C Auston Matthews - ZSC Lions, NLA (2016 Draft) IV

[JawandaPuck]

Center LHS | 6'2" 194 lbs
Born: 17-SEP-1997, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Stats: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=199898

Previous thread: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2007629

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[McMatthews]

I'm still in shock that he's coming to Toronto.

 

[Liminality]

He's pretty good.

 

[MardyBum]

Top line C to start? 2nd line to break him in with Kadri #1? Or depends on what Babcock sees during camp/preseason?

 

[Semantics]

Craig Button is on TSN radio right now, and he is saying that of the past 10 drafts, only Crosby and Mcdavid would be the only players he would draft ahead of Mathews. That is how highly he thinks of him.

Bit of a strange thing to say considering Crosby wasn't drafted in the past 10 drafts.

 

[McMatthews]

Top line C to start? 2nd line to break him in with Kadri #1? Or depends on what Babcock sees during camp/preseason?

They'll likely start Matthews as the #2 C.

I can't see them holding him back though. If it takes him a week to prove he's the best C on the team, he'll play 1st line minutes.

 

[Nizdizzle]

Bit of a strange thing to say considering Crosby wasn't drafted in the past 10 drafts.

Its Button, all you needed to say.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I feel the most accurate comparison for him is Sean Monahan.

 

[Apotheosis]

I feel the most accurate comparison for him is Sean Monahan.

They play literally nothing alike.

 

[McMatthews]

I feel the most accurate comparison for him is Sean Monahan.

That's a guy I thought of instantly.

Matthews is a better skating Sean Monahan and he shoots like Joe Sakic.

#goodplayer

 

[SnazzyNazzy]

Just hope he can carve out a career for himself close to that of a Sam Gagner, if so you take that and run.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Just hope he can carve out a career for himself close to that of a Sam Gagner, if so you take that and run.

At best.

 

[TheCLAM]

Bit of a strange thing to say considering Crosby wasn't drafted in the past 10 drafts.

1) 2005
2) 2006
3) 2007
4) 2008
5) 2009
6) 2010
7) 2011
8) 2012
9) 2013
10) 2014
11) 2015

Correct it's 11, wow HF you really showed Craig Button

 

[Canada4Gold]

Just hope he can carve out a career for himself close to that of a Sam Gagner, if so you take that and run.

I can't wait for Matthews' 8 point night. I hope he does it against Montreal.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Bit of a strange thing to say considering Crosby wasn't drafted in the past 10 drafts.

It's just Semantics

 

[93LEAFS]

Bit of a strange thing to say considering Crosby wasn't drafted in the past 10 drafts.

1) 2005
2) 2006
3) 2007
4) 2008
5) 2009
6) 2010
7) 2011
8) 2012
9) 2013
10) 2014
11) 2015

Correct it's 11, wow HF you really showed Craig Button

Okay, I heard the exchange and here's what happened. Hayes wanted to ask Button if he would take Matthews over Eric Johnson, and go down the list from there (Kane, Stamkos, Tavares etc), Button said he didn't like questions like that, but to cut it short, he would take Eichel or Matthews over every #1 pick at the time of their draft in the last 10 years outside of McDavid. After a bit more questioning he said, he'd actually have to consider Tavares, but he would take them over E. Johnson, Kane, Stamkos, Hall, RNH, Yak, Mackinnon, and Ekblad. I think most people agree that those guys are the next tier of elite center's who have been in the draft since Crosby, with Stamkos and possibly Mackinnon being in the discussion, going further back you could add the guys slightly below generational such as Lecavalier, Thornton and Daigle.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Just hope he can carve out a career for himself close to that of a Sam Gagner, if so you take that and run.

If he's half as good as Gagner, this season would have been totally worth it.

 

[Atomos2]

If he's half as good as Gagner, this season would have been totally worth it.

So...a 4pt night

 

[WilliamNylander]

Craig button saying he would take Matthews over every first overall in the last decade not named Crosby/McDavid is serious hype.

 

[ponder]

Craig button saying he would take Matthews over every first overall in the last decade not named Crosby/McDavid is serious hype.

Is it that nuts? His production (in the NLA, USHL and WJC) has been elite, and he's about as complete a package as you'll see. Big, natural centre, protects the puck very well, super high IQ, top notch hands, really good shot, he has it all.

I think he's definitely in the conversation with the other top 1st overalls at the same age (Tavares, Hall, Stamkos, Kane, MacKinnon, etc). For a single scout's opinion, I don't see anything crazy about having him at the top of that group, when talking about how you'd evaluate them pre-draft. Others would have him lower, but scouting is not an exact science.

Also, seems like he was really saying "I have both Matthews and Eichel below Crosby/McDavid, and roughly tied with Tavares, but ahead of every other 1st overall since Crosby (in terms of pre-draft outlook)". Seems reasonable enough to me.

 

[HarryLime]

I never watched his highlights because I didn't want to get my hopes up.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

So...a 4pt night

In Austons dreams. We're talking about an elite prospect here, not Wayne Sam Gretzky Gagner.

 

[AvroArrow]

If he's half as good as Gagner, this season would have been totally worth it.

No chance, didn't you hear ? He's Bobby Ryan 2.0

 

[Leafs at Knight]

No chance, didn't you hear ? He's Bobby Ryan 2.0

Damn I kind of wanted a 4th Gagner on the Leafs tbh.

 

[AvroArrow]

Damn I kind of wanted a 4th Gagner on the Leafs tbh.

One can only dream of such fortunes