Speculation: Assuming we don't get Matthews, who would you want to draft most in 2016?

[rt]

Matthews is closer to Strome than MacDavid. Hell, he's closer to Strome than Eichel, IMO. I'd say Strome and Laine are very, very close in terms of overall prospect value. And Matthews is just a bit ahead of them. And just a bit below Eichel.

Like:

McDavid
-
-
Eichel
-
Matthews
Strome/Laine

 

[Bonsai Tree]

He's near Eichel. Maybe ahead. Slight notch ahead of Strome maybe as well but keep in mind how far Strome has come this year and remember Strome is #1 ranked prospect according to THN Future Watch.

You'd be offering a near equivalent C and a great additional piece.

Thanks! Sometimes the deal you walk away from is the best deal that you made. I read nonsense about trading OEL for Matthews and it seems just ridiculous. A top five #1D is at least as hard to acquire as a top 5 #1C.

 

[rt]

I don't believe Matthews will ever be a top five forward.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

I don't believe Matthews will ever be a top five forward.

Now that is a bold statement

 

[Jakey53]

I worry ownership may force GM to make a trade that included Strome and our first. Maybe more.

I'm not. If a deal is made I believe it will be DM's decision.

 

[rt]

Now that is a bold statement

I don't think it is. I think people are going a little ga-ga right now.

 

[Jakey53]

Is Matthew a generational player? Is he on a par with McJesus? If so, its worth it. If not, no way.

I don't think anyone is on par with McDavid. It looks like most are throwing around players and draft picks like no tomorrow for Matthew's and I'm willing to bet hardly anyone has seen him play 5 games. He looks like the favorite to be #1, but it is not a forgone conclusion.

 

[Jakey53]

Matthews is closer to Strome than MacDavid. Hell, he's closer to Strome than Eichel, IMO. I'd say Strome and Laine are very, very close in terms of overall prospect value. And Matthews is just a bit ahead of them. And just a bit below Eichel.

Like:

McDavid
-
-
Eichel
-
Matthews
Strome/Laine

McDavid is on another level period. As far as Strome, Eichel and Matthews are concerned, who the heck knows who will have a better career. I don't think we can rank them now as two of the three have not played a NHL game.

 

[Jakey53]

I don't think it is. I think people are going a little ga-ga right now.

Your right, but that goes for most projected top end players. People believe what they read, and in the case of Matthews playing overseas and all, that is what most of us rely on.

 

[Grimes]

I don't believe Matthews will ever be a top five forward.

Once the Crosbys, Toews and Kanes begin to decline and the next generation enters their prime who do you see as being the top 5?

I guess it's hard to say this early but I'd say McDavid, Eichel and Matthews are a pretty easy lock with Johnny Hockey, Strome, Marner, Nylander and Reinheart as choices to potentially fill out the rest of the spots.

Matthews plays like a wrecking ball and is so dangerous around the net. I think Strome may have a better shot, but those European goalies look like they absolutely fear Matthews when he comes plowing down at them. These aren't teens either. They are grown men who look like they just realized they made a poor career decision every time Auston comes rolling around.

 

[Jakey53]

Once the Crosbys, Toews and Kanes begin to decline and the next generation enters their prime who do you see as being the top 5?

I guess it's hard to say this early but I'd say McDavid, Eichel and Matthews are a pretty easy lock with Johnny Hockey, Strome, Marner, Nylander and Reinheart as choices to potentially fill out the rest of the spots.

Matthews plays like a wrecking ball and is so dangerous around the net. I think Strome may have a better shot, but those European goalies look like they absolutely fear Matthews when he comes plowing down at them. These aren't teens either. They are grown men who look like they just realized they made a poor career decision every time Auston comes rolling around.

A wrecking ball? You must have seen him more than me to say that. What little I have seen, he has not been physical, at all.

 

[Grimes]

A wrecking ball? You must have seen him more than me to say that. What little I have seen, he has not been physical, at all.

I've seen highlights where he goes straight to the net with no remorse. Maybe I haven't seen enough but from videos I've seen it seems like he knows how to use his frame.

 

[Jakey53]

I've seen highlights where he goes straight to the net with no remorse. Maybe I haven't seen enough but from videos I've seen it seems like he knows how to use his frame.

Can't wait to see him play in the NHL. What a great story.

 

[rt]

Once the Crosbys, Toews and Kanes begin to decline and the next generation enters their prime who do you see as being the top 5?

I guess it's hard to say this early but I'd say McDavid, Eichel and Matthews are a pretty easy lock with Johnny Hockey, Strome, Marner, Nylander and Reinheart as choices to potentially fill out the rest of the spots.

Matthews plays like a wrecking ball and is so dangerous around the net. I think Strome may have a better shot, but those European goalies look like they absolutely fear Matthews when he comes plowing down at them. These aren't teens either. They are grown men who look like they just realized they made a poor career decision every time Auston comes rolling around.

15 of the top 20 forwards in NHL scoring are under the age of 30:

Kane
Benn
Crosby
Gaudreau
Wheeler
Kuznetsov
Seguin
Kopitar
Tarasenko
Tavares
Ovechkin
Backstrom
Kucherov
Giroux
Stamkos

And every year has a new set of top three studs taken in every draft.

Does Matthews have the potential to fit firmly in the middle of that pack? Absolutely! Is he a kid I expect to shine his way all the way to the top of a list like that and stand out in a clear-cut, top-five kind of way? No.

Is he a better prospect at his age than MacKinnon or Tavares? The hype certainly isn't nearly has big as those two, who were both supposed to be capable of MVP type NHL production.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I don't believe Matthews will ever be a top five forward.

I wouldn't go that far, but I would also say that Matthews isn't worth the ridiculous trade offers people think we should make to get him, and I CERTAINLY don't think Kypreos' assumption of OEL + Domi + AZ 1st should ever be anything more than the tragic joke that it is.

 

[Jakey53]

15 of the top 20 forwards in NHL scoring are under the age of 30:

Kane
Benn
Crosby
Gaudreau
Wheeler
Kuznetsov
Seguin
Kopitar
Tarasenko
Tavares
Ovechkin
Backstrom
Kucherov
Giroux
Stamkos

And every year has a new set of top three studs taken in every draft.

Does Matthews have the potential to fit firmly in the middle of that pack? Absolutely! Is he a kid I expect to shine his way all the way to the top of a list like that and stand out in a clear-cut, top-five kind of way? No.

Is he a better prospect at his age than MacKinnon or Tavares? The hype certainly isn't nearly has big as those two, who were both supposed to be capable of MVP type NHL production.

I think if Matthews played in Canada last year the hype might be there.

I wouldn't go that far, but I would also say that Matthews isn't worth the ridiculous trade offers people think we should make to get him, and I CERTAINLY don't think Kypreos' assumption of OEL + Domi + AZ 1st should ever be anything more than the tragic joke that it is.

Most of the Canadian media is a tragic joke when talking the Coyotes.

 

[rt]

I wouldn't go that far, but I would also say that Matthews isn't worth the ridiculous trade offers people think we should make to get him, and I CERTAINLY don't think Kypreos' assumption of OEL + Domi + AZ 1st should ever be anything more than the tragic joke that it is.

Crosby, Kane, McDavid will be 60% of that group be next season. Matthews doesn't have that kind of upside to fit into that tier. I'm sure he'll be an awesome player. But he's not a top five caliber forward.

Regularly showing up on the back end up top ten ranking or in the HM category just outside? Sure. Why not?

All-Star? Yes. First team NHL All-Star? I don't think so.

 

[PhoPhan]

I'd put Matthews slightly closer to Eichel than to Strome, but the gap between Eichel and Strome isn't even all that large. All three will be in that tier of players who don't get traded on the merits of their play. At this point, I wouldn't add much to Strome to get Matthews, and I wouldn't add much to Matthews to get Eichel.

 

[XX]

Now that is a bold statement

Top five in the league. Not the team. And I agree with rt.

 

[Jakey53]

Crosby, Kane, McDavid will be 60% of that group be next season. Matthews doesn't have that kind of upside to fit into that tier. I'm sure he'll be an awesome player. But he's not a top five caliber forward.

Regularly showing up on the back end up top ten ranking or in the HM category just outside? Sure. Why not?

All-Star? Yes. First team NHL All-Star? I don't think so.

Top five in the league. Not the team. And I agree with rt.

The kid hasn't even been drafted and you guys know what kind of player he is going to be.

 

[kihekah19*]

The kid hasn't even been drafted and you guys know what kind of player he is going to be.

We're amongst savants!

 

[Matias Maccete]

The kid hasn't even been drafted and you guys know what kind of player he is going to be.

We're amongst savants!

Jesus an opinion on what a prospect will be like in the NHL triggers this? Yeah we shouldn't discuss what we think of prospects on the hockey's future boards........

 

[Jakey53]

Jesus an opinion on what a prospect will be like in the NHL triggers this? Yeah we shouldn't discuss what we think of prospects on the hockey's future boards........

Chill out. Making an opinion? Hell, the way they are talking it is forgone conclusion.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Chill out. Making an opinion? Hell, the way they are talking it is forgone conclusion.

What would it be apart from an opinion? You can infer things from context, and when a person is talking about the career of a prospect it being their opinion is one of those things.

 

[kihekah19*]

What would it be apart from an opinion? You can infer things from context, and when a person is talking about the career of a prospect it being their opinion is one of those things.

It's just all too funny