some kind of loyalty and commitment, he'll be gone if things go south.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

"If Jonathan Toews was a 90/100 point player, would you take him over Sidney Crosby"

This thread in a nutshell.

 

[BlueBaron]

McDavid doesn't play surprisingly much for being arguably the best forward in the league. He has 4th highest ice time among forwards and if you remove his PK time he plays maybe 30 seconds more per game than Sidney Crosby (who had more PP time). So your comment about being played so much to compete for scoring titles doesn't really hold up at all.

The first game this season he was in the high 20s in ice time. Currently averaging 22:37. Leading all forwards in ice time. So nothing you said holds up at all.

 

[Kamiccolo]

EIchel just passed Matthews in points....I'm just saaaayin. ...yet we cant win and the leafs can so I'd rather have that. Leafs look like they will get that home slot easily in the Atlantic with 2nd place, I think it will be Boston and Ottawa fighting for that third spot and maybe....if a certain team can get it together.

No but seriously, his injury last year made people completely forget how productive he is each night when everyone was screaming "LAINE, MATTHEWS, MCDAVID, CROSBY" "THE BIG 4" rememebr that thread?

McDavid will come around, he and the oilers both, the Oilers slow start wont even be a thing.

It was never about points. Kessel was never better than Bergeron because he out scored him. Matthews being better than Eichel is about more than points. He's stronger, more dominant in cycles, forechecking, away from the puck, around the net, and on faceoffs. His defensive game and compete level are on another level than Eichel.

Eichel can score 95 points, and Matthews can score 85, and that doesn't change anything. He won't get the respect until he does it in the playoffs, and then people will realize he is cut from a different cloth.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It was never about points. Kessel was never better than Bergeron because he out scored him. Matthews being better than Eichel is about more than points. He's stronger, more dominant in cycles, forechecking, away from the puck, around the net, and on faceoffs. His defensive game and compete level are on another level than Eichel.

Eichel can score 95 points, and Matthews can score 85, and that doesn't change anything. He won't get the respect until he does it in the playoffs, and then people will realize he is cut from a different cloth.

Matthews is better offensively and should outscore Eichel still imo

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

It was never about points. Kessel was never better than Bergeron because he out scored him. Matthews being better than Eichel is about more than points. He's stronger, more dominant in cycles, forechecking, away from the puck, around the net, and on faceoffs. His defensive game and compete level are on another level than Eichel.

Eichel can score 95 points, and Matthews can score 85, and that doesn't change anything. He won't get the respect until he does it in the playoffs, and then people will realize he is cut from a different cloth.

Agreed, there's a strong case to be made that Matthews was better than Eichel last season, and that's with Jack supporting a ~PPG average. But Eichel is a franchise centre as well, he's going to be one of the faces of the NHL for a very long, Sabres fans don't need to fret.

 

[Menzinger]

Soon folks are going to have to get more realistic about projecting his offensive potential.

Still see too many folks saying he's going to be a 70-80 point guy, when he's going to be so much more.

 

[Legion34]

EIchel just passed Matthews in points....I'm just saaaayin. ...yet we cant win and the leafs can so I'd rather have that. Leafs look like they will get that home slot easily in the Atlantic with 2nd place, I think it will be Boston and Ottawa fighting for that third spot and maybe....if a certain team can get it together.

No but seriously, his injury last year made people completely forget how productive he is each night when everyone was screaming "LAINE, MATTHEWS, MCDAVID, CROSBY" "THE BIG 4" rememebr that thread?

McDavid will come around, he and the oilers both, the Oilers slow start wont even be a thing.

Hope so. I hope eichel lights it up and keeps matthews closer to 10 million a yearu

 

[ColbyChaos]

If Marcus Kruger ends up with 100+ points who would you rather have?

 

[Coffey]

What if Tanner Glass ended up with 100+ pts and 40g... Would you take him over Patrick Kane?

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

What if Tanner Glass ended up with 100+ pts and 40g... Would you take him over Patrick Kane?

Don't bother with logic, you will just get attacked by the zealots.

 

[Shayne Corsi]

What if Tanner Glass ended up with 100+ pts and 40g... Would you take him over Patrick Kane?

This post is an instance of the slippery slope fallacy. Whilst the OP is clearly an attempt to draw attention to how awesome Matthews is, the content of the question is just as clearly different than in your hypothetical. Specifically, Matthews has a non-zero chance of achieving the relevant point totals, which means the question has more value as a theoretical than what you have above. The original question should have been phrased differently, though--i.e. something to the effect of, "Whose style do you prefer?"--but the heat DanM is taking is uncalled for!

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

These threads are just designed to make Leaf fans look bad and to give opposing fans reasons to complain about the Leafs fanbase.