Your thoughts: Auston Matthews' performance at WCH

[Confucius]

Easily worth O E L + + now
Lol

 

[mallory67]

On that stage at age 19?
Against the best players in the world.
Without having played in the NHL?

Ya. A+

 

[SoVi3t]

Watching Matthews play during the world cup was nothing short of mind blowing. Watching him get knocked down and proceed to stick handle around the other team ON HIS KNEES made me realize we have a bonafide hockey stud on our hands.

If McDavid is the Gretzky of the league, I can easily see Matthews being the Lemieux of the league.

 

[BigWilly]

Watching Matthews play during the world cup was nothing short of mind blowing. Watching him get knocked down and proceed to stick handle around the other team ON HIS KNEES made me realize we have a bonafide hockey stud on our hands.

If McDavid is the Gretzky of the league, I can easily see Matthews being the Lemieux of the league.

uhh Matthews is no Lemieux.

 

[Marshy]

uhh Matthews is no Lemieux.

I think he just means 2nd most dominant forward/1st line C

 

[hizzoner]

You are setting him up to fail with the bar you are setting for him. He is an outstanding talent but 3 to 4 games a week with thousands of mile of travel over a long season will wear on anyone. Plus he will not have the calibre of players he had at the WC. He will be putting enough pressure on himself without trying to meet Leaf Nation expectations....give him a break.

 

[Muston Atthews]

You are setting him up to fail with the bar you are setting for him. He is an outstanding talent but 3 to 4 games a week with thousands of mile of travel over a long season will wear on anyone. Plus he will not have the calibre of players he had at the WC. He will be putting enough pressure on himself without trying to meet Leaf Nation expectations....give him a break.

Yeah, screw anyone that wants to be positive about our new outstanding player

 

[Funk21]

Gave him an A, was considered the 13th forward and ended up playing on the top line and contributing a point per game in the 3 game round robin. That is pretty impressive for the youngest player in the entire tourney.

I just hope Babs pulls the reins in and lets him start on the third or second line. Let him ramp up.

We are likly to trade Bozak @ the TDL and then cement him in at the number two till the start of next year when he will likely get first line minutes.

Kid has Skill, Size and Vision. Everything we need in a first line centre.

 

[Once]

Gave him an A, was considered the 13th forward and ended up playing on the top line and contributing a point per game in the 3 game round robin. That is pretty impressive for the youngest player in the entire tourney.

I just hope Babs pulls the reins in and lets him start on the third or second line. Let him ramp up.

We are likly to trade Bozak @ the TDL and then cement him in at the number two till the start of next year when he will likely get first line minutes.

Kid has Skill, Size and Vision. Everything we need in a first line centre.

Babs said that today

 

[Bomber0104]

Always room for improvement so he get's an A.

That said, he played a very mature game out there and delivered in all areas of the game.

Nice feeling knowing we have a centre of this calibre in our organization now. Just goes to show you what competent management can do for a team.

 

[SoVi3t]

I think he just means 2nd most dominant forward/1st line C

bingo

 

[LeafFever]

Easily worth O E L + + now
Lol

OEL is 2 years from being UFA, Arizona is nearly bankrupt and people thought they would not give him up for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get an 18 year-old hometown star.

 

[Plub]

Agree 100% which is why I gave Matthews an A. He came in and did more than what I expected, but when it comes to an A+ I think McDavid and Crosby get those ratings. Still absolutely crazy that Matthews can come in and be one of the top guys in the tourney at 19 and no NHL experience.

What did McDavid do that earned an A+ that Matthews didn't? He skated through the neurtral zone faster, definitely. He created chances off the rush, definitely. Matthews was dancing around people along the boards all day long. Matthews had many key breakups and started many plays that lead to chances.

I don't see how one can get an A+ and not the other. They simply dominated at different areas of the ice. They both had about the same amount of wow moments as well. It's odd that some people will not accept that. It doesn't mean anything regarding the future as to who will be better or their legacy, or any of that stuff. But in this one tournament, McDavid was not on some other level when compared to Matthews, not objectively.

 

[Warden of the North]

No one should be holding back anything on this kid. Hes an outstanding prospect and almost surefire star. Our expectations should be skyhigh and we should have complete confidence in him to reach it.

 

[Sypher04]

Anything less than A+ is selling him short. His performance vs expectation was above just about anyone.

 

[613Leafer]

You are setting him up to fail with the bar you are setting for him. He is an outstanding talent but 3 to 4 games a week with thousands of mile of travel over a long season will wear on anyone. Plus he will not have the calibre of players he had at the WC. He will be putting enough pressure on himself without trying to meet Leaf Nation expectations....give him a break.

Those factors apply to everyone though... It's not like Matthews is the ONLY player that has to travel or the ONLY player who played with very good teammates at the World Cup (or World Championships, where he was even more dominant).

He's looked very good so far, better than many many NHL "stars"despite the age and experience gap. These are things to be happy about.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

If the awarding of A+ have to be moderated, I certainly wouldn't give one to McDavid either. Matthews and McDavid would be A players while Sidney - the best in the world - Crosby receives an A+.

 

[thewave]

He's a Franchise player. He will likely have two stars with him in Nylander and Marner as well as Rielly. You could add JVR in there and if the depth exceeds expectations then we have a powerhouse in short order.

This is the most excited I have ever been about the Leafs in my life. Its all up to guys like Brown, Carrick, Nielsy etc. Those secondary guys if they live up to the expectations mean everything. They will likely be cycled out as cap is reached but will represent a sustainable future.

 

[Stephen]

No disputing that McDavid projects as the superior player for his generation, but I think if they both evolve into the players we think they're going to, I'm going to feel very comfortable going into any seven game playoff series with Matthews going head to head against anybody in the league. He's got that Crosby "high end grinder" quality to him that means he'll be able to play the game any way you want.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

If Matthews was a A+, what was McDavid then?

 

[Space Coyote]

If Matthews was a A+, what was McDavid then?

 

[ForSpareParts*]

Matthews A+
McDavid B+

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Matthews A+
McDavid B+

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I like McDavid's game a little more. McD is more explosive and plays at a higher speed IMO.

 

[TLeafsFan]

And crashes at higher speed too and gets injured for half a season too. Not just in NHL even in juniors. Jokes apart his game carries way too much risk and he needs to learn that the speed that makes him great can burn his whole career with injuries.

He is still young enough to heal from most injuries for a while but how long he can avoid it?

In junior he broke his hand in a fight.

High speed punch?

 

[HoweHullOrr]

It's important for a player to make good decisions and avoid injury when possible. Didn't think this was relevant to process in question (determining a rating based on WCH performance).