So why exactly is MacKinnon better than Matthews again?

[WetcoastOrca]

i think a player being hands down better at every comparable year.... and then scoring 21 more goals this year. Tells us at least something?

It tells us that Matthews is the better goal scorer. Period. Nothing else
Players develop at different paces. The NHL is full of examples like this. The Sedins, Draisaitl, Kucherov etc. Henrik Sedin, for example, had 42 points in his fourth year. Should we assume that another player with say 60 points in his fourth year will automatically go on to win the Art Ross and Hart trophy and have a better career?
It's flawed logic to assume linear development. Right now Mack is the better player. Could Matthews catch him? Possibly but he still needs to show that.

 

[Grifter3511]

i think a player being hands down better at every comparable year.... and then scoring 21 more goals this year. Tells us at least something?

That Matthews has the potential to be better but currently isn't?

Value of goals vs assists has been argued to death already in this thread but at the end of the day MacKinnon is involved in his team scoring more goals than Matthews is.

 

[kingpest19]

i think a player being hands down better at every comparable year.... and then scoring 21 more goals this year. Tells us at least something?

He's for sure a better goal scorer but that doesn't mean he's the better player. Despite him scoring more goals this year he still only managed having one point more in four more games. Then add in their playoff history and it's easy to see why people pick MacKinnon

 

[drktmplr12]

so why exactly is mcdavid better than mackinnon again?

because he is.

the end.

 

[King Woodballs]

Simply because he is

 

[Tripod]

Should be obvious.

Matthews has a career high of 80 points
MacKinnon has 3 seasons over 90 points

Mathews best playoffs is 6 pts in 5 games
Mackinnon has 3 playoffs better than Matthews best

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

i think a player being hands down better at every comparable year.... and then scoring 21 more goals this year. Tells us at least something?

Why are we comparing each player by respective years of their careers rather than what they are right now? The question isn't "who was a better player at age 21?". The question is who is a better player right now.

The only thing Matthews has on MacKinnon is goal scoring. MacKinnon's better at everything else. The only people who continue to argue otherwise are massive Leaf homers.

 

[Legion34]

Why are we comparing each player by respective years of their careers rather than what they are right now? The question isn't "who was a better player at age 21?". The question is who is a better player right now.

The only thing Matthews has on MacKinnon is goal scoring. MacKinnon's better at everything else. The only people who continue to argue otherwise are massive Leaf homers.

Well if we are arguing right now.
Then Matthews is better?

21 more goals in 4 less games. Nominated for Lindsey. Hart. Won rocket.

Matthews was better this season

 

[Legion34]

Should be obvious.

Matthews has a career high of 80 points
MacKinnon has 3 seasons over 90 points

Mathews best playoffs is 6 pts in 5 games
Mackinnon has 3 playoffs better than Matthews best

Bahahah Matthews could literally stop playing hockey for 2 years and still have more goals than mack at the start of his 8th year.

 

[Tripod]

Bahahah Matthews could literally stop playing hockey for 2 years and still have more goals than mack at the start of his 8th year.

Good job MaKinnon is getting paid 6.3 million while Matthews is getting paid 11.6, then.

And Matthews might be 30 years old till he matches MacKinnons playoff points right now at age 25 if he keeps getting 5 or 6 every year.

You know, it's ok that Matthews is not as good as MacKinnon. It's doesn't make him bad.

 

[Legion34]

Good job MaKinnon is getting paid 6.3 million while Matthews is getting paid 11.6, then.

And Matthews might be 30 years old till he matches MacKinnons playoff points right now at age 25 if he keeps getting 5 or 6 every year.

You know, it's ok that Matthews is not as good as MacKinnon. It's doesn't make him bad.

matthews is getting paid that money because he is the best goal scorer in the league.

mackinnon is getting paid that money because he had Alex kerfoot like production and was in literal therapy due to his concerns he was a bust.

it’s great for him that he turned it around to be the 3rd best center in the league. But he is as close to Matthews as Matthews is to Mcdavid

 

[Tripod]

it’s great for him that he turned it around to be the 3rd best center in the league. But he is as close to Matthews as Matthews is to Mcdavid

That's impossible, because he is ahead of Matthews....2nd best.

 

[Syed Ammad rizvi]

That Matthews has the potential to be better but currently isn't?

Value of goals vs assists has been argued to death already in this thread but at the end of the day MacKinnon is involved in his team scoring more goals than Matthews is.

Is there a trophy in NHL for most assists in a season? I know there is for goal scoring. I think that should answer which is considered harder to do

 

[Grifter3511]

Is there a trophy in NHL for most assists in a season? I know there is for goal scoring. I think that should answer which is considered harder to do

Theres also an award for Most Gentlemanly Player. I guess that is more valuable than assists too.

 

[Syed Ammad rizvi]

Why are we comparing each player by respective years of their careers rather than what they are right now? The question isn't "who was a better player at age 21?". The question is who is a better player right now.

Matthews is better at an art that is toughest to do in the NHL. Actually the best right now. So he is better than mack

The only thing Matthews has on MacKinnon is goal scoring. MacKinnon's better at everything else. The only people who continue to argue otherwise are massive Leaf homers.

 

[Syed Ammad rizvi]

Theres also an award for Most Gentlemanly Player. I guess that is more valuable than assists too.

So now awards don't mean a thing.

 

[AllDay28]

Imagine thinking apples compare to goals. Hilarious. I can pass the puck to my talented friend and he can score. If he passes to me I won’t score. Finishing in hockey is the hardest thing to do.

 

[Grifter3511]

Imagine thinking apples compare to goals. Hilarious. I can pass the puck to my talented friend and he can score. If he passes to me I won’t score. Finishing in hockey is the hardest thing to do.

Are you aware that there is a thread on this very page titled, '90% of the goals in today's game are flukey b.s?'

You could also stand still beside the net and I could circle around the defense drawing everyone's attention and then put the puck perfectly on your stick. Happens all the time.

 

[Grifter3511]

So now awards don't mean a thing.

They mean exactly what they say. Rocket is for 'most goals scored' and that's it.

The Hart is for 'most valuable player to his team' although they should probably drop the last 3 words. Both Matthews and Mackinnon are nominated for that one. Care to look back through the past few years and see where each of them falls on the Hart voting list?

 

[Grifter3511]

Well if we are arguing right now.
Then Matthews is better?

21 more goals in 4 less games. Nominated for Lindsey. Hart. Won rocket.

Matthews was better this season

How recent do you want to get? Cause if we are arguing right now, Mackinnon had the better playoffs, when he games meant something. We could go on all day.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Are you aware that there is a thread on this very page titled, '90% of the goals in today's game are flukey b.s?'

You could also stand still beside the net and I could circle around the defense drawing everyone's attention and then put the puck perfectly on your stick. Happens all the time.

That thread is based on an incorrect and nonsense premise. If 90 % of goals were flukey BS, a player like Matthews would not be near the top of the goal scoring chart every year. It's silly.

 

[JBear]

If you were a GM and had to fantasy draft your team who would be your first pick of the decision was between the two? Mine would be MacKinnon. More dynamic and better cap hit. Even without the salary I'd still pick Mac.

 

[PB37]

I generally prefer goal scorers when it's close between two players. But while Matthews is the superior goal scorer, Mack is no slouch himself, capable of 40 goals while being more of a playmaking threat. It's also been shown that he's the harder of the two to contain in the playoffs, where Matthews is merely average while Mack shines.

 

[TeddyBare]

and 9 years of “ain’t won shit”.

Beats Matthews who and aint contributed Sh&t or won Sh&t

 

[Jeremy2020]

We haven't seen Matthews play in the playoffs yet so is it really a fair comparison?