World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team North America (Part II)

[snipes]

The hyperbole in all directions.... And the amount of things called "unreal" around here suggest most posters live under a rock somewhere.

Team NA looks great. Will be fun to see where they stand once they play the big boys.

The speed and pace are undeniable. I expect them to struggle against SWE and their D.

They'll also likely struggle with the physicality against USA or Canada if they play them. They are still massive underdogs, but I don't know how a person could watch those games and not come away in awe. The speed and pace throughout the entire lineup is incredible.

Another thing, they are young and prone to high highs and low lows (think amped up World Junior team). If they make too many mistakes, they could easily get dominated. But everything clicks right, they can beat any team in this tournament in a single game.

 

[Daniels45]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

 

[Raymoondo]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

I'd say he's around a Galchenyuk type generational talent.

 

[Daniels45]

I'd say he's around a Galchenyuk type generational talent.

Your being sarcastic. Galchenyuk was selected 3rd over all in a draft that wasnt known to being that great. Oh wait...ok some would say that had he not been injured(Knee), he would of been selected first overall. Mathews was selected first over all in one that was very deep. Or maybe your being serious LOL I dunno...havnt really followed Matthews so I dont have much to go on except people saying he could be as good as Mcdavid.

Anyways...I think the term generational talent has been over used on players that I feel dont deserve it. Generational to me are guys like Gretzsky, Lemieux and Selane. You know the guys that burn the record books in every league since peewee.

 

[Le Golie]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

He is absolutely not in Mario Lemieux's neighbourhood.

If he works really hard and develops properly, he has a pretty decent chance of being mentioned in the same breathe as the second group you named.

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

Oh you HFboards posters ^

 

[BWDude]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

That first name you mentioned... Even McDavid isn't at the Mario Lemieux type generational talent. You're talking a guy in contention for the best player of ALL TIME.

Now the second echelon that you have should be just Ovechkin, which would probably be Matthews highest of high peaks. The third level of Kane, Toews and Tavares is a much more reasonable prime upside.

 

[Irishguy42]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

 

[Daniels45]

That first name you mentioned... Even McDavid isn't at the Mario Lemieux type generational talent. You're talking a guy in contention for the best player of ALL TIME.

Now the second echelon that you have should be just Ovechkin, which would probably be Matthews highest of high peaks. The third level of Kane, Toews and Tavares is a much more reasonable prime upside.

Yeah I agree with you. Lemieux is on another level. So lets put them into generatioanl type 1 though 3. Lemieux being a type 1, Ovechkin a type 2 and Kain, tavares and Toews a type 3. Would that be a better way of summerizing it? I ask about Mathews cause I really dont know where his potential is in relation to those groups.

 

[Daniels45]

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

That first name you mentioned... Even McDavid isn't at the Mario Lemieux type generational talent. You're talking a guy in contention for the best player of ALL TIME.

Now the second echelon that you have should be just Ovechkin, which would probably be Matthews highest of high peaks. The third level of Kane, Toews and Tavares is a much more reasonable prime upside.

Getting back to the term "generational" ... if we define it as once in a generation and we reduce the length of a generation to a meager 5 years. The generational talent should be the best talent across a 5 year window. Not one of the best (or better), but the best.... And that has to be widely and generally accepted.

So Gretzky has arguably caused Lemieux to not be considered Generational. Because over a stretch of 5 contiguous years in Lemieux's best years, He was not undeniably better than Gretzky and everyone else every year in that same window.

So to call McDavid before he even played in the NHL generational and to have Lemieux not be generational is kind of ridiculous... Scrap the term it has no meaning.

 

[Daniels45]

Listen Lemieux is my favourite player of all time and I really believe he is the best pure offensive talent I have ever watched play the game. To me that is what being generational is all about. So Ive read a few posts mentioning Matthews and generational talent in the same sentence so I started thinking that maybe I missed something about this player ;-)

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

Maybe not Lemieux but definitely somewhere between Jagr and Lindros.

 

[snipes]

Well, we were progressing towards reasonable analysis of this team and starting to build unity.

Can we avoid the madhouse?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Very impressive young elite talent on this team NA.

Love Ekblad he is going to the top of the heap for sure.

Johnny Gaudreau is just a treat to watch. He can dangle , has vision, can score.

McDavid speed to kill. I think they should play Larkin with him and just get him to find a lane turn on the after burners and keep his stick on the ice going to the net.

Drouin had a bit better game ... Waiting for him to do something really special . He has it in him.

 

[Daniels45]

Well, we were progressing towards reasonable analysis of this team and starting to build unity.

Can we avoid the madhouse?

Still pissed Galchenyuk isnt on this team. Would of loved to see him spread his wings on a team like this and show all his potential for once. After last season he deserved to be on it, much more than players who are yet to prove their worth in the NHL.

 

[snipes]

Very impressive young elite talent on this team NA.

Love Ekblad he is going to the top of the heap for sure.

Johnny Gaudreau is just a treat to watch. He can dangle , has vision, can score.

McDavid speed to kill. I think they should play Larkin with him and just get him to find a lane turn on the after burners and keep his stick on the ice going to the net.

Drouin had a bit better game ... Waiting for him to do something really special . He has it in him.

Ekblad is going to be relied on to play heavy minutes. I could see him in a big game hitting 30 mins.

Johnny just always finds ways to put up points at every level he plays at, he's a wizard out there. Excellent vision, teams will have to take notice of him or he will make them pay.

Yeah Larkin could be a good matchup with McDavid because he can fly up the ice, Scheifele needs to be on McDavids wing. McDavid plays best with big power wingers that can win puck battles, control the cycle, and drive the net. Power forwards open up time and space for him, and with his vision that extra bit of space makes a huge difference.

I thought Drouin looked good. Nuge-MacKinnon seem to have serious chemistry and will likely remain together all tournament. I liked that line, they were buzzing all night.

How about Parayko? What a stud. At 6'5 225+ pounds, his size and fluid skating are needed. He was a beast on the PK, no way he's coming out of the lineup. Love what he brings.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Is Matthews anywhere close to a Mario Lemieux type generational talent ? Or is he more in the lower echelon of types like Kain, Toews, Tavares, Ovechkin?

Matthews is no where close to Lemieux and he never will be.

 

[Daniels45]

Matthews is no where close to Lemieux and he never will be.

Thats what I thought. So hes a type 2 or 3 ? 2 being a Ovechkin, Crosby type and 3 being a Kain, Toews or Tavares type.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Ekblad is going to be relied on to play heavy minutes. I could see him in a big game hitting 30 mins.

Johnny just always finds ways to put up points at every level he plays at, he's a wizard out there. Excellent vision, teams will have to take notice of him or he will make them pay.

Yeah Larkin could be a good matchup with McDavid because he can fly up the ice, Scheifele needs to be on McDavids wing. McDavid plays best with big power wingers that can win puck battles, control the cycle, and drive the net. Power forwards open up time and space for him, and with his vision that extra bit of space makes a huge difference.

I thought Drouin looked good. Nuge-MacKinnon seem to have serious chemistry and will likely remain together all tournament. I liked that line, they were buzzing all night.

How about Parayko? What a stud. At 6'5 225+ pounds, his size and fluid skating are needed. He was a beast on the PK, no way he's coming out of the lineup. Love what he brings.

Maybe Eichel can play that role with McDavid.
It would be cool to see
Matthews McDavid Eichel as well and move Johnny with Scheifele and Saad. I don't think it would hurt that line at all.

Parayko is really good. Liked him the playoffs last year. Blues have some D.

Agree Drouin RNH MacKinnon is looking like a really good line. They are all so smart.

 

[Daniels45]

Getting back to the term "generational" ... if we define it as once in a generation and we reduce the length of a generation to a meager 5 years. The generational talent should be the best talent across a 5 year window. Not one of the best (or better), but the best.... And that has to be widely and generally accepted.

So Gretzky has arguably caused Lemieux to not be considered Generational. Because over a stretch of 5 contiguous years in Lemieux's best years, He was not undeniably better than Gretzky and everyone else every year in that same window.

So to call McDavid before he even played in the NHL generational and to have Lemieux not be generational is kind of ridiculous... Scrap the term it has no meaning.

I think per games played, Lemieux has a higher % of points scored per game and per shot. The only reasons Lemieux didnt beat Gretzsky's record was due to injuries AND the team he had around him. Incert Lemieux in that Oilers team instead of WG and those numbers would been off the charts or more off the charts than they all rdy are. Anyways it doesnt really matter. Both these players were the best Ive ever seen play this amazing game called Hockey.

 

[mobizziness]

Thats what I thought. So hes a type 2 or 3 ? 2 being a Ovechkin, Crosby type and 3 being a Kain, Toews or Tavares type.

Lemieux was a different level of prospect, his potential at the same age was much higher than matthews and similar to mcdavd / lindros / crosby.

matthews would have been taken first overall in any draft of the last 10 years outside of mcdavid, would have contested tavares, at least on a prospect at that age level.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I think per games played, Lemieux has a higher % of points scored per game and per shot. The only reasons Lemieux didnt beat Gretzsky's record was due to injuries AND the team he had around him. Incert Lemieux in that Oilers team instead of WG and those numbers would been off the charts or more off the charts than they all rdy are. Anyways it doesnt really matter. Both these players were the best Ive ever seen play this amazing game called Hockey.

Wasn't my point but .... yah those 2 were truly amazing players. Orr wasn't too shabby himself.

 

[Avsblitzkrieg]

Mack having a good tournament. Emcouraging

 

[Daniels45]

Lemieux was a different level of prospect, his potential at the same age was much higher than matthews and similar to mcdavd / lindros / crosby.

matthews would have been taken first overall in any draft of the last 10 years outside of mcdavid, would have contested tavares, at least on a prospect at that age level.

Ok so for you Mathews is a lvl lower than a Mcdavid which you = to Crosby and Lindros. Then Matthews would be closer to a Toews type player ?