BlueBaron
Registered User
When you always vote against the Leafs, no matter the topic or how outlandish the choice it is not really neutral. To be fair "Irrationally hostile to all things Leaf" was not an option.
Auston Matthews or David Pastrnak: Who has the better chance at winning the Rocket Richard Trophy?
- Thread starter LeafsNation75
- Start date
He's great at being handed amazing linemates and more PP time, which for a lot of people, means he's better.
Matthews is a very underrated two-way player. He's a takeaway king.
He’s recently improved his defensive play for sure. It was pretty abysmal for a good chunk at the start of the season. I think even most Leaf fans would acknowledge that he floated a lot in the defensive zone.
It wasn't and he didn't. Leafs were just losing so the narratives ran wild, mostly generated by people who didn't actually watch him play.
The whole team was playing pretty poorly at the start of the season, but you can see Matthew's hockey sense is so elite that I have no doubt he'll be a very strong two-way player in his prime. And yes, he hasn't reached his peak yet which is absurd in its own right.
Trap Jesus
Registered User
- Feb 13, 2012
- 28,686
- 13,456
Pastrnak doesn't play a complete game at all, I don't know what people are talking about. His strengths are his shot and his ability to carry the puck up the ice on his own where he can beat the opposition one-on-one with his speed and skill. It's a bit hit and miss because he has that whole drunken master quality where he's in control when he doesn't quite look like he is, but by no means does this work all the time. Regardless, he's among the very best in the league at these two things.
He'll have some nice dishes that show up on highlight reels but he's by no means a great passer. He tries to force A LOT through. He's in a situation where he's given the freedom to be creative and risky with the defensive net of Bergeron in place. I think the redeeming quality for him is that he definitely tries and hustles when he doesn't have the puck.
If you're comparing that to Matthews, I think Matthews has arguably the best defensive stick in the league, it's just that his effort level is very questionable. I still think Matthews is more effective overall though.
He'll have some nice dishes that show up on highlight reels but he's by no means a great passer. He tries to force A LOT through. He's in a situation where he's given the freedom to be creative and risky with the defensive net of Bergeron in place. I think the redeeming quality for him is that he definitely tries and hustles when he doesn't have the puck.
If you're comparing that to Matthews, I think Matthews has arguably the best defensive stick in the league, it's just that his effort level is very questionable. I still think Matthews is more effective overall though.
Who’s Matthews playing with mostly this season? When i watch the leafs recently I’ve seen him centering marner and hyman. But i feel like I’ve seen him out there with Tavares too.
Pastrnak gets double shifted a lot this year. His last hat trick he scored while playing on the 4th line and then second line, and the third was on the pp.
Pastrnak gets double shifted a lot this year. His last hat trick he scored while playing on the 4th line and then second line, and the third was on the pp.
Prior to December 21st:
Johnsson/Kapanen/Aberg - Matthews - Nylander
Since:
Hyman - Matthews - Marner
LeafsNation75
Registered User
Sometimes after a penalty kill or the last minute of a period, Sheldon Keefe will put Matthews out with Tavares and Marner.
Recently his full time 5v5 line mates has been Marner and Hyman. The last game Hyman was replaced with Andreas Johnsson.
CantLoseWithMatthews
Registered User
- Sep 28, 2015
- 49,694
- 59,401
Matthews started the year with Nylander and Johnsson, and then Keefe changed it up to Marner and Hyman against the Wings at the end of December. Matthews has 13 goals in those 12 games.
Keefe likes to go with Matthews-Tavares-Nylander after a penalty kill, and will try Matthews and Tavares with Marner to get some offense sometimes. They don't really play together a whole lot though
LivingRentFree
Registered User
Are there actually people that think Pastrnak plays better defense than Matthews? That’s a pretty bad take.
Martin Skoula
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 11,738
- 16,530
He's around average in his own zone, but his neutral zone defense is so elite that it doesn't matter. I'd rather have the guy that stops the other team from getting into our zone in the first place than the guy who blocks shots really good for half his shifts.
JasonRoseEh
Registered User
- Oct 23, 2018
- 2,933
- 2,347
LeafsNation75
Registered User
I guess the threat of Matthews blocking shots is why he's not on the penalty kill.
Martin Skoula
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 11,738
- 16,530
There's a handful of PK forwards that actually matter in the league. Bergeron, Marchand, Grabner, potentially Marner soon. Kopitar and Towes used to be on the list.
Everyone else is entirely replaceable and completely dependent on coaching and goaltending as long as they're willing to buy into the system (obviously don't put small slow players out there though). Why would you have Matthews out there when he's maybe 5% more effective at blindly icing the puck than Kapanen, Engvall or Gauthier?
LeafsNation75
Registered User
Matthews is absolutely not elite at neutral zone defense...No idea who you’re watching.
LeafsNation75
Registered User
Matthews has improved his neutral zone defense and since you obviously don't watch the Leafs enough or at all, you will need to trust us when we say he has.
Lol, if I trusted what Leaf fans said about their players, I’d think they’re favourites to win the President’s Trophy...not out of the playoffs.
LeafsNation75
Registered User
I didn't expect you to believe us, however we would know if Matthews has improved that part of his game a lot more than you since you have a bias against them.
Ad
Upcoming events
-
Portland Winterhawks @ Prince George Cougars - Game 1Wagers: 1Staked: $15.00Event closes- Updated:
-
Game 3 Winnipeg Jets @ Colorado Avalanche - Series tied 1-1Wagers: 9Staked: $33,735.00Event closes- Updated:
-
Series Winner Colorado Avalanche vs Winnipeg Jets - Series tied 1-1Wagers: 7Staked: $6,235.00Event closes
- Updated:
-
-
