Do you consider Auston Matthews a Top-5 Center heading into next year?

[Filthy Dangles]

Title.

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[LeafsNation75]

In terms of other players who play Center this past season Matthews lead them in goals scored with 47, so he should be in the conversation to be in the top 5.

 

[Hockeyholic]

McDavid
Pettersson
Draisaitl
MacK
Matthews

HM:
Aho
Eichel

 

[Cleatus]

I'm guessing 50+ goals and 90+ points, which should convincingly make him top 5 (if not top 3).

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I don't think he is better than 3 of the following centers:

Connor McDavid
Patrice Bergeron
Sean Couturier
Elias Pettersson
Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan O'Reilly
Sidney Crosby

 

[Fatass]

Imo Matthews is a top five player in the league.
Mackinnon
McDavid
Hedman
Matthews
Fill in from 10 guys here.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I don't think he is better than 3 of the following centers:

Connor McDavid
Patrice Bergeron
Sean Couturier
Elias Pettersson
Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan O'Reilly
Sidney Crosby

The only one who I would say Matthews needs to be ahead of on that list is Elias Pettersson.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

I'd put him in the 6-7 range. So no for me.

McDavid, Mackinnon, Draisaitl, Crosby and Malkin. 6-9 being some order of Matthews, Eichel, Bergeron, and Barkov.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

McDavid
MacKinnon
Drai
Matthews
Eichel

My top 5.

 

[Captain97]

I have him in the 4-9 range, so sort of...

After McDavid, Mackinnon, and Draisaitl it gets very murky for me.

Then you have in no particular order

Matthews
Barkov
Eichel
Crosby
Bergeron

 

[ScaredStreit]

McDavid
Mackinnon
Bergeron
Crosby

The above 4 are clearly better imo. Then you have guys who're on the same tier as Matthews that I think one could argue as being better (like Eichel).

 

[The Moose is Loose]

In terms of other players who play Center this past season Matthews lead them in goals scored with 47, so he should be in the conversation to be in the top 5.

In terms of other NHL players Matthews wasnt even top 60 (?!?!) leaguewide in assists. So he shouldnt even be in the conversation for a top 30 center.

See how easy that is?

 

[filinski77]

I say yes.

Centers only:

2019/2020:
Points/gp = 9th (only 0.02 behind 6th)
Goals /gp = 2nd

2018/2019:
Points/gp = 9th
Goals/gp = 4th

Zibanejad was the only C with a better goal/gp than Matthews, and I don't really anticipate him having the same success next year.

From a Point/gp perspective, the following players were ahead of Matthews this year that I don't think will be next year: Malkin (age), Zibanejad (had a career year most likely), Stamkos (age), Crosby (age).

I would expect Matthews to have the best goal totals for Centers next year, and be top-5 in points. No way that does not make him a top-5 Center.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Possibly. The only three that I have conclusively over him are McDavid, Crosby, and Mackinnon. I think he's in that next group with Tavares, Draisaitl, Bergeron, Aho, Eichel, and maybe a half dozen others. Based on this past season - yeah, Matthews is probably closer to the top of that second tier and breaks in the top five. More generally (going into next season), I think he's at least middle of the pack, so comfortably top-ten.

 

[CanadienShark]

Somewhere in the 4-8 range. Hard to say.

 

[KevinRedkey]

He's in the convo at least.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

McDavid
Draisaitl
MacK
Crosby
Malkin

No.

 

[Varan]

McDaddy
Drai
MacK
Crosby
Malkin

Eichel is a tossup with Matthews. 50/50 for me.

So nope

 

[Regal]

I said yes. I think you could probably rank him just outside in the 6-8 range instead, depending on criteria, but I think he has a top 5 season next year.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

The only one who I would say Matthews needs to be ahead of on that list is Elias Pettersson.

Then that would mean that Matthews isn’t top five. Even though you voted he is.

 

[Zaddy]

I guess he's in the conversation behind McDavid, Draisaitl and MacKinnon. Tough to separate guys like Bergeron, Barkov, Eichel, Matthews, Crosby, Malkin and potentially even Aho, O'Reilly and Couturier. I'd personally prefer most of them to Matthews though due to two-way play and leadership abilities.

 

[Sojourn]

He's in the convo at least.

Why I voted yes.

There are some guys I have as being unquestionably better, and some guys who I think he's in the discussion with.

He can make the argument easier by just continuing to do what he did, or he can make it easier by not doing as well.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

No.

McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Eichel, Draisaitl, Pettersson all are easily better. There are arguments for one or two others, as well.

 

[Rude Dog]

No.

McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Eichel, Draisaitl, Pettersson all are easily better. There are arguments for one or two others, as well.

would love to understand your definition of easily. Beyond the top 3 arguments could be made for 7 guys to be placed in different orders and not be wrong.

 

[HarryLime]

I do, he's great. He should leave us before his career is ruined