Is McDavid, Matthews, MacKinnon the new Big Three?

[Voodoo Child]

Auston Matthews and Sons.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Why are Matthews and MacKinnon there but Scheifele isn't? Scheifele is better than both and barely older than MacKinnon. Some people are forgetting the playoffs and putting way too much stock in the first few games of the season

Scheif is good but he's simply not on the level of the other 3.


And it's not too much stock in the first few games of the season. McDavid has B2B 100+ point seasons. Mackinnon just put up 97, and now has 7 goals in 6 games to start this year off.


The only one who's maybe being given too much stock for a hot start is Matthews. But when you score 10 goals in 7 games and at least 2 points in every game, it's probably fair to assume he's well on his way to joining the other two at the top of the league.

 

[Jeti]

Lol that's adorable.

Scheifele had 20 points in the playoffs last year. I tried to look up Matthews and MacKinnon but I gave up scrolling down that far in the list of leading scorers.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Why are Matthews and MacKinnon there but Scheifele isn't? Scheifele is better than both and barely older than MacKinnon. Some people are forgetting the playoffs and putting way too much stock in the first few games of the season

Because Scheifele is old as **** and took too long to become even remotely relevant.

 

[who_me?]

 

[hockeeyyy]

Scheifele is an excellent centre, no doubt about it. But to suggest he's on par with Matthews or MacKinnon is pretty funny. I'm going to assume RedBar is referring to Scheifele's 2016-17 season, in which he produced 82 points in 79 games. A very good season for any first line centre. And the following season, a decent 60 points in 60 games.

But he's not on the offensive brilliant levels of Matthews or MacKinnon. In fact, I could probably reference a few offensive stats here:

Matthews: 40 HDGF / 16 HDGA; 553 SCF / 479 SCA; 63 GF / 31 GA
MacKinnon: 33 HDGF / 23 HDGA; 553 SCF / 516 SCA; 64 GF / 47 GA
Scheifele: 24 HDGF / 18 HDGA; 453 SCF / 398 SCA; 48 GF / 35 GA

The offensive gap between Matthews and MacKinnon vs. Scheifele is pretty wide. Defensively, Scheifele seems to have a better handle on things, but the interesting thing about Scheifele's numbers is that he's given up a lot of goals at evens compared to Matthews, who had two more games played last season. The even strength gap between Matthews and the other two is huge as well.

This doesn't even include the power play.

I think Scheifele deserves mention as one of the top-ten centres in the league, maybe top-15, but he can't carry the jockstraps of Matthews or MacKinnon. At all.

 

[jvcjdudu jcycyxjene]

Scheifele had 20 points in the playoffs last year. I tried to look up Matthews and MacKinnon but I gave up scrolling down that far in the list of leading scorers.

Lol both Mack and Matthews only played in 1 series you homer.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Why are Matthews and MacKinnon there but Scheifele isn't? Scheifele is better than both and barely older than MacKinnon. Some people are forgetting the playoffs and putting way too much stock in the first few games of the season

Scheifele is 2 and a half years older than Mackinnon. He’s almost 4 years older than McDavid. Mackinnon is closer to Mcdavids age than Scheifele is to Mackinnon.

Also lol @ saying people are putting stock into a small sample to start the season and instead they should use the small sample at the end of last season

 

[hockeeyyy]

Last ~90 games in MacKinnon’s case.

MacKinnon is one of those rare players who seems to mirror much of what McDavid can do, but at a slightly lower level of play.

Matthews is a completely different player than those two, but it stands to reason that MacKinnon probably deserves mention as one of the leagues next big three.

 

[Jeti]

Because Scheifele is old as **** and took too long to become even remotely relevant.

MacKinnon took a long time to establish himself too.

 

[Pucklington]

Big 1 you mean...

McDavid.

 

[Jeti]

Scheifele is 2 and a half years older than Mackinnon. He’s almost 4 years older than McDavid. Mackinnon is closer to Mcdavids age than Scheifele is to Mackinnon.

Also lol @ saying people are putting stock into a small sample to start the season and instead they should use the small sample at the end of last season

The playoffs are a little more important than the first few games of the season though

 

[WetcoastOrca]

No. There is no big three. There’s McDavid and then there’s the rest in whatever order you prefer.
Two straight Art Ross trophies and probably a third if he stays healthy. Been a while since we’ve seen that.

 

[Jeti]

Lol both Mack and Matthews only played in 1 series you homer.

I wasn't sure the Leafs made the playoffs because I couldn't find Matthews name anywhere on the leading scorers list. MacKinnon put up good numbers in his one series though. Seriously, how did Matthews do?

 

[Brobust]

It's funny because Timberlake was pretty clearly the 2nd most talented one.

Success matters more.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

McDavid is in his own tier.

 

[jvcjdudu jcycyxjene]

I wasn't sure the Leafs made the playoffs because I couldn't find Matthews name anywhere on the leading scorers list. MacKinnon put up good numbers in his one series though. Seriously, how did Matthews do?

Matthews is better than the whole Jets roster combined. No one has more grace, raw talent, and pur3 skill than him (except for McDavid on some nights)

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

im actually surprised that there is crying about Scheifele and not Laine.

 

[Jeti]

Matthews is better than the whole Jets roster combined. No one has more grace, raw talent, and pur3 skill than him (except for McDavid on some nights)

Maybe in preseason. Matthews chokes under pressure.

 

[sharks9]

There's no 3. There's a big 1, then everybody else is in different tiers.

 

[ricky0034]

McDavid is pretty much the god everyone used to hype Crosby up as except instead of relying on pace he actually consistently does it in reality too

 

[hilarnat]

McAustoninnon

I'm very sorry of how I'm gonna say it but you need a D in there to make it credible.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Matthews insane start is shadowing MacKinnons not quite as insane but still insane start. 7 goals in the first 6 games.

 

[Westcoastsniper]

If MacKinnon or Matthews actually challenges McDavid for the Ross by end of season, I can see it happening.

 

[jvcjdudu jcycyxjene]

Maybe in preseason. Matthews chokes under pressure.

Yeah, we'll see who's choking when "All-World" Auston lifts the silver this upcoming summer.