Patrick Kane vs Auston Matthews

[CokenoPepsi]

Holy bump, Batman.

But yeah, it getting harder and harder to see Matthews passing Kane...he just doesn't have that killer instinct.

It not always his fault but alot of the time it is

 

[TS Quint]

If Matthews never wins a Cup it's Kane. No one is going to care about the exciting games Matthews provides in December. But Matthews has a lot of runway left. I doubt him as much as anyone but It would take an astounding amount of mental weakness for Matthews never figure it out in the playoffs.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Kane first 8 seasons in the NHL, 2008-2015: 3 Cups, 5 Conference Final appearances, 16 series wins
Matthews first 8 seasons in the NHL, 2017-2024: 0 Cups, 0 Conference Final appearances, 1 series win

Enough said

At the same individually:

Kane - 1 Calder, 1 Conn Smythe

Matthews - 1 Calder, 3 Richards, 1 Hart

 

[DamonDRW]

How is that even a question? One is a winner another one is regular season star.

 

[Skolman]

If Matthews never wins a Cup it's Kane. No one is going to care about the exciting games Matthews provides in December. But Matthews has a lot of runway left. I doubt him as much as anyone but It would take an astounding amount of mental weakness for Matthews never figure it out in the playoffs.

I don't even think it's necessary about that, but he at least has to be dominant in the playoffs... which he hasn't been

 

[TS Quint]

I don't even think it's necessary about that, but he at least has to be dominant in the playoffs... which he hasn't been

3-0 in Cups doesn't win the competition a good playoff means nothing.

 

[DitchMarner]

Matthews is more talented and the better season player, but Kane's legacy is superior.

If anything Matthews talent hurts him considering how bad he has been in the playoffs.

His g/60 goes from BY FAR the GOAT at 2/60 to 33 at 1.2 in the playoffs, it's simply inexcusable. Kane has basically played 90%+ of his career and is at 1.1 or the same as his season production, that's insane considering there is an outside chance that Matthews may statistically go down as the greatest goal scorer ever and he is barely outscoring Kane's entire career in the playoffs while he is in his prime.

Great players show up and Matthews hasn't done that, not only that but unlike Kane he has prioritized money over everything and is part of a rotten culture.

I'm a Leafs fan but if I know everything I do about both of them and I could take 1 as a rookie, I'd take Kane, as I said not because he is the more talented player, but because he:
1.Performs in the playoffs
2.Doesn't try and rake your team over the coals for every last dollar

Is Matthews really more talented?

When it comes to shooting, obviously he is. But what about puck carrying, passing, playmaking?

I'm not certain that he is more talented overall. I do think he's a better all-around player, but Kane is better all-time as of now and he is better in the playoffs.

 

[KevinRedkey]

Matthews is on pace to be the better regular season player, but his lack of playoff success is so atrocious, that it'll be held against him (rightfully so) if it continues. Only time will tell.

 

[GoldenKnight]

Kane was better at his peak, and can actually (still) get it done in the postseason.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Matthews has a shot, definitely, but he's gotta do something in the Playoffs. 3 Rockets definitely matters, and if he gets more, that definitely matters even more so. Those 3 Cups as a big money performer go a long way for Kane. I fully agree Cups are a team award but I don't think Matthews has risen to the occasion to date, it's not like he's played on a crap team.

 

[HabsQC]

Kane's goal tops everything Matthews did so far. Let's see the 2nd half of Auston's career now

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Kane. Not close.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Is Matthews really more talented?

When it comes to shooting, obviously he is. But what about puck carrying, passing, playmaking?

I'm not certain that he is more talented overall. I do think he's a better all-around player, but Kane is better all-time as of now and he is better in the playoffs.

That's basically it. Matthews is the superior goal scorer, but Kane's better at creating chances for his linemates.

And unlike Matthews, Kane actually produces in the playoffs.

 

[wetcoast]

I think people here are putting way too much emphasis on the playoffs here and sure Kane has a definite edge but let's not pretend that the current Leafs the last 8 seasons would have had any more success with Kane to make a difference.

AM is the much much better goalscorer and actually brings something to the table defensively and we will see how he ages but he is only a little over 100 goals behind Kane right now and obviously will trail him in points for some time.

But I'm still betting that AM has a decent chance of being as good as Kane all time if one uses the usual parameters for judging players, the over emphasis on playoffs here is beyond extreme in mnay people's take's and I doubt they do that with every player.

Also the poll results are basically from after the 21 season and AM has the 60 and 69 goal season, A Hart and a Selke top 3 finish (even if one thinks that's generous to AM he is still miles better than Kane in terms of a 2 way game) and he has also been a bit better in the playoffs in the last 3 years as well.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Fair or not, postseason matters. It's not even close in that department.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

If Matthews becomes the all-time leading goal scorer like he's currently on pace to do then it has to be him, if he doesn't and never wins a cup it will be Kane. Simple.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Kane first 8 seasons in the NHL, 2008-2015: 3 Cups, 5 Conference Final appearances, 16 series wins
Matthews first 8 seasons in the NHL, 2017-2024: 0 Cups, 0 Conference Final appearances, 1 series win

Enough said

It's almost like the Blackhawks are a better organization that had better players to surround Kane with. Kane plays for us in any of the last 8 years and we don't win shit either.

 

[2for1PizzaPastuh]

this is actually Kane AINEC

 

[Buck Naked]

It's almost like the Blackhawks are a better organization that had better players to surround Kane with. Kane plays for us in any of the last 8 years and we don't win shit either.

Kane's most common linemates usually looked something like this during those years:

PATRICK KANE - BRAD RICHARDS - KRIS VERSTEEG
MICHAL HANDZUS - PATRICK KANE - KRIS VERSTEEG
DAVE BOLLAND - PATRICK KANE - PATRICK SHARP

I mean, Toronto should probably have some talent to at least compete with Dave Bolland and Michal Handzus. It's not about the talent around him, he was just a player who could step up when i mattered and he always made the players around him a lot better. Some players got that skill, Matthews is not one of them.

 

[Spawn]

If Matthews never wins a Cup it's Kane. No one is going to care about the exciting games Matthews provides in December. But Matthews has a lot of runway left. I doubt him as much as anyone but It would take an astounding amount of mental weakness for Matthews never figure it out in the playoffs.

I don’t think Matthews even needs to win a cup. But he is going to need to have some dominant playoff performances.

He’s never come close to taking over a series.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

I don’t think Matthews even needs to win a cup. But he is going to need to have some dominant playoff performances.

He’s never come close to taking over a series.

He'd have to I think.

I feel Kane is getting a bit punished here by playing in a lower scoring era yet he should still finish his career with 1500 points.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Kane easily. Matthews has to wear some of his team’s systemic playoff failure, just like Kane gets credit for some of their playoff success.

 

[Regal]

Kane's most common linemates usually looked something like this during those years:

PATRICK KANE - BRAD RICHARDS - KRIS VERSTEEG
MICHAL HANDZUS - PATRICK KANE - KRIS VERSTEEG
DAVE BOLLAND - PATRICK KANE - PATRICK SHARP

I mean, Toronto should probably have some talent to at least compete with Dave Bolland and Michal Handzus. It's not about the talent around him, he was just a player who could step up when i mattered and he always made the players around him a lot better. Some players got that skill, Matthews is not one of them.

Kane’s ability to produce with weaker linemates was a big part of those teams (though he was with Toews a lot until the second cup), but he was also able to take on lesser matchups due to the Toews line and the bottom 6. I don’t think Matthews lacks the ability to make lesser players better. His line was good with Bertuzzi and Domi down the stretch and he’s had success with Kapanen, Brown and Johnsson in the past. Obviously he needs to also do it in the playoffs, but the Leafs don’t have a Toews line (they could but their other stars haven’t been good enough), or the defense those teams had. Even if Matthews was playing like the regular season or Kane was playing like he did in the playoffs in his place, I don’t think the Leafs would be able to win a cup with how the rest of the team has performed.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Is Matthews really more talented?

When it comes to shooting, obviously he is. But what about puck carrying, passing, playmaking?

I'm not certain that he is more talented overall. I do think he's a better all-around player, but Kane is better all-time as of now and he is better in the playoffs.

I'm never sure that "talent" means much more than someone who would dominate in a skills competition or make a better subject for a highlight reel.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

As of their 26 year old seasons:

Patrick Kane had:

1 Cup-winning OT goal
1 Conference Final winning Double-OT goal
1 Second round winning OT goal
1 First round series-tying OT goal
2 playoff hat tricks (both in Conference finals winning games)

Auston Matthews had:

1 Qualifying round series-tying OT goal (2020 play-ins) (TOR lost the series)
0 playoff hat tricks