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Auston Matthews vs Nathan MacKinnon

Auston Matthews vs Nathan MacKinnon

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Paul4587

Paul4587

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Jan 26, 2006
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LeafsNation75 said:
Matthews because until last season he had a better first 2 seasons than MacKinnon did if you were to compare their stats.
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Todd Harvey was a better player at 20 than Martin St. Louis. Dion Phaneuf was a better player at 20 than Shea Weber.

What players do in their first two years doesn’t mean shit when everyone develops at completely different rates.
 
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blundluntman

blundluntman

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Jul 30, 2016
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MacKinnon. Who gives a **** what either player was doing 2 years ago. Mackinnon’s been better these 2 most recent seasons and doesn’t look to be decreasing any time soon
 
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koyvoo

koyvoo

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Poll results are fair here. Mackinnon has a 97 pt season and top 5 scoring finish under his belt and is very likely to hit 100 pts this season and have yet another top 5 scoring finish.

The fact that Tyler Myers was better in his first two seasons than Rielly was has nothing to do with the fact that Rielly is better today.
 
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mackinnon29

mackinnon29

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Nov 24, 2017
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Good god not this my player is better then your player crap again. Both teams love there player. Matthews has had the better first couple years while Mack has had the better statistical years last and this year so far. Both guys have great line mates, both have had a few injuries. The league is much better off with these guys at the top. Way more stars in the nhl then there has been in a while and there seems to be more coming, Makes the league way more entertaining.
 
Holymakinaw

Holymakinaw

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May 22, 2007
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Halfway thru last year I would have said Matthews, as McKinnon didn't have a history of performing like this.

Now he's been elite for 2 years in a row, so I'm going with McKinnon.

Until Matthews proves otherwise, he's behind McKinnon for sure.
 
Spilot23

Spilot23

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SHANNYPLAN said:
MacKinnon didn’t take off until he got Raantanen. Matthews has never had the luxury of playing with a line mate of that caliber.
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Well Matthews was playing with a back to back 60pts player while some people suggested Rantanen would be 50-55 pts player. So the luxury isn't the player itself but the chemistry those have.

With that being said I wouldn't fault anyone taking Matthews having the best three seasons compared to Mack but to me development isn't linear so Matthews could easily end up the better player but also might not. Pretty sure Leafs fans are more than fine gambling on Matthews so are the Avs with Mackinnon.
 
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Eltuna

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Nov 12, 2017
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I made a much longer post detailing the differences on a thread yesterday that got deleted but I’ll give the spark notes here. As someone that has seen the majority of both careers, IMO it basically boils down to peak versus prime. I think Matthews is going to be more consistent and will have what most consider to be the better career when it’s all said and done. The game comes a lot easier to him while Mackinnon needs to force plays sometimes. With Matthews it just seems more effortless which I think is going to be very sustainable over his career. The flip side of that is that Mackinnon has the ability to make plays that Matthews just can’t and I don’t think will ever be able to make.

Mackinnon also has the much deserved reputation of being a big game monster whether it be in the Q playoffs, the Memorial cup, the World Cup, or the NHL playoffs. He’s got Conn Synthe written all over him.

If you needed a player for a 7 game series I think Mackinnon has to be the guy (especially right now) but I would rather have Matthews if were talking the next 15 years.
 

bobholly39

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Mar 10, 2013
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Eltuna said:
I made a much longer post detailing the differences on a thread yesterday that got deleted but I’ll give the spark notes here. As someone that has seen the majority of both careers, IMO it basically boils down to peak versus prime. I think Matthews is going to be more consistent and will have what most consider to be the better career when it’s all said and done. The game comes a lot easier to him while Mackinnon needs to force plays sometimes. With Matthews it just seems more effortless which I think is going to be very sustainable over his career. The flip side of that is that Mackinnon has the ability to make plays that Matthews just can’t and I don’t think will ever be able to make.

Mackinnon also has the much deserved reputation of being a big game monster whether it be in the Q playoffs, the Memorial cup, the World Cup, or the NHL playoffs. He’s got Conn Synthe written all over him.

If you needed a player for a 7 game series I think Mackinnon has to be the guy (especially right now) but I would rather have Matthews if were talking the next 15 years.
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This is a good breakdown. To add on:

- Mackinnon has been pretty clutch but has had very little chance to do so at the NHL level. Until we see him more of him at the NHL playoffs, it's just guesswork, and you never really know how it will translate

- Mackinnon's inconsistencies in his first few years are worrisome. Not necessarily for right now as he's been better than Matthews the past 2 years and i'm convinced this is the new him and sustainable but....what about in 4-5 year? Can he maintain that level in the long run consistently (or even - a very high level, if not his absolute top form) - or will his prime be plagued with some ups and downs?

- Matthews in the playoffs is a big unknown. If i'm picking today for a 7 game series I pick Mackinnon exactly for the reasons you said. But you never know. 5 years from now Matthews may have 2 smythes and be seen as the best playoff player in over 30 years 7 years into his career. Or he may be a total flop.

I picked Matthews myself because he's impressed me a lot with his consistency since the start. I like the fact that he's younger (it's 3 years apart for draft year, not 2) and i do believe he might have another gear to hit still.
 

Eltuna

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Nov 12, 2017
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bobholly39 said:
This is a good breakdown. To add on:

- Mackinnon has been pretty clutch but has had very little chance to do so at the NHL level. Until we see him more of him at the NHL playoffs, it's just guesswork, and you never really know how it will translate

- Mackinnon's inconsistencies in his first few years are worrisome. Not necessarily for right now as he's been better than Matthews the past 2 years and i'm convinced this is the new him and sustainable but....what about in 4-5 year? Can he maintain that level in the long run consistently (or even - a very high level, if not his absolute top form) - or will his prime be plagued with some ups and downs?

- Matthews in the playoffs is a big unknown. If i'm picking today for a 7 game series I pick Mackinnon exactly for the reasons you said. But you never know. 5 years from now Matthews may have 2 smythes and be seen as the best playoff player in over 30 years 7 years into his career. Or he may be a total flop.

I picked Matthews myself because he's impressed me a lot with his consistency since the start. I like the fact that he's younger (it's 3 years apart for draft year, not 2) and i do believe he might have another gear to hit still.
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All fair points, only time will tell if Mack can keep it up and be like Thornton (1st overall with a slower start) or if Matthews can be more of a playoff guy (I don’t even think he’s been bad overall just got stuck playing against Bergeron).

I do think with Mackinnon we can be pretty sure what he is in the playoffs however, the guy flat out dominates in those types of games in a really in your face kind of a way. His hat trick and four point game against Seth Jones in the memorial cup, his OT goal against Lundqvist in the World Cup, his assist to Landeskog in the final minutes of game 5 of last years playoffs against Subban (seriously watch this one his patience in since a big moment is insane), and his first ever playoff goal against Minnesota where he broke Spurgeon’s ankles. He has that Briere quality about him for sure I think it’s past guesswork at this point.

Also you’re correct that Matthews is three draft years apart but he’s only two years apart (almost exactly) since Matthews was about as old as a prospect could be when drafted and Mackinnon was about as young as a prospect could be.
 
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BAM

BAM

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Nov 21, 2016
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koyvoo said:
Poll results are fair here. Mackinnon has a 97 pt season and top 5 scoring finish under his belt and is very likely to hit 100 pts this season and have yet another top 5 scoring finish.

The fact that Tyler Myers was better in his first two seasons than Rielly was has nothing to do with the fact that Rielly is better today.
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That's because Myers stopped progressing. Matthews hasn't stopped progressing. If Myers turned into a top 10 D-man and a Chara clone nobody would take Rielly over him.

Mackinnon d+1 = 0.77 ppg
Matthews d + 1 = 0.84 ppg

Mackinnon d+2 = 0.59ppg
Matthews d+ 2 = 1.02ppg

Mackinnon d+3 = 0.72ppg
Matthews d+3 = 1.33 ppg

Mackinnon d +4 = 0.65ppg

Mackinnon d+5 = 1.31ppg (First time on a stacked line with Rantanen and Landy)

Mackinnon d+6 = 1.47ppg

Mackinnon is great, he's a top 5 C in hockey at bare minimum IMO. Let's be real here though, the Avs stack all their good forwards on one line and it's the best line in hockey. Matthews has been producing with Johnnson, Hyman, Brown, Kapanen and Nylander. All of which are worse than Rantanen and Landy.

It took Mackinnon until his d+5 year on a stacked line to break ppg for the first time in his career. Matthews is on pace for 55 goals and 109 points this year and he doesn't get consistent linemates like Mackinnon does or even play with the 2nd and 3rd best forwards on the Leafs at ES. How different would Matthews numbers look if he played on a similar stacked line that the Avs deploy?

Kapanen/Nylander-Matthews-Marner

is a hell of a lot different that Johnnson-Matthews-Kapanen and more comparable to Rantanen-Mackinnon-Landy

Nathan Mackinnon has scored 197 more points than Auston Matthews in 245 more games over their careers.

I personally take Matthews, I wouldn't blame anyone for taking Mackinnon because he is producing and he's a top 5 in the league like I mentioned earlier, but this is a weird comparison and anybody saying AINEC is losing it.
 
BAM

BAM

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Nov 21, 2016
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Tad Mikowsky said:
And Matthews is no where near Mackinnons level right now, but you and other Leafs fans won’t admit it but it’s damn well true.
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Matthews ppg this year with Johnsson, Brown, Kapanen, Nylander = 1.33. That's higher than Mackinnon's breakout ppg last year of 1.31 playing with Rantanen and Landeskog. The same way Oilers fans insist McDavid would tear up the league even moreso if he played on a good team with offensive depth, Matthews would also tear up the league even moreso than he has if he got to play with Marner at ES.

Ask yourself this, if Marner and Matthews are on-pace for 100+ points away from each other at 21, how would they produce with each other?
 
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