Who wins the Rocket next year?

[SHANNYPLAN]

If Matthews gets to play with Marner he’d be a front runner imo

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Laine

 

[Romkey]

Probably that guy who already has 7 of them.

 

[Riseonfire]

I want to pick Laine, but a relaxed, care-free Ovechkin?

Ov is gonna score 60+ next season.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Mika Zibaenjad

 

[Highmarker]

actually think Matthews has a shot next year provided he stays healthy and gets more playing time.

EDIT: Na changed my mind McDavid will get it guy is too good.

 

[Paul4587]

I think McDavid adds another gear and gets it. The other two in the running will be Laine and Matthews. Ovi I see hitting late 30s, he’s not going to get as much training time in this offseason and will be a year older also.

 

[kylbaz]

Laine needs to improve his game before he has a chance imo.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Laine needs to improve his game before he has a chance imo.

It’s not like Laine was second or anything last year(and tied for 1st before his injury), I guess he has no chance next season.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

If Matthews gets to play with Marner he’d be a front runner imo

If Ovechkin isnt hungover, I would say he is the front runner

 

[Castle8130]

If Ovechkin isnt hungover, I would say he is the front runner

About to say that. I could see him still celebrating 40 games into the season and hungover everyday singing "we are the champions". f***in love ovi.

 

[grieves]

It’s not like Laine was second or anything last year(and tied for 1st before his injury), I guess he has no chance next season.

It's actually quite incredible that immediately after they dismantle the Ehlers - Little - Laine line after 50 games or so, that Laine still would almost win the Rocket after that.

I don't think they can roll that line anymore with a straight face so my guess is that Laine takes the Rocket quite easily in fact. But who knows for sure.

In Laine's first season they couldn't get the PP working to save their life so he was heavily reliant on 5v5 production.

He just needs a season where both are working and it's not even a competition anymore.

 

[Murzu]

I hope Ovie wins 10 rockets.

 

[bobholly39]

About to say that. I could see him still celebrating 40 games into the season and hungover everyday singing "we are the champions". ****in love ovi.

Crazy thing is he'd likely still have 25 goals scored by that 40 game mark =/

 

[BlueBaron]

What?

Imagine if the Oilers had even an average PP.
Except for a few players the entire team sucked.
McDavid is probably the best player in the NHL and didn't have an inflated S%.

... what reasons do you have for your "thought"... or is it more like hope... so your boy has a red carpet to the Rocket?

It's terrible that Laine has to play with Little, Ehlers, Stastny, Wheeler, Byfuglien, Trouba. On the PP (where he gets 45% of his goals) with Scheifele, Wheeler, Connor and Byfuglien.

I say Laine wins the Rocket next year.

I think it's reasonable to assume that eventually he will have wingers he can rely on and set up and not have to do everything himself. Saying his goals could go down is not an attack on McDavid but rather saying your team will be more balanced.
I know some of you guys need him to be the best at everything but I think he is more likely to be a Crosby kind of Richard guy, once in awhile but not his main thing.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Who's misssed more games due to injury? Matthews or McDavid?

McDavid hasn't missed a game in two seasons, you know the same amount of seasons Matthews has played.

 

[Regal]

He's been the best even strength goal scorer since entering the league.

He's going to be getting #1PP time for the first time in his career with Marner who's like a cheat code on the PP, this is going to add probably 10 goals to his totals if not more depending on how good the chemistry is. And this is all going to come with getting minutes that are in line with other elite #1C's around the league

You guys ain't seen nothing yet. None of you will come back when Matthews is destroying the goal-scoring race.

Matthews shot an unreasonably high percentage at even strength that is unlikely to continue, so his likely PP increase will be largely offset by his likely ES decrease. He's a decent bet for 45 goals and could take a run at 50 but he's not getting 56 unless he significantly improves

 

[bathdog]

It's actually quite incredible that immediately after they dismantle the Ehlers - Little - Laine line after 50 games or so, that Laine still would almost win the Rocket after that.

I don't think they can roll that line anymore with a straight face so my guess is that Laine takes the Rocket quite easily in fact. But who knows for sure.

In Laine's first season they couldn't get the PP working to save their life so he was heavily reliant on 5v5 production.

He just needs a season where both are working and it's not even a competition anymore.

Always with the big words.

 

[Evincar]

Um, that's why it's a "bold" prediction. Scheifele has been a 32 - 33 goal scorer each of the last three seasons (allowing for missed games), and he scored 14 goals in 17 games this past playoffs. Given those numbers and his age of 25, it is not out of the question for him to have a breakout season in terms of goals next year... especially with Blake Wheeler on his wing. However, I will alter my prediction somewhat in that I don't think that both Laine and Scheifele will score over 50 during the same season. It's not the 1980's.

I had predicted two years ago that Scheifele would score 40... perhaps he can do even better.

Its pretty hard to see Scheifele even score 40 with his low shot totals. He would need a ridiculous shooting percentage like William Karlsson had this past season.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Its pretty hard to see Scheifele even score 40 with his low shot totals. He would need a ridiculous shooting percentage like William Karlsson had this past season.

I agree. I think he learned in the playoffs that good things happen when he shoots the puck.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Interesting Ovie and Laine are running away with this poll. Or perhaps not. They are the heir and heir apparent for most Rockets going into the next decade. But don't count out Boeser from spoiling the party. His shot and release is 2nd to only Laine IMO once Ovie retires.

 

[LeafsNation75]

It’s not like Laine was second or anything last year(and tied for 1st before his injury), I guess he has no chance next season.

In Laine's rookie season he was 7th among goal scoring leaders with 36 goals. That year Auston Matthews was tied for 2nd with 40 goals.

 

[grieves]

Always with the big words.

Yep. Big chunk of crow if I'm wrong. But gotta risk it to get the biscuit.

 

[zar]

I think it's reasonable to assume that eventually he will have wingers he can rely on and set up and not have to do everything himself. Saying his goals could go down is not an attack on McDavid but rather saying your team will be more balanced.
I know some of you guys need him to be the best at everything but I think he is more likely to be a Crosby kind of Richard guy, once in awhile but not his main thing.

I get that, and appreciate where he could be coming from... that wasn’t stated in the original message.

Not sure why the same couldn’t be said about Laine playing with better finishers (than last year) but also understanding Laine is the premiere finisher in his team.

Do you think Matthews will see his goal production decrease for the same reasons as McDavid?

 

[BlueBaron]

I get that, and appreciate where he could be coming from... that wasn’t stated in the original message.

Not sure why the same couldn’t be said about Laine playing with better finishers (than last year) but also understanding Laine is the premiere finisher in his team.

Do you think Matthews will see his goal production decrease for the same reasons as McDavid?

Laine's production could go up with a better C. My understanding is he was straddled with Little for most of last year.

As to your question, if he had a more offensively inclined LWer than Hyman yes I think he would pass more and shoot less. However I don't think the goal difference would be quite as profound because he is by nature a goal scorer as much as McDavid is a natural play maker. Both do the other well but they have their natural inclinations.

Of course it could go the other way if he starts seeing time with Marner. Certainly we expect to see Matthews power play goals to rise. Assuming he and Marner form the first unit this seems inevitable. I doubt they play much even strength together but if they did, Matthews might score more.