Backstrom + Kuznetsov vs. Tavares + Matthews

[DanM]

I agree that he had a good season and that the comments about him not breaking 70 points are deliberately misleading. I think he showed that he can go a PPG.
He’s one of a great group of young players who it will be fun to watch over the next few years to see how they compare to each other.

Agreed

NHL is in a great place

 

[Maplebeasts]

I don't get why a 69 pt player is regarded so highly. I'll wait until he actually lives up to his hype.

Because he did it while scoring 40 goals as a draft+1 player then put up a 45 goal, 84 point pace as a sophomore in more than 3/4 of a season. He will be the best of the 4 this season and will be the best by a good margin after that.

 

[34]

Both Capitals have broken 70 points.
Only one Leaf has.
There is your answer.

The Leaf duo is 20y/o and 22 y/o.

 

[DDRhockey]

The Leaf duo is 20y/o and 22 y/o.

Tavares is 28

 

[Lollipop]

Easy. Backstrom and Kuznetsov are better.

Lol @ all NA fans voting for Tavares/Matthews.

 

[LGB51]

Backstrom and Kuznetsov for me.

 

[Iceman]

Leafs duo is better.

Add in thier 3rd line centres and its no contest.

So what does a third line center have to do with anything?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Yeah, get 10 cracks at the can and great players will eventually win. It’s easy for a player in his prime with 10 or 12 cracks at the can to have a better playoff performance than a rookie/sophomore with 2 cracks at the can.

By year 10, Matthews will have a much better playoff record than any of the Capitals.

(if we want to project fantasy, we can all do that.....as Matthews will be playing for the Coyotes by then)

 

[34]

Tavares is 28

Actually Tavares is 27.

It is Nylander who is 22.

 

[34]

So what does a third line center have to do with anything?

He is just showing that Toronto is stronger in that particular department that is being discussed in the thread. Also, no competiton.

 

[DDRhockey]

He is just showing that Toronto is stronger in that particular department that is being discussed in the thread. Also, no competiton.

It had nothing to do with the poll question

 

[34]

It had nothing to do with the poll question

This thread is about C depth!

You just don’t like the facts, because it tips the scale in Toronto’s favour massively!

 

[Hivemind]

Matthews > Backstrom/Kuznetsov > Tavares > Kadri > Eller

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This thread is about C depth!

You just don’t like the facts, because it tips the scale in Toronto’s favour massively!

This thread is clearly about Backstrom+Kuznetsov versus Matthews+Tavares. The only people who are making it about anyone other than those four players are Leaf fans.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Easy. Backstrom and Kuznetsov are better.

Lol @ all NA fans voting for Tavares/Matthews.

The poll is pretty much 50/50...I voted B&K but I think it is reasonably close.

...Didn't realize I wasn't in NA...

 

[DDRhockey]

This thread is about C depth!

You just don’t like the facts, because it tips the scale in Toronto’s favour massively!

No it is about 2 players vs 2 players. Seems like you cant read.

 

[34]

No it is about 2 players vs 2 players. Seems like you cant read.

Ok fine.

Matthews and Tavares are better.

 

[nuck]

Lets see. Injured Matthews again and Tavares from 16-17 and its an easy Caps win. Backs and Kuz score 48 goals between them and the Leaf boys score 90 and its a Leafs blowout. Interesting comparison. Backstrom can duplicate his recent 86 point season I think, and Kuznetsov could maybe improve on 83pts a little bit. Assuming everything goes right, JT could improve a bit on 84pts but certainly no guarantee as he may take a cut in TOI and the vast majority of forwards have shown their best by 27. The change in teams could be a plus or a minus for him. I think it comes down to a healthy Matthews or not, and Matthews, if healthy,seems much more likely to lead these four in scoring than Backstrom. There is a real chance that both duos could be close to 170pts in scoring, and then you start arguing primary points vs secondary points, points per 60, and who has a better 200ft game. I have no interest in that comparison until next season has actually happened.

Its pretty common that the defending champs become even more difficult to play against because of the confidence boost even their foot soldiers acquire. Individual stats aside this Caps team should have way over 105pts next season. Very good chance to repeat IMO, if Holtby maintains his A game.

 

[Leafer34]

All these elite players yet it was another first round exit

development

 

[Pyrophorus]

(if we want to project fantasy, we can all do that.....as Matthews will be playing for the Coyotes by then)

Yessss....let the hate flow through you.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Yessss....let the hate flow through you.

That’s silly. I don’t hate anything, plus we just won the Cup. There isn’t anything to get truly upset about.

You will know what I mean someday (hopefully, for your sake).

[mod]

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

This thread is clearly about Backstrom+Kuznetsov versus Matthews+Tavares. The only people who are making it about anyone other than those four players are Leaf fans.

wrong. anyone trying to make it about playoff success is trying to make it about other players by default