C Auston Matthews - ZSC Lions, NLA (2016 Draft) II

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This is the draft power forward types. Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Gauthier, Dubois, etc. When has a draft had better power forwards?

 

[ponder]

I agree with Ferrero Rocher. He didn't dominate the game like you'd think a "generational talent" could. It wasn't his best game. I think whats more impressive is that he can put up two points in a bad game.

Is anyone calling him a generational talent, though? I see him mostly being looked at as a solid 1st overall pick, not a generational talent. IMO the only guys in recent history who've had lots of "generational talent" hype pre-draft have been Crosby and McDavid. Next closest would probably by Tavares, but there were plenty of concerns/criticisms with him. Matthews' hype is more comparable to guys like Hall, Stamkos and MacKinnon - looks like a solid #1, but not a "once a decade" type player or anything like that, more of a mid-to-upper-mid level 1st overall pick. There's lots of comparisons to Eichel, and they're extremely different players, but I personally don't think Matthews is quite as strong a prospect. I do think both are going to be very good 1Cs, but I think Eichel will be the bigger star.

As for how he looked against Canada, I thought he looked great. Remember that he's a pre-draft player (who traditionally don't make huge impacts in the WJCs), going up against team Canada. I thought he was the best player in the game, and this was a game with lots of the top prospects in the world, many of them older than Matthews.

 

[stavs*]

I hope he ends up in AZ. The fans that have been loyal to that franchise deserve it.

and leaf fans get mcdavid....oh wait


I won't feel sorry for AZ at all if they don't get him.

 

[Roy Baby*]

and leaf fans get mcdavid....oh wait


I won't feel sorry for AZ at all if they don't get him.

Bad example. Interest in the leafs will never be an issue. AZ almost lost their team.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Maybe we'll trade that pick and one of our top prospects to Arizona for a defenseman who plays on our third pair when everyone is healthy?

Did you not see the ""?????

 

[keon]

Is anyone calling him a generational talent, though? I see him mostly being looked at as a solid 1st overall pick, not a generational talent. IMO the only guys in recent history who've had lots of "generational talent" hype pre-draft have been Crosby and McDavid. Next closest would probably by Tavares, but there were plenty of concerns/criticisms with him. Matthews' hype is more comparable to guys like Hall, Stamkos and MacKinnon - looks like a solid #1, but not a "once a decade" type player or anything like that, more of a mid-to-upper-mid level 1st overall pick. There's lots of comparisons to Eichel, and they're extremely different players, but I personally don't think Matthews is quite as strong a prospect. I do think both are going to be very good 1Cs, but I think Eichel will be the bigger star.

As for how he looked against Canada, I thought he looked great. Remember that he's a pre-draft player (who traditionally don't make huge impacts in the WJCs), going up against team Canada. I thought he was the best player in the game, and this was a game with lots of the top prospects in the world, many of them older than Matthews.

This is one of the best posts I have read on Matthews. He is #1 overall but there is little separating him from Laine and Puljujarvi. People need to evaluate the prospects remembering that Matthews is a 97 born, 7-8 months older than the 98 born Laine and Puljujarvi. As a skilled center he has a slim advantage over the two power forwards. It is a little to early but I can see Alex Nylander climbing to #4.

 

[BB88]

This is one of the best posts I have read on Matthews. He is #1 overall but there is little separating him from Laine and Puljujarvi. People need to evaluate the prospects remembering that Matthews is a 97 born, 7-8 months older than the 98 born Laine and Puljujarvi. As a skilled center he has a slim advantage over the two power forwards. It is a little to early but I can see Alex Nylander climbing to #4.

I'm remembering he was said to be generational in the pre season ranking shows, and I'd guess Nylander is not a top4 guy due to size vs Pulju&Laine.

 

[keon]

I'm remembering he was said to be generational in the pre season ranking shows, and I'd guess Nylander is not a top4 guy due to size vs Pulju&Laine.

Okay* Who is your #4?

 

[VictorLustig]

Really impressed. He's the most complete draft eligible player, maybe along with Barkov, I've seen in a while.

 

[BB88]

Okay* Who is your #4?

I'd guess there's going to be a team who badly needs a #1D potential and takes Chyhcrun somewhere, but I'd take (going off topic) Nylander over Tkatchuk.

 

[keon]

I'd guess there's going to be a team who badly needs a #1D potential and takes Chyhcrun somewhere, but I'd take (going off topic) Nylander over Tkatchuk.

Thank you for the reply. There is a lot of hockey to be played between now and draft day. The Top 20 are going to be good.

Auston Matthews
Patrik Laine
Jesse Puljujarvi
Alex Nylander
Matt Tkachuk
Jakob Chychrun
Julien Gauthier
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Mike McLeod
Olli Juolevi
German Rubtsov
Mikhail Sergachyov
Clayton Keller
Tyson Jost
Kieffer Bellows
Alex DeBrincat
Luke Kunin
Dante Fabbro
Tyler Benson
Max Jones

 

[Matias Maccete]

If I never heard the word generational again I'd be ecstatic. Such a silly semantic debate.

Matthews hasn't wowed me at the wjcs so far, maybe I was expecting too much.

 

[BB88]

Thank you for the reply. There is a lot of hockey to be played between now and draft day. The Top 20 are going to be good.

Auston Matthews
Patrik Laine
Jesse Puljujarvi
Alex Nylander
Matt Tkachuk
Jakob Chychrun
Julien Gauthier
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Mike McLeod
Olli Juolevi
German Rubtsov
Mikhail Sergachyov
Clayton Keller
Tyson Jost
Kieffer Bellows
Alex DeBrincat
Luke Kunin
Dante Fabbro
Tyler Benson
Max Jones

I'd guess,

Matthews
Pulju
Laine
Chyhcrun
Nylander
Tkatchuk
Gauthier
Dubois
McLeod
Juolevi
so far this tournament has shown that Matthews isn't far ahead of these wingers(if at all), but his biggest advantage over them is that he is a C, and makes him a pretty sure 1st overall pick.

 

[ulvvf]

First time I have seen him today. I was really impresse by the toolset he has.

 

[Apotheosis]

I've never given my solid opinion on this kid, but here's mine.

He's not generational. Seriously, people need to stop labelling kids as generational when they're not. I do believe he's better than Eichel was ahead of that same curve at the same age, and I do think he'll be a better overall player in the NHL, but people need to stop calling him generational. McDavid, Crosby and Ovechkin were generational from the get go (whether from junior or right away in the NHL) because what they were able to do against their older peers was unheard of, and there was no learning curve for them. The closest comparable in terms of play style I can think of for Matthews is Malkin, who is borderline generational, but not there for me.

 

[Hokinaittii]

I finally had the chance to watch Matthews play in the first two matches in WJC and even though I'm a Laine & Pulju homer, I was really impressed how he played in those two games and I don't think there's going to be anything to stop Matthews from being the #1 overall pick next year.

Definately reminds me of Barkov in a way how complete and mature package he seem to be before the draft (granted he was only 3 days shy to make into the 2015 draft).

I think it's hard to find something negative from his playstyle.

 

[lawrence]

I've never given my solid opinion on this kid, but here's mine.

He's not generational. Seriously, people need to stop labelling kids as generational when they're not. I do believe he's better than Eichel was ahead of that same curve at the same age, and I do think he'll be a better overall player in the NHL, but people need to stop calling him generational. McDavid, Crosby and Ovechkin were generational from the get go (whether from junior or right away in the NHL) because what they were able to do against their older peers was unheard of, and there was no learning curve for them. The closest comparable in terms of play style I can think of for Matthews is Malkin, who is borderline generational, but not there for me.

I like the Malkin comparison. and I agree, for the next 10 years we really or whoever's really gotta stop using the term "Generational" it's starting to be over used, way over used, and if its not used properly, its bound for some disapointment.

 

[1972]

He isn't generational, Mcdavid was. He's just really damn good.

 

[behemolari]

This is the draft power forward types. Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Gauthier, Dubois, etc. When has a draft had better power forwards?

Laine is a sniper, nobody knows what Pulju is/going to be

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Laine is a sniper, nobody knows what Pulju is/going to be

I had a feeling someone was going to say this. I'm just talking about all those forwards being 6'3, 6'4' 6'5 and 200 pounds, not that they play a purely power game.

 

[kelsier]

If Laine and Puljujärvi keep up the pace or even close to it in the WJC and Matthews is unable to put on another gear, the conversation for the #1 overall will heat up towards the end of the season, especially if one of the two manage to keep on the form after the championships. Great times ahead!

 

[lawrence]

If Laine and Puljujärvi keep up the pace or even close to it in the WJC and Matthews is unable to put on another gear, the conversation for the #1 overall will heat up towards the end of the season, especially if one of the two manage to keep on the form after the championships. Great times ahead!

yea... no..... Mathews is the number 1 pick in this years draft, unless one of the finns points per game the rest of the way, then they might knock out Mathews, but no... Austin is the number 1 pick.

At this point, Mathews is superior to Laine and the other Jesse.

 

[kelsier]

yea... no..... Mathews is the number 1 pick in this years draft, unless one of the finns points per game the rest of the way, then they might knock out Mathews, but no... Austin is the number 1 pick.

At this point, Mathews is superior to Laine and the other Jesse.

Wasn't that what I was saying? He's not "clear cut" number 1 based on the skill set, but by the position. Laine has similar or even higher set of skills but is behind in skating. Puljujärvi has the skating, but is behind in the skillset. Otherwise you could make an argument he is better than the two, but superior? No, that isn't the right adjective.

 

[Jabba11]

Welcome to Montreal buddy!

Bleu-Blanc-Rouge will look good on you. Our poor man's Jean Beliveau.

 

[Boyon90]

Welcome to Montreal buddy!

Bleu-Blanc-Rouge will look good on you. Our poor man's Jean Beliveau.

lmao, maybe if we bench price for the rest of the season