Eichel vs Matthews

[authentic]

Eichel is signed longer, at a more team friendly deal that doesnt take him right into his first year of UFA. He also is the same calibre of player as Matthews.

If Eichel switched places with the Matthews their production would be pretty much the same playing on a PP with Reilly, Tavares and Marner among others instead of playing with guys like Jeff Skinner (solid player but not Tavares or Marner or Reilly) or Sam Reinhart.

Extremely similar calibre players but one os on a much better deal, this is an easy one

They all have pretty much the least amount of powerplay points of all the top players. They get the least amount of opportunities in the league, usually play roughly half the powerplay and it's also been mostly horrible since the first month of the season. Eichel plays more, mostly with better ES linemates and has more powerplay points but once again less points and points per game. Matthews is and always has been better. Let's throw the contract in this poll though so everyone has a reason to vote for Eichel.

 

[GodEmperor]

This is Matthews unless you're a poverty team, Eichel and Matthews basically have the same cap hit when it comes to proportional to when it was signed and Matthews is clearly the better player.

That said HF is notoriously delusional when it comes to Leafs players, I remember Matthews and Seguin basically being said to be the same before the season started LMFAOOOO. I also remember a Ducks fan telling me how much better Getzlaf was.

This'll be a good poll to look back and laugh at, Eichel hasn't had ONE year in the last 6 where he's been better than Matthews.

 

[GodEmperor]

I prefer my #1C to be an elite playmaker.

I would too if the guy hasn't even scored 30 goals in his first 3 years, something Matthews destroyed in his first. He's gotta do something to compete right? (not score though)

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Eichel is the better playmaker, better puck possession and is developing a very nice 200 foot game. I also give Eichel the edge in skating.

Matthews is an elite goal scorer though. Arguably, the best goal scorer in the league not named Ovechkin.

Eichel's got the the better contract. However, Matthews has outproduced Eichel at every level throughout their careers. I don't think you can go wrong here but I'd take Matthews, his production and goal scoring outweigh the positives of Eichel in my opinion.

 

[BlueBaron]

Sad little thread. After two years of being proved Matthews is better now someone is hoping an extra 1.5 mil will make people say Eichel is better. Seriously.

It's Matthews.

 

[Snowman]

Where did you get the idea Eichel was better?

I guess it's just that Eichel scores more on a worse team and doesn't need another high end center to shelter him. Plus, and I never thought I'd say this, Eichel has a much, much better contract.

 

[sparxx87]

I guess it's just that Eichel scores more on a worse team and doesn't need another high end center to shelter him. Plus, and I never thought I'd say this, Eichel has a much, much better contract.

Hahaha this is the first year Matthews has a high end centre on another line. What about every other year when Eichel has had that advantage and Matthews was clearly better? (Ryan O’Rielly > Nazem Kadri)

And by what measure does he ourscore him? Matthews has 47 in 39, Eichel has 56 in 49? Matthews has hit higher totals in both goals and points?


It reeks of desperation when you need to key hole the debate like this. Telling lies while attempting to put the Leafs and their players down, shockingly, wont make the Oilers a better team. FYI.

 

[nickdawg95]

EIchel is the goat now, hahaha, always knew eichel would be the goat matthews is injury prone and overpaid, lol and he's probably going home in 5 years time

 

[Snowman]

Hahaha this is the first year Matthews has a high end centre on another line. What about every other year when Eichel has had that advantage and Matthews was clearly better? (Ryan O’Rielly > Nazem Kadri)

And by what measure does he ourscore him? Matthews has 47 in 39, Eichel has 56 in 49? Matthews has hit higher totals in both goals and points?


It reeks of desperation when you need to key hole the debate like this. Telling lies while attempting to put the Leafs and their players down, shockingly, wont make the Oilers a better team. FYI.

The Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn't think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own. Eichel doesn't need that.

I see you don't have any argument against the contracts though. The contracts alone in this case make it an easy win for Eichel. Similar players, similar skill except Eichel is slightly overpaid, but has good term. Whereas Matthews is drastically overpaid and has a terrible term.

Just because we all don't view players through blue and white glasses like some Leaf homers, doesn't mean we're wrong.

Trying looking at players objectively for once in your life, instead of just drinking the Leaf Kool-Aid.

 

[sparxx87]

The Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn't think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own. Eichel doesn't need that.

I see you don't have any argument against the contracts though. The contracts alone in this case make it an easy win for Eichel. Similar players, similar skill except Eichel is slightly overpaid, but has good term. Whereas Matthews is drastically overpaid and has a terrible term.

Just because we all don't view players through blue and white glasses like some Leaf homers, doesn't mean we're wrong.

Trying looking at players objectively for once in your life, instead of just drinking the Leaf Kool-Aid.

Hahahaha who is we? You really think others share the opinion that ‘the Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn’t think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own’? ... you and who else think that? You’re lying again, using words like ‘we’... nobody else is that foolish.

Ahhhahahahahaha


Eichel was seen as overpaid when it was first signed. It appears some have caught on to this salary cap thing, and how it keeps inflating every year. They look at Mark Scheifele and Johnny Gaudreau, and don’t want to be criminally underpaid in 3 years.... so they take more now that will balance out later. This is for one of the top 3 goal scorers in the game. That’s worth something. Just as it happened with Eichel, a year or two goes by and a bunch of other guys are around that number making Matthews look really good again. Watch and see... Most adults aren’t so short sighted.


I can’t even take your homer nonsense seriously. If anyone is being dishonest and lacks objectivity, it’s the guy suggesting the Leafs brought in Tavares because Matthews couldn’t handle being a 1C... You can’t even say that without laughing.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

The Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn't think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own. Eichel doesn't need that.

I see you don't have any argument against the contracts though. The contracts alone in this case make it an easy win for Eichel. Similar players, similar skill except Eichel is slightly overpaid, but has good term. Whereas Matthews is drastically overpaid and has a terrible term.

Just because we all don't view players through blue and white glasses like some Leaf homers, doesn't mean we're wrong.

Trying looking at players objectively for once in your life, instead of just drinking the Leaf Kool-Aid.

I guess that's why Boston and Tampa Bay tried to bring in Tavares as well right? Because they felt that that Bergeron and Stamkos/Point couldn't handle number one center duties as well.

 

[Snowman]

Hahahaha who is we? You really think others share the opinion that ‘the Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn’t think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own’? ... you and who else think that? You’re lying again, using words like ‘we’... nobody else is that foolish.

Ahhhahahahahaha


Eichel was seen as overpaid when it was first signed. It appears some have caught on to this salary cap thing, and how it keeps inflating every year. They look at Mark Scheifele and Johnny Gaudreau, and don’t want to be criminally underpaid in 3 years.... so they take more now that will balance out later. This is for one of the top 3 goal scorers in the game. That’s worth something. Just as it happened with Eichel, a year or two goes by and a bunch of other guys are around that number making Matthews look really good again. Watch and see... Most adults aren’t so short sighted.


I can’t even take your homer nonsense seriously. If anyone is being dishonest and lacks objectivity, it’s the guy suggesting the Leafs brought in Tavares because Matthews couldn’t handle being a 1C... You can’t even say that without laughing.

As I thought, your post offers no counter arguments for Matthews needing to be sheltered. Other than childish laughing, because you have no counter argument.

As for the contracts, Eichel's should even out and be good value in about 5 years. Leaving 3 years where he should provide better value against his contract.

Whereas by the time Matthews produces to the level worthy of his contract, it will be about 5 years and by then he'll be ready to gouge his next team on a new contract.

I know I'm wasting my time explaining this to you as you have shown you're not interested in being objective. Everyone here, according to you, needs to agree that all Leaf players are the BeSt EvArR, or they are Leaf haters.

 

[sparxx87]

As I thought, your post offers no counter arguments for Matthews needing to be sheltered. Other than childish laughing, because you have no counter argument.

As for the contracts, Eichel's should even out and be good value in about 5 years. Leaving 3 years where he should provide better value against his contract.

Whereas by the time Matthews produces to the level worthy of his contract, it will be about 5 years and by then he'll be ready to gouge his next team on a new contract.

I know I'm wasting my time explaining this to you as you have shown you're not interested in being objective. Everyone here, according to you, needs to agree that all Leaf players are the BeSt EvArR, or they are Leaf haters.

Oh bless your little heart. I wouldn’t offer you a counter argument if you’re arguing ‘grass isn’t green’, or the ‘sky isn’t blue’... read into that whatever you’d like. Lol

Serious question; if the Oilers weren’t fizzling right now, do you think you might spend more time talking about them? Do you think that subconsciously, you’re unhappy with where your team is at and think it might make you feel better to come dump on someone you don’t like, whose experiencing success? ... Do you feel better?

The interesting thing about human behaviour is that so much of it is subconscious and very easily interpreted.

 

[biotk]

The Leafs brought in Tavares because they didn't think Matthews could handle 1C duties on his own. Eichel doesn't need that.

This is easily the stupidest argument I have ever seen on this board. Buffalo would have loved to have signed Tavares, but they were not one of the teams that Tavares agreed to have an interview with.

 

[DickSmehlik]

In terms of players, slight edge to Matthews. Eichel is the better play maker, Matthews the better goal scorer and the latter gets the nod.

In terms of contract, I get Eichel for cheaper and 2 more years, so I voted for him.

 

[authentic]

I guess it's just that Eichel scores more on a worse team and doesn't need another high end center to shelter him. Plus, and I never thought I'd say this, Eichel has a much, much better contract.

Matthews has been a better offensive and defensive player every year since he's been in the league, including this year, with or without Tavares. Must be nice living in fantasy land.

 

[authentic]

Sad little thread. After two years of being proved Matthews is better now someone is hoping an extra 1.5 mil will make people say Eichel is better. Seriously.

It's Matthews.

The funny thing is the majority are taking Eichel too. It's ridiculous that now somehow saving a million in cap space is more advantageous than taking the clearly better player.

 

[Royal Thunder]

The funny thing is the majority are taking Eichel too. It's ridiculous that now somehow saving a million in cap space is more advantageous than taking the clearly better player.

That's where you're getting off track. They're very close even if you prefer one over the other, and Leaf fans get extremely defensive when you even suggest that.

 

[authentic]

That's where you're getting off track. They're very close even if you prefer one over the other, and Leaf fans get extremely defensive when you even suggest that.

Clearly does not mean not close, just as 99 is clearly more than 96.

 

[ESH]

I always liked Eichel better as a prospect, so I’d take him considering he’s locked up for longer for slightly less.

 

[BlueBaron]

That's where you're getting off track. They're very close even if you prefer one over the other, and Leaf fans get extremely defensive when you even suggest that.

It's not defensiveness, it's exasperation. Leaf fans spent 2 years fending off Sabre fans who kept wanting to compare Eichel one year ahead to Matthews claiming he was better. Last year they packed it in when Matthews was established as a point a game and they shifted to Dahlin is going to be better.

No team gets more comparisons, more criticism, or endure more stupidity (like offer sheets from Arizona) than Leaf fans do. What you are hearing is that snippiness of having to prove the same thing again for the 100th time. Now we added a new wrinkle...cap hit. Why? Because people just can't talk enough about the Leafs or was this a burning question everyone needed to discuss?

Buffalo is rival and friendly competition is good and all but the constant comparisons do get tiring. Most of us like a lot of players on Buffalo and I am a huge Eichel supporter but how about giving Matthews a break?

 

[filinski77]

It’s interesting to think of their cap hits:

Next 5 years, Matthews costs $1.6mil more a year

Year 6/7, assuming a $2m/year cap increase, and Matthews resigns for 15% of the cap (a tiny bit more than he just signed for), that would be 2 years of Matthews costing ~$3.5 million more.

I believe Matthews is better than Eichel, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think Matthews edge is that significant when considering the contracts.

 

[Mattilaus]

I am on record multiple times saying Matthews is the superior player, but he is not so much better that I take him for 1.6 more per year and 3 years less. Voted Eichel. All contract issues being equal I would take Matthews but things aren't equal.

 

[Mattilaus]

It's not defensiveness, it's exasperation. Leaf fans spent 2 years fending off Sabre fans who kept wanting to compare Eichel one year ahead to Matthews claiming he was better. Last year they packed it in when Matthews was established as a point a game and they shifted to Dahlin is going to be better.

No team gets more comparisons, more criticism, or endure more stupidity (like offer sheets from Arizona) than Leaf fans do. What you are hearing is that snippiness of having to prove the same thing again for the 100th time. Now we added a new wrinkle...cap hit. Why? Because people just can't talk enough about the Leafs or was this a burning question everyone needed to discuss?

Buffalo is rival and friendly competition is good and all but the constant comparisons do get tiring. Most of us like a lot of players on Buffalo and I am a huge Eichel supporter but how about giving Matthews a break?

Wait, I'm sorry what? You seem to have remembered this backwards. Sabres fans weren't constantly the ones making threads asking if Matthews would have gone 2nd after McDavid had he gone the draft one year earlier and we certainly weren't the ones making the majority of the threads comparing the two. I am going to assume you are being genuine and just misremembering or simply don't remember the sheer amount of threads created by leafs touting how much better Matthews was because it was literally backwards from what you are describing.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Matthews is the better and more complete player, no question.

Eichel has the better contract term wise, no question.

What's more important? You choose.