Realistically, Which Calibre Of Centre Will Matthews Become?

[ACC1224]

He'll be the leagues 2nd best center, classify that how you like.

 

[gamer1035]

M

Kopitar has a 92 point season, Matthews career high is 69 so far.

Matthews is PPG in 62 games, add in playoffs and now he's on a 75pt pace. All is takes is a small slump to ruin his "PPG pace".

Kopitar has also played on an awful offensive team while being a top 3 defensive forward.

Someday I expect Matthews to be as good as Kopitar, but that hasn't happened yet.

Matthews is already better. In the future, probably starting next year, it won't even be close.

I don't care what an anti leafs Homer has to say about it.

Matthews will be competing for the 2nd best player in the league on a yearly basis starting next year.

 

[sufferer]

He'll be the leagues 2nd best center, classify that how you like.

[mod]

I see him as a better player than prime Toews. Near Malkin level impact, just lacks that otherworldly gamebreaking ability.

 

[biotk]

Also, according to Mike Johnson, he was 2nd in defensive plays per game behind Bergeron last season. Not sure what that entails exactly or where he gets his stats from, but he said that on TV.

I have seen an article showing plays away from the puck - it was an article about Tavares as he headed into free agency - and among the players shown, Matthews was either first or second (to Bergeron) in every category. Loose puck recoveries (in the OZ, DZ and NZ), pass blocks, shot blocks, stick checks. If you added the categories up, Matthews came a sliver behind Bergeron, with both far ahead of the others. I don't know how inclusive the data set was, and it only showed six players (and I found a couple more in another article bringing the total up to around ten). I assume it is a private data set. I also don't know if it was the same data set or the same categories as Mike Johnson used (I doubt it as the totals were different). Doesn't matter as these stats are not public (or at least I have never been able to find them).

However, I have said before that at even strength Auston Matthews blocked the third most shots per game last year among forwards (behind Boone Jenner and Tom Pyatt). No other high end forwards anywhere near. The closest were Kopitar and Wheeler. Matthews blocked 50% more.

Compared to the other young offensive stars he is on a different level defensively. This shouldn't surprise anyone who actually watches him play.

 

[Schenn]

Competing with Barkov and maybe Eichel as the number 2 center of his generation.

 

[inthewings]

Giroux/Kopitar/Lecavalier level

 

[FalcorMulch]

Did we ever get an explanation how a defensive play per game is measured?

Is it like a grasping at straws metric like loose puck retrieval’s?

I think they described it on air and it was a catch all for a few different things. IIRC it included blocked shots, takeaways, pass interceptions, and won puck battles in the D-zone maybe.

 

[Sol]

I actually agree with the first few posts. He will be like Carter. When it's said and done he will be a solid top 18-22

 

[Kelly]

2nd best in the league in due time.

I actually agree with the first few posts. He will be like Carter. When it's said and done he will be a solid top 18-22

18-22 in the league in terms of center?

Lol he's already much higher than that.

 

[Bonzo111]

Not sure, but he's a treat to watch. So smart in every zone. Just keeps getting better.

 

[Bonzo111]

He's the type of Calibre that will help the coyotes challenge for a playoff spot and be seen as a dark horse contender in a few years time.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Probably Sakic/Yzerman territory. His rookie/sophomore seasons are already Sundin/Tavares level. No way he's already peaked.

 

[MXD]

He realistically might become exactly what he actually is.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Probably Sakic/Yzerman territory. His rookie/sophomore seasons are already Sundin/Tavares level. No way he's already peaked.

Maybe if you did not actually watch Sakic or Yzerman play. This is insanity, Yzerman especially in the late 80's was seen as the third best player behind Gretzky and Lemieux.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Probably Sakic/Yzerman territory. His rookie/sophomore seasons are already Sundin/Tavares level. No way he's already peaked.

I should hope he hasn’t peaked yet.
69 points would be pretty disappointing for a first overall pick even if he was injured part of the year.
He’s got a long long way to go before he should be even mentioned with greats like Sakic or Yzerman.

 

[Bonzo111]

I should hope he hasn’t peaked yet.
69 points would be pretty disappointing for a first overall pick even if he was injured part of the year.
He’s got a long long way to go before he should be even mentioned with greats like Sakic or Yzerman.

he missed a quarter of the season....not sure why people are hung on on that point total

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

He'll lead the league in threads per season.

 

[Bonzo111]

He'll lead the league in threads per season.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

he missed a quarter of the season....not sure why people are hung on on that point total

Ok then he had a point per game for three quarters of a season. And didn’t do much in the playoffs. His defensive play is good not great. If that’s his peak that’s pretty disappointing for a first overall. Of course he hasn’t peaked. No one has said he has. It’s just premature to say he likely ends up as good as the greats like Yzerman or Sakic. Not that I think that’ll stop some from predicting that.

 

[Bonzo111]

Ok then he had a point per game for three quarters of a season. And didn’t do much in the playoffs. His defensive play is good not great. If that’s his peak that’s pretty disappointing for a first overall.

why would that be his peak?

 

[Bonzo111]

who peaks in their second year lol

 

[Paperbagofglory]

who peaks in their second year lol

Mcdavid? Crosby? Ovechkin? Malkin? Gretzky, Lemieux? Orr?

Should i go on?

 

[WetcoastOrca]

why would that be his peak?

I never said it was.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Glad to see we finally have an Auston Matthews thread on HF.

 

[Bonzo111]

Mcdavid? Crosby? Ovechkin? Malkin? Gretzky, Lemieux? Orr?

Should i go on?

the heck are you talking about lol?