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

[SingleAallStar]

A video was posted here years ago about Matthews when the hype was beginning and it was him just absolutely undressing players in a younger age. It was posted in the old Matthews prospect thread and I even dug it up but the link was dead. It might have been a Tsn piece on him. Just wondering if by chance anyone has it because it was hilarious to see him just embarrass players with hands like you've never seen.

 

[Noldo]

I think that Draft Lottery sealed Matthews as 1st overall pick. Leafs need a player who an be a cornerstone for their rebuild. Due to his position and play style Matthews fits that slot better and difference in the potential upside, if any, isn't big enough to justify different approach.

 

[93LEAFS]

We had a discussion on this leading up to the Lottery.

A Very Good #1C or Potential Generational Winger.

All things equal as they were in January, you pick the Center. Right now, I don't know now? Laine has impressed everyone since the WJC. He has made it simply impossible to ignore him.

Don't want to get too far away from the topic of the thread. Though it is widely believed Hunter will pick Matthews. I wouldn't put that in stone just yet until after the WHC. He has been known he is not shy drafting Finns as he has with Juolevi and Maata for the Knights to great success.

Laine isn't generational winger. He's a great player, but you are drastically underselling Matthews. He's in that Tavares, Stamkos, and Eichel tier, you don't pass on that player, he's not as dynamic as Stamkos or Eichel, but he has an awarness of were to be like JT, not quite the same vision, but is a better skater, has an equal shot and is the better 2-way guy. Even if Laine can potentially become Ovi, you take the franchise center. But whatever, start downgrading Matthews to a very good center. Less than a week ago you were saying Puljujarvi should possibly go ahead of Laine, so I doubt that makes him generational.

But honestly keep this in the Laine vs Matthews thread, its there for a reason. We don't need to hear you think Matthews is worse than Laine here, and I won't be doing that in the Laine thread.

 

[Shwaguy*]

I don't get where the Low Ceiling thing has come from.

If Laine is potentially generational so is Matthews, even more so possibly. And Matthews is certainly the safer pick to hit his potential.

 

[Pi]

I don't get where the Low Ceiling thing has come from.

If Laine is potentially generational so is Matthews, even more so possibly. And Matthews is certainly the safer pick to hit his potential.

Right around 8:20 PM yesterday.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Laine isn't generational winger. He's a great player, but you are drastically underselling Matthews. He's in that Tavares, Stamkos, and Eichel tier, you don't pass on that player, he's not as dynamic as Stamkos or Eichel, but he has an awarness of were to be like JT, not quite the same vision, but is a better skater, has an equal shot and is the better 2-way guy. Even if Laine can potentially become Ovi, you take the franchise center. But whatever, start downgrading Matthews to a very good center. Less than a week ago you were saying Puljujarvi should possibly go ahead of Laine, so I doubt that makes him generational.

But honestly keep this in the Laine vs Matthews thread, its there for a reason. We don't need to hear you think Matthews is worse than Laine here, and I won't be doing that in the Laine thread.

Potentially a generational Winger. Keep intentionaliy misquoting me. It is what you do best here.

 

[Matt24]

If it was a different team, maybe there's a discussion but this is what the Leafs have been looking for since Sundin left. Laine may become the better player but no chance the Leafs pass up the #1 C imo. 0 chance.

 

[Purity*]

Potentially a generational Winger. Keep intentionaliy misquoting me. It is what you do best here.

If you want to consider Laine a "potentially" generational winger then you need to consider Matthews a "potentially" generational center.

keep being biased to your own opinion, it's what you do best here.

 

[93LEAFS]

I don't get where the Low Ceiling thing has come from.

If Laine is potentially generational so is Matthews, even more so possibly. And Matthews is certainly the safer pick to hit his potential.

Neither is generational, and the only guys who may even be generational prospects as wingers are Ovi and Lafleur. Matthews is a center in the Eichel, Tavares, Mackinnon, Stamkos, Lecavalier, Thornton, Malkin and Daigle, were viewed as of prospect. Eichel and Mackinnon are still questions but look promising, and Daigle outright busted, but the hit rate in that group is pretty good and the one who busted was due to very questionable work ethic. As good as Ovi is, I think I'd still consider Malkin as the building block if I rebuild this draft. I doubt either of these guys reaches those two guys level, but I'd say its a comparable situation.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Neither is generational, and the only guys who may even be generational prospects as wingers are Ovi and Lafleur. Matthews is a center in the Eichel, Tavares, Mackinnon, Stamkos, Lecavalier, Thornton, Malkin and Daigle, were viewed as of prospect. Eichel and Mackinnon are still questions but look promising, and Daigle outright busted, but the hit rate in that group is pretty good and the one who busted was due to very questionable work ethic. As good as Ovi is, I think I'd still consider Malkin as the building block if I rebuild this draft. I doubt either of these guys reaches those two guys level, but I'd say its a comparable situation.

How many 17 year olds dominate an under 20 WJC? How many 17 year olds win MVP in a Mens Pro league? How many 17 year olds are integral top contributors to 2 championships in their draft year? Not many. If someone wants to make a case that Laine is a generational Winger, there is a case to be made as he is in the ballpark.

Matthews is going to be a very good #1 Center in the NHL. As others have noted he is a safe bet to be a very good hockey player.

 

[TMLeafs18]

Matthews is the easy pick here. Both Laine and Pulji are great players but Auston fits torontos needs and style perfectly. I bet you no one was happier with the lottery result then Babcock knowing he has an amazing prospect centre like Matthews coming that he can mold and develop. I'm sure people will try and debate Matthews and Laine up until the draft to add drama but Auston makes to much sense for Toronto the only way I can see them going with Laine is if Matthews has a serious injury of some sort leading up to the draft.

Just last year everyone was saying toronto needs a centre with size to truly compete well now they have a chance to get it. Matthews is an amazing player when I have watched him I have always come away very impressed I can't wait for Toronto to take him. Congrats to both Winnipeg and Columbus though they are going to get two amazing players no matter how it shakes out to me the real relief came when I saw my team got a top three pick because they are a cut above the rest.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Who, outside of Interactif/The Winter Soldier, is calling Laine a generational winger (or even a potential one)? That's a massive stretch, even with Laine's playoff performance. Haven't come across any sayings from scouts regarding that, outside of McKeens, and they were panned everywhere for putting McLeod ahead of Puljujarvi.

A generational talent is someone who's elite and one of the best in the world in every offensive facet. McDavid was a goal per game scorer in the OHL, his playmaking skill was compared to Crosby's, plus he was already deemed as one of the best skaters in the world. Let's not stretch the definition of a generational talent now.

To call one prospect here "very good" while the other "potentially generational" is mighty ridiculous.

 

[Paradoc]

How many 17 year olds dominate an under 20 WJC? How many 17 year olds win MVP in a Mens Pro league? How many 17 year olds are integral top contributors to 2 championships in their draft year? Not many. If someone wants to make a case that Laine is a generational Winger, there is a case to be made as he is in the ballpark.

Matthews is going to be a very good #1 Center in the NHL. As others have noted he is a safe bet.

What about Matthews then? He dominated the US national 18:


If we're using your logic of dominating league as a fair use of having the generational label, then Matthews should be considered as one too.

 

[stavs*]

How many 17 year olds dominate an under 20 WJC? How many 17 year olds win MVP in a Mens Pro league? How many 17 year olds are integral top contributors to 2 championships in their draft year? Not many. If someone wants to make a case that Laine is a generational Winger, there is a case to be made as he is in the ballpark.

Matthews is going to be a very good #1 Center in the NHL. As others have noted he is a safe bet to be a very good hockey player.

Elite, definitely.

Generational, no.

 

[Paradoc]

Who, outside of Interactif/The Winter Soldier, is calling Laine a generational winger (or even a potential one)? That's a massive stretch, even with Laine's playoff performance. Haven't come across any sayings from scouts regarding that, outside of McKeens, and they were panned everywhere for putting McLeod ahead of Puljujarvi.

A generational talent is someone who's elite and one of the best in the world in every offensive facet. McDavid was a goal per game scorer in the OHL, his playmaking skill was compared to Crosby's, plus he was already deemed as one of the best skaters in the world. Let's not stretch the definition of a generational talent now.

To call one prospect here "very good" while the other "potentially generational" is mighty ridiculous.

I'd only consider McDavid, Crosby and Ovechkin as generational prospect. Eichel, Stamkos, Tavares, Kane and Matthews are all considered as franchise level prospect.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Elite, definitely.

Generational, no.

Potentially generational. Not sure why the first part is always missed? Potentially the Best winger drafted in a generation is certainly not a reach.

 

[Maplebeasts]

It's a shame you never got to watch McDavid.

I'm pretty sure Gretzky and Lemieux were better prospects.

 

[93LEAFS]

I'm pretty sure Gretzky and Lemieux were better prospects.

To be honest, the most hyped prospect of all was probably the Big E.

 

[Lapa]

Enough with the bickering.

 

[Liminality]

One thing you have to think about is the absence of bad habits. He's had a great teacher in Stanley Cup winning coach in Crow and now he's going to be coached by another Stanley Cup winning coach and top tier in Mike Babcock.

Auston will be guided by some of the best hockey minds in both pre and post draft.

To be honest, that's a huge reason why I wanted the Leafs to somehow get lucky enough to grab Matthews. Think Babcock can only help his overall game and he's going to be a force in all areas of the ice.

 

[Puckstuff]

As a leaf fan, you go with Matthews. As a leaf fan, you will be keeping tabs on Laine

 

[Puckstuff]

Gaudreau, Eichel, Matthews... America bringing in some serious players down the middle of the ice

 

[93LEAFS]

Gaudreau, Eichel, Matthews... America bringing in some serious players down the middle of the ice

Gaudreau is a winger

 

[Man Bear Pig]

As a leaf fan, you go with Matthews. As a leaf fan, you will be keeping tabs on Laine

As a Leafs fan I take Matthews and never look back. We haven't been in the position to draft a can't miss #1 center in God knows how long. I'm not about to change my mind because another great prospect, who's a winger, has turned it on during the 2nd half of his draft year.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

As a Leafs fan I take Matthews and never look back. We haven't been in the position to draft a can't miss #1 center in God knows how long. I'm not about to change my mind because another great prospect, who's a winger, has turned it on during the 2nd half of his draft year.

Yeah I mean I appreciate that there's a good chance Laine has the better career, maybe even by a significant amount, but drafting Matthews is still the right choice even if it comes back to bite us in the ass later.