Tribute Auston Matthews Discussion "the Beauty" Edition

[The Podium]

Matthews 302G in 482GP
Ovechkin 304G in 482GP

The start of their careers are a lot closer than I would have thought

 

[34]

Rocket

 

[Sypher04]

Matthews 302G in 482GP
Ovechkin 304G in 482GP

The start of their careers are a lot closer than I would have thought

Damn. Seems legit possible he’ll have more goals through first 500 games played

 

[weems]

Matthews 302G in 482GP
Ovechkin 304G in 482GP

The start of their careers are a lot closer than I would have thought

This also doesn't take into account that Matthews didn't receive anywhere close to same PP minutes per game early in his career that Ovechkin did.

 

[Sypher04]

This also doesn't take into account that Matthews didn't receive anywhere close to same PP minutes per game early in his career that Ovechkin did.

If somehow Matthews managed to score 72 goals this year (not impossible, but obviously highly unlikely) he’d have the exact same number of goals as Ovechkin did at the same age (26). However, in 38+ less games

Ovechkin has averaged 45 goals a year over the decade following that however (27-36), which is truly remarkable.

 

[robertmac43]

He gets back to the 50+ mark easy this season!

 

[MCR74]

You can sense it's positive when the haters are whining in full force on the main board.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Hat trick was nice but the more important things are that his skating looked powerful and he didn't shy away from physically engaging a bit when Bertuzzi got chippy with the Habs. Just looks to be a lot healthier than last year which bodes well for the season.

 

[Menzinger]

Couldn't ask for a better start from the guy.

Want that guy as confidence as possible every shift, just playing a tier above everyone else on the ice.

As a fan hard to name anything more fun than seeing him light up the opposition

 

[authentic]

Hat trick was nice but the more important things are that his skating looked powerful and he didn't shy away from physically engaging a bit when Bertuzzi got chippy with the Habs. Just looks to be a lot healthier than last year which bodes well for the season.

His stickhandling looked back to normal again too. Also Nylander looked really good so I suspect a big season coming for him too. Man I hope Matthews manages a full healthy year, might be in the running for the Hart again and will most certainly win the Rocket.

Couldn't ask for a better start from the guy.

Want that guy as confidence as possible every shift, just playing a tier above everyone else on the ice.

As a fan hard to name anything more fun than seeing him light up the opposition

I felt like something was missing from my life this past year and a half and turns out that was a healthy Matthews

 

[WillyC]

Minimum 5 more seasons… let that sink in.

 

[authentic]

Damn. Seems legit possible he’ll have more goals through first 500 games played

Oh he will for sure. Full health permitted he's beating Ovechkin every step of the way until his late 20s or so but after that it gets trickier as no one has aged as a goal scorer quite like Ovechkin.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

He looked and played like a Captain last night.

 

[Zur En Arrh]

You can sense it's positive when the haters are whining in full force on the main board.

They're shook. Best player in the world again and he's signed.. suck it mains

 

[Jojalu]

Minimum 5 more seasons… let that sink in.

If he stays healthy, no reason he shouldn't hit 500 goals in that time.

 

[HaveKnifeWillButcher]

If he stays healthy, no reason he shouldn't hit 500 goals in that time.

He has a pretty good shot at being only the third player (along with Gretzky and Bossy) to score 500 goals before their 30th birthday.

 

[Sypher04]

He has a pretty good shot at being only the third player (along with Gretzky and Bossy) to score 500 goals before their 30th birthday.

It’s actually kind of crazy how realistically possible that is. Only needs a 50g average over this and the following 3 years.

Even if he doesn’t get it, he’s probably gonna be right there.

 

[Maple Leaf]

GOOD START
Now hopefully he can keep it up as the highest paid player in the world

 

[29Potvin]

GOOD START
Now hopefully he can keep it up as the highest paid player in the world

Auston Matthews, who ranks fourth in the league in cap hit but doesn’t rank in the top 25 for 2023 salary at all.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Masters: Motivated Auston Matthews activates 'beast mode' early in season | TSN

The Toronto Maple Leafs have stumbled out of the gate the last two seasons so Auston Matthews made a strong start a priority entering this campaign. And, through one game at least, the superstar centre is being true to his word, Mark Masters writes.

www.tsn.ca

After Wednesday's wild 6-5 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens, John Tavares addressed his teammates.

"When one of the best in the world goes beast mode, we love seeing that," the captain said to cheers in the dressing room.

Tavares then handed Toronto's player-of-the-game belt to Auston Matthews.



The Leafs have stumbled out of the gate the last two seasons so Matthews made a strong start a priority entering this campaign. And, through one game at least, the superstar centre is being true to his word.

"I can see why he's the highest-paid player in the league," said new Leafs winger Ryan Reaves, "I'll tell you that much."

In his first regular season game since inking a four-year extension with a bar-setting $13.25-million annual-average value, Matthews scored three times including twice with the goalie pulled to force overtime.

"That was pretty sick watching that first hand," said rookie centre Fraser Minten, who was making his NHL debut.

Matthews usually gets off to a fast start in the NHL.

"I know he had a hatty, but it wasn't even his best opening night," Tavares said referring to the famous four-goal debut.

But it hasn't been as smooth the last couple years. Last season, Matthews scored just once in his first seven games. Two years ago, he missed the first three games after undergoing wrist surgery in the summer and then scored just once in his first six games.

So, Wednesday's performance felt like a significant statement.

"For Auston to come through and have a start like that is good for him and really good for us," coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Matthews fired eight shots on net against the Canadiens. He didn't reach that total during any game last October.

 

[Boxscore]

Hatty.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Look, I'm just gonna say what everyone, including fans of other teams, is thinking and is in complete agreement on: Matthews is the greatest athlete, if not human being, of all time.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Needs to get on Stutzle's level still.

 

[Kazparov]

Remember when all the whiners kept on whining about this guy?

Most talented Leaf player ever.

 

[TheDoldrums]

There were actually Leafs fans on this website with so much brainrot that they thought we'd be better off not re-signing Matthews. Like we'd be better off with $13 million in cap space. I had to argue that signing Matthews was good actually. Keeping a no doubt top 5 talent in the world is worth it regardless of the contract, it is impossible to overpay players like this.