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

[AD1066]

I'm not saying that Matthews isn't a great talent. But I definitely don't see him as a bigger talent than Puljujärvi and especially not bigger talent than Laine, or even Aho.

So all three Finns are more talented than Matthews, yet none of them benefitted from playing with one another?

 

[Ippenator]

So all three Finns are more talented than Matthews, yet none of them benefitted from playing with one another?

Did it occur to your mind that I could think that Pulju and Aho are the same level talents as Matthews? I didn't claim that they are in general bigger talents than Matthews. I just wrote that I don't see Matthews as a better talent than them either. That I claimed that they played better in the WJC than Matthews, and this I will definitely stick to. Of course they did benefit from playing with each others, that I admit. But Matthews played with very good linemates also.

Anyway, I see Laine still as the biggest talent in this draft, and for me he is quite clearly a bigger talent than Matthews and Pulju, although both of them are very good too. I see also Aho as an equal talent to Matthews and Pulju, but he was of course drafted already last year. Anyway I think that he is still quite comparable with Matthews, as he is only two months older than Matthews. Aho is an absolute steal for Carolina.

 

[KingTux]

please come to montreal we need a savior

 

[dlawong]

Is this not a thread about Matthews and not about other prospects? There are other thread about other prospects so if you have not much good comment about him, please stay off here.

He is highly rated by most scouts for a reason and they know about hockey way more than us.

I believe there are quite a lot of strong talents in this draft and no matter where they are drafted, they will all likely succeed in the NHL.

By the way being selected 1st is not always a blessing. There are way more pressure on the 1OA than the 2OA.

 

[wings5]

Why is Matthews being so underrated? By the logic of many Finnish posters, prospects like Granlund and Teravainen are better than McDavid etc because they are putting good points in a strong mens league, and the good players playing in junior or weaker mens leagues would all struggle to do anything.

 

[Jabba11]

Matthews is our next Jean Beliveau. (In terms of style!)

This kid is our franchise center. Build around him, Gallagher, Galchenyuk, PK and Price.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

So now Matthews is an inferior prospect to Aho? Get lost..........

 

[Ippenator]

So now Matthews is an inferior prospect to Aho? Get lost..........

Who said that Matthews is inferior to Aho? Not me at least. I said that Matthews is a very good prospect like Pulju and Aho. I also mentioned that I see Laine as the best talent in this draft. If this in someones mind means that I am putting Matthews down, then I am definitely surprised on how it is so horrible to say that he is on the same level as some very promising prospects and that there still is a player in this draft that in my opinion is even a more talented player. This player is Laine. Why I think so is because he has the best shot in this draft, excellent hands, good skating, great hockey sense and huge size and strength (and he might even still grow).

I have also several times said that Matthews will still most likely be chosen as the 1st player in this draft because he is a center, a North American and also a very talented hockey player. Still I see him as the 2nd or 3rd best talent in this draft, and so far I haven't seen any reason to change my mind with this.

 

[Battle Lin]

omg this kid is so dam good, just killing the league...the fact that laine and puljujarvi are such great prospects yet people are sure hes number 1 shows how friggin good he is...and hes really really good

 

[Finnpin]

Considering he's a better player than Laine, I would be shocked if he wasn't able to score more in the FEL. The FEL, while better, is not nearly at this laughably strong level that some Finns are holding it out to be. Matthews would be over a PPG in the FEL. Taking into account the scoring difference and if we pretend that Matthews would see his scoring go down linearly, he'd end up over a PPG on his current pace.

Auston is great player but most likely he would not. Just look at the stats of the two leagues.

Many of you don't understand that NLA and Liiga are totally different leagues in playing styles. NLA has always been a scoring and offense league --> easier to make points and Liiga has been very defense styled league and still is. It's harder to score in Liiga than in NLA. It's a fact. It's kinda useless to compare prospects in NLA and Liiga for that reason. Plus in Liiga rarely youngsters get a good role where they get opportunity to shine.

Who goes first and who goes second. Who cares.

 

[Ippenator]

Why is Matthews being so underrated? By the logic of many Finnish posters, prospects like Granlund and Teravainen are better than McDavid etc because they are putting good points in a strong mens league, and the good players playing in junior or weaker mens leagues would all struggle to do anything.

Interesting logic here. It's still good to realize that Granlund and Teräväinen had also some quite weak aspects in their game compared to Laine, Pulju and Aho. They both were (and still are) especially lacking fast skating, strength in their shot and their body, and their defensive play was at best mediocre. Sure they both have excellent hockey IQ, great stickhandlng and passing skills, but they still had quite glaring weaknesses, especially for playing successfully in the NHL. Laine, Pulju and even Aho are much more balanced players who don't have so big and obvious weaknesses. And their strengths also compliment more the style of hockey that is played in the NHL.

I admit that I'm still a bit disappointed in Granlund not adjusting better to playing in the NHL. But after all when thinking more of his weaknesses, my expectations on him were a bit high after all. With Teräväinen I have been after all positively surprised. He has already adjusted much better and quicker than I expected. He is that weak physically and his skating (especially speed) is so average that I thought it would take him much longer to be an NHL regular.

 

[LoveNHL]

Interesting logic here. It's still good to realize that Granlund and Teräväinen had also some quite weak aspects in their game compared to Laine, Pulju and Aho. They both were (and still are) especially lacking fast skating, strength in their shot and their body, and their defensive play was at best mediocre. Sure they both have excellent hockey IQ, great stickhandlng and passing skills, but they still had quite glaring weaknesses, especially for playing successfully in the NHL. Laine, Pulju and even Aho are much more balanced players who don't have so big and obvious weaknesses. And their strengths also compliment more the style of hockey that is played in the NHL.

I admit that I'm still a bit disappointed in Granlund not adjusting better to playing in the NHL. But after all when thinking more of his weaknesses, my expectations on him were a bit high after all. With Teräväinen I have been after all positively surprised. He has already adjusted much better and quicker than I expected. He is that weak physically and his skating (especially speed) is so average that I thought it would take him much longer to be an NHL regular.

I think most sober Finns agree with that Matthews will be a greater player than both Granlund and Teräväinen. It is not going to be any Finns who will play at Matthews level except Barkov probably.

 

[Ippenator]

I think most sober Finns agree with that Matthews will be a greater player than both Granlund and Teräväinen. It is not going to be any Finns who will play at Matthews level except Barkov probably.

Except Laine will most likely be better and Aho and Pulju will most likely be at the same level with Matthews. I believe also that Teräväinen might have a chance to be at least close there, if he can gain much more strength and improves his skating. Most likely he will not reach that level, but I don't still believe it is totally impossible. I don't believe though that Granlund will ever reach the level that Matthews will most probably reach. At least in the NHL and the small rinks he doesn't have enough of potential. But I believe he will still be one of the best players in international tournaments that will be held in Europe, as he is still one of the better players in the world, when playing in the bigger European rinks.

 

[kelsier]

Well Matthews has 12pts in 7 games after WJC. So maybe that is good enough? Set up the game winner today.

Yes, I'm aware of his performance after the WJC. And also aware of him playing in the inferior league when the two are set on the same scale. Not to undermine that, because he's a fantastic player and that is a very good production nevertheless.

Still, Laine is also over PPG after the WJC and in a tougher league, hence the comment referring to competition for the first overall.

 

[LoveNHL]

Laine will be the only player being able to possess threat against Matthews but with the current production Matthews have shown it will be an easy pick as no 1. Take into account his position as a center will even strengthen his position. No one will threat Laine on second pick. Both players will become awesome players in NHL. I believe the first exciting pick in the draft will be who goes third. I put my bet on Tkachuk.

 

[chokei]

The only reason Matthews doesn't get more hype out of Switzerland is that there simply aren't as many Swiss posters on this board as there are Finnish posters. If Matthews played in Finland and Laine and Puljujärvi in Switzerland it would be the exact opposite.

I still haven't made it to a ZSC live game this season, but I will make sure that I witness this talent with my own eyes.

Matthews is one of only 9 players above PPG in the NLA so far this season.

 

[BHD]

Yeah, I see some Johansen in his game.

 

[Oan]

Matthews is one of only 9 players above PPG in the NLA so far this season.

And in the Finnish league there is only 1 player above ppg, just one! Yet some of you are claiming that Matthews would easily be ppg in Finland as well. Doubt that very much.

 

[Beukeboom]

And in the Finnish league there is only 1 player above ppg, just one! Yet some of you are claiming that Matthews would easily be ppg in Finland as well. Doubt that very much.

Well he put it a bit clumsy. He might be one of the 9 players with ppg but he also has the second highest ppg at 1.25. That is a big difference from just being ppg. So second best scorer in the swiss league. You might argue that the league has crappier bottom players but the top 30 scoring guys he competes with are not worse than the finnish league, I'd guess quite the opposite. So to me it is very likely that he would be at the same level in Finland. He for instance outproduces Jarko Immonen and Perrtu Lindgren by far and they were elite scorers in Finland before KHL.

He outperforms Swedish elite scorer as well such as Linus Klasen, Fredrik Pettersson, Tony Martensson and Robert Nilsson. They have all been at the very top of the SHL and Martensson won the scoring race there if I remember correctly.

 

[AD1066]

Except Laine will most likely be better and Aho and Pulju will most likely be at the same level with Matthews.

Let's revisit this in a few years. Aho is a good player, but it's highly unlikely he carves out a career close to Matthews.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Except Laine will most likely be better and Aho and Pulju will most likely be at the same level with Matthews. I believe also that Teräväinen might have a chance to be at least close there, if he can gain much more strength and improves his skating. Most likely he will not reach that level, but I don't still believe it is totally impossible. I don't believe though that Granlund will ever reach the level that Matthews will most probably reach. At least in the NHL and the small rinks he doesn't have enough of potential. But I believe he will still be one of the best players in international tournaments that will be held in Europe, as he is still one of the better players in the world, when playing in the bigger European rinks.

Maybe yuo are putting way too much stock in the recent WJHC?

Also I love Granlund but his skating will hold him back and he isn't one of the best players in the world not even on the large ice surfaces.

The WHC isn't a good indicator of anything either as it's missing the best 200 of the top 220ish players in the world ect....

Mathews is still the top guy in his draft class and their are many reasons why, the first and foremost being that most scouts believe that he will have the best chance at long term NHL success pure and simple.

 

[Ippenator]

The only reason Matthews doesn't get more hype out of Switzerland is that there simply aren't as many Swiss posters on this board as there are Finnish posters. If Matthews played in Finland and Laine and Puljujärvi in Switzerland it would be the exact opposite.

I still haven't made it to a ZSC live game this season, but I will make sure that I witness this talent with my own eyes.

Matthews is one of only 9 players above PPG in the NLA so far this season.

This made me really laugh! In FEL the 10th player in the scoring ranking has 30 points in 42 games. NLA has all players until that rank with over a point per game. This should also confirm how huge difference there is between the scoring in these two leagues.

 

[Ippenator]

Maybe yuo are putting way too much stock in the recent WJHC?

Also I love Granlund but his skating will hold him back and he isn't one of the best players in the world not even on the large ice surfaces.

The WHC isn't a good indicator of anything either as it's missing the best 200 of the top 220ish players in the world ect....

Mathews is still the top guy in his draft class and their are many reasons why, the first and foremost being that most scouts believe that he will have the best chance at long term NHL success pure and simple.

My opinion on Granlund being one of the best on the big surface rink wasn't as much based on his WHC performances as his great playing in the Olympics in Sochi. He was again magnificent there and definitely one of the better players in the whole tournament. I think we will still see this in the future if the Olympics are still played in the big surface rinks with NHL players. Still as a reminder, Granlund was 3rd in the Sochi scoring ranking and only one point behind the leading Kessel and Karlsson. Was this not a valid way to define how good Granlund is on the big surface ice against all the best players in the world? Well, probably some North Americans will find several excuses to this also...

 

[Ippenator]

Well he put it a bit clumsy. He might be one of the 9 players with ppg but he also has the second highest ppg at 1.25. That is a big difference from just being ppg. So second best scorer in the swiss league. You might argue that the league has crappier bottom players but the top 30 scoring guys he competes with are not worse than the finnish league, I'd guess quite the opposite. So to me it is very likely that he would be at the same level in Finland. He for instance outproduces Jarko Immonen and Perrtu Lindgren by far and they were elite scorers in Finland before KHL.

He outperforms Swedish elite scorer as well such as Linus Klasen, Fredrik Pettersson, Tony Martensson and Robert Nilsson. They have all been at the very top of the SHL and Martensson won the scoring race there if I remember correctly.

Lindgren and Immonen have been going steep downhill already for years in the Finnish player ranking. Lindgren has not been considered for even meaningless EHT tournaments in years. And Immonen has been a total shadow of his prime time for already years. If these guys can score so well in NLA, it makes me think that there's really a huge difference with the defending and the goaltending between FEL and NLA.

 

[tinozz]

Lindgren and Immonen have been going steep downhill already for years in the Finnish player ranking. Lindgren has not been considered for even meaningless EHT tournaments in years. And Immonen has been a total shadow of his prime time for already years. If these guys can score so well in NLA, it makes me think that there's really a huge difference with the defending and the goaltending between FEL and NLA.

I was just about to say this