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

[Semantics]

NHL'ers during the 12-13 season that played in Switzerland.

Depends what your criteria is when you claim "not many players". Regardless 2012-13 is not the same year as 2015-16.

Is that really all? If so, wow, I thought there'd be a lot more. That's only 18 players / 12 teams, or 1.5 NHL player per team. That's a really small difference in the quality of competition, especially since they can only dress four foreign players (meaning the NHLers didn't push out the worst players on the team).

That makes Matthews' numbers even more impressive.

 

[Semantics]

Which was proven to be inaccurate. You also posted stats of Matthews and compared them to proven NHL'ers in a completely different situation. Even on that graph you posted, it noted Matthews stats were in a non strike NHL season. So your points are really not good ones.

No, it was not inaccurate. 18 NHL players is not "a lot" in a league with over 250 players.

 

[ijuka]

No, it was not inaccurate. 18 NHL players is not "a lot" in a league with over 250 players.

I don't understand this. So you don't think it's a lot if on average, every team has 1 or 2 additional top scorers? So let's take NHL as an example, you add 1-2 Sidney Crosby vol 1.5s to every single team and don't think it's significant? Even the best NHL teams tend to at most have 2 players of that caliber, NLA teams have none.

 

[Mahonkinen]

Only dimishing fact of Matthews last season (regular) is his unsustainable sh% of 18.6%. But even if you do take that into consideration his season was very good indeed.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Is that really all? If so, wow, I thought there'd be a lot more. That's only 18 players / 12 teams, or 1.5 NHL player per team. That's a really small difference in the quality of competition, especially since they can only dress four foreign players (meaning the NHLers didn't push out the worst players on the team).

That makes Matthews' numbers even more impressive.

18 NHL players playing in NLA is still more than 0. A lot more especially when you are comparing these 18 to the former NHL players playing in the league this year like a 32 year old Marc Pierre Bouchard or 38 year old Josh Holden that are playing out the string.

I will and have agreed with the poster that what Matthews did as a mature 18 year old in NLA was impressive. But I disagreed when you lump him into a chart where the stats of NHL players more likely were playing to stay in shape was a fair representation for comparison's sake. This is a stretch. I think anyone without a reasonable bias would recognize the situations are not closely similar.

 

[QJL]

Only dimishing fact of Matthews last season (regular) is his unsustainable sh% of 18.6%. But even if you do take that into consideration his season was very good indeed.

I believe that Matthews and Laine have the most accurate shots coming into the draft among recent high picks. Both can score from the outside more effectively than McDavid, Eichel, MacKinnon, Barkov, Bennett, Reinhart.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Matthews shoot the puck over 15% and score 30-35 goals if he plays a full rookie season.

 

[hullsy47]

Only dimishing fact of Matthews last season (regular) is his unsustainable sh% of 18.6%. But even if you do take that into consideration his season was very good indeed.

id like to see Mathews play with JVR and Patrick kane ...over the course of a tournament ,then compare ,lainne is built fot north America but wil he score there ,Mathews has played on the smaller ice and broke Patrick kanes records on the USNDP ...I think its ben way easier to try to smother Mathews .barkov may be the best talent in this tournament

 

[Future]

Vatrano is the worst player I've ever seen in this tournament. All he does is shoot and his shot is not even good. He drags down the entire line whenever he is on the ice because no matter where he is on the ice or what is infront of him, he shoots. You can't set anything up or be creative at all because he stifles it. No puck possession time whatsoever.

The guy is straight up awful and doesn't deserve to be on the same ice surface as Matthews.

 

[Mahonkinen]

Vatrano is the worst player I've ever seen in this tournament. All he does is shoot and his shot is not even good. He drags down the entire line whenever he is on the ice because no matter where he is on the ice or what is infront of him, he shoots. You can't set anything up or be creative at all because he stifles it. No puck possession time whatsoever.

The guy is straight up awful and doesn't deserve to be on the same ice surface as Matthews.

That last PP from US really showed that there indeed are players who drag Matthews down a bit.

 

[Beukeboom]

That last PP from US really showed that there indeed are players who drag Matthews down a bit.

That is kind of what I have been trying to say in the VS thread. Why WCH won't change a thing. Had Laine gotten 10 points and Matthews 0 then there might have been some talk. But Laine getting say 4 points more than Matthews won't change anything. Those 4 points are probably the difference between playing with Vatrano and Schroeder vs playing with Barkov. Not to bring Laine's performance down.

Vatrano is an AHL one trick pony. His shot at all times doesn't work on big ice.

 

[Mahonkinen]

That is kind of what I have been trying to say in the VS thread. Why WCH won't change a thing. Had Laine gotten 10 points and Matthews 0 then there might have been some talk. But Laine getting say 4 points more than Matthews won't change anything. Those 4 points are probably the difference between playing with Vatrano and Schroeder vs playing with Barkov. Not to bring Laine's performance down.

Vatrano is an AHL one trick pony. His shot at all times doesn't work on big ice.

Yeah well, this isnt vs thread but I just say that people should watch the games more if they want to judge these guys from this tournament.

Nice wrister from AM just on pp. Ive been wishing him to use it more, he seems to force the pass too many times.

 

[Future]

That last PP from US really showed that there indeed are players who drag Matthews down a bit.

Yeah but it's good to see Matthews somehow still producing. Another goal from Matthews on the PP. What a shot past NHL goalie Greiss Matthews and Laine are going to fill up those highlight reels in the NHL next year with those two amazing shots.

^ Also I feel like Matthews is fine with his passing frequency. He's a center so his job is to make his team better and try to elevate his line. Unlike Vatrano who feels the need to take 8 shots a game from the top of the circles on international ice....

 

[Beukeboom]

Solid game. Wouldn't have hurt with better linemates but it is what it is. In NHL he will most likely get decent linemates that don't hamper his production.

I think it is safe to say this US team won't win gold

 

[WillTheThrill]

Didnt watch the game but wowwwww what a shot. Would like to see him use that more, instead of passing it off to his garbage line mates.

 

[Nate070]

I didn´t see Matthews at all in the third period. He often disappears crunch time?

 

[Liminality]

I didn´t see Matthews at all in the third period. He often disappears crunch time?

You must not have been watching the game or have very bad eyes then.

According to IIHF he played 7:08 in the first, 5:45 in the second and 6:30 in the third.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Auston Matthews is a great prospect. Any team(either Toronto, Winnipeg, or Columbus) picking him this draft is going to get a very good player in the NHL for the next decade. I am very certain on this.

He has been good this tournament, definitely looks like he is ready for the NHL.

But I am still waiting for a defining performance from him that will lock up #1 overall. He has been more solid than exceptional this WHC.

In a game like today's game, I would have liked to have seen him take his team by the horns and win the game in the 3rd. I am still waiting for this type of performance by him. Playing big and coming up big in big game situations. Take the game into his own hands so to speak.

I don't know if he is just more a solid/good player, rather than a player that can be good/great that can elevate his team when it is needed in the NHL. We still have games to be played this WHC. I am keeping an open mind. But it would help if Matthews steps up his game and force scouts to take him #1 and erase any debate on this starting as soon as next game.

 

[snizzbone*]

Only dimishing fact of Matthews last season (regular) is his unsustainable sh% of 18.6%. But even if you do take that into consideration his season was very good indeed.

I wouldn't say 18.6% is unsustainable, especially in the NLA. In the NHL? Sure nobody shoots at that longterm. Looking at the NHL goal scoring leaders this year, most seem to be in the 13-16%.

 

[The Sweetness]

Auston Matthews is a great prospect. Any team(either Toronto, Winnipeg, or Columbus) picking him this draft is going to get a very good player in the NHL for the next decade. I am very certain on this.

He has been good this tournament, definitely looks like he is ready for the NHL.

But I am still waiting for a defining performance from him that will lock up #1 overall. He has been more solid than exceptional this WHC.

In a game like today's game, I would have liked to have seen him take his team by the horns and win the game in the 3rd. I am still waiting for this type of performance by him. Playing big and coming up big in big game situations. Take the game into his own hands so to speak.

I don't know if he is just more a solid/good player, rather than a player that can be good/great that can elevate his team when it is needed in the NHL. We still have games to be played this WHC. I am keeping an open mind. But it would help if Matthews steps up his game and force scouts to take him #1 and erase any debate on this starting as soon as next game.

Indeed any respectable #1 pick dominates the WC pre-draft. Especially willing their team to victory in defining moments is expected if you want anything more than a solid player.

For example, I wasn't sold on Patrick Kane being more than a solid NHLer until his exceptional pre-draft WC sold me on him.

 

[Liminality]

Indeed any respectable #1 pick dominates the WC pre-draft. Especially willing their team to victory in defining moments is expected if you want anything more than a solid player.

This is indeed laughable. Matthews had a solid game but once again people will look at only points and wins.

I question a persons ability to see talent when they find Matthews as only a solid or good player, he's been exceptional.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Indeed any respectable #1 pick dominates the WC pre-draft. Especially willing their team to victory in defining moments is expected if you want anything more than a solid player.

For example, I wasn't sold on Patrick Kane being more than a solid NHLer until his exceptional pre-draft WC sold me on him.

This is a very good point. Kane always seems to shine when the games are on the line, and he comes through with big goals or assists that often affect change for the better. It is a trait the great ones have and it is the difference between a good player to a great player.

1st overall, you strive to pick great not good. Matthews can still show scouts he has this trait this WHC.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

This is indeed laughable. Matthews had a solid game but once again people will look at only points and wins.

I question a persons ability to see talent when they find Matthews as only a solid or good player, he's been exceptional.

Agreed. Another aspect of Auston's game I've been impressed with is his shiftiness/agility, which shows up when he's battling for pucks along the boards, or shielding the puck away from backcheckers. That one play in his final few shifts of the game stands out, where he somehow manages to maneuver ahead of a dman when it looked like his forecheck was all for naught. Kept the play alive single handedly

 

[Shwaguy*]

Matthews is not only the most well rounded player in the draft. He's also going to be the best offensive player. His ceiling is tremendous, nobody else in this draft touches it as of now

 

[The Sweetness]

This is a very good point. Kane always seems to shine when the games are on the line, and he comes through with big goals or assists that often affect change for the better. It is a trait the great ones have and it is the difference between a good player to a great player.

1st overall, you strive to pick great not good. Matthews can still show scouts he has this trait this WHC.

Yeah, Kane in particular did wonderful in his pre-draft WC. Not as good as Crosby or Ovi mind you but he lifted his NHL vet teammates when the game was on the line.

Do you think it's clear Matthews will not be a great player if he can't dominate a knockout game in the WC? After all, if we look at great NHL'ers nearly all of them had dominant pre-draft WC.

 

[weems]

Jack Eichel

10 games played
2 goals
5 asissts

Auston Matthews

6 games played
3 goals
3 assists

Beside the scoring aspect, Matthews has been good in all 3 zones of the ice. He has been strong on the puck, basically a 1 man zone entry, consistenly made strong defensive reads. If Vatrano could capatalize on some of the setups Matthews has given him Matthews would have 2-3 more points. Anyone that says he hasnt played extremely well obviously doesnt really know how to watch and analyze the game of hockey.