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

[7even]

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.

Poor Connor McDavid, relegated to a career of being good-not-great after his average 2015 WC

 

[Future]

Yeah good point TWS. All 18 year old Matthews has to do at the World Championships is single handedly will his weak U.S. Team that lost to Germany to victory! Easy enough right?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Ok, so you just don't understand it.

That poster was messing with you, Kane never played in the WC pre-draft.

Kane was referenced for being able to show he can raise his game as the situation dictates. Let's get that point straight.

 

[NiL8r87]

Kane was referenced for being able to show he can raise his game as the situation dictates. Let's get that straight.

Kane is a good hockey player, all of the time. This clutch stuff is nonsense.

 

[The Sweetness]

Kane was referenced for being able to show he can raise his game as the situation dictates. Let's get that straight.

Kane never played in the WC pre-draft. He couldn't make the team and Matthews is putting up ppg. I was messing with you.

Shocking you can't see how poor your argument is.

 

[Kelly]

Kane was referenced for being able to show he can raise his game as the situation dictates. Let's get that point straight.

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.

Nope.

You really don't understand how asking a pre-draft player to carry his WC team to victory is over the top? Connor McDavid isn't even doing it.

 

[The Sweetness]

Nope.

See above

Just to clarify, I completely agree with you. The argument a pre-draft player should carry a WC team is insanity.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Further, it is rare that any top prospect is good enough to play in the World Championships in their draft year & the fact that Matthews is performing as well as he is (best player on his team) is more than good enough.

Yup, outpacing what Eichel did at the WCs last year. And I recall TWS saying this just some months ago:

I recall Bob Mckenzie saying on TSN Drive some scouts had Matthews at #2 over Eichel in 2015.

Mcdavid is a generational talent. Put him in any draft and that draft becomes special. Matthews and Eichel would likely be #1 in most other drafts. 2 big skilled Centers do not grow on trees and they are a desired commodity in the NHL.

Given Matthews is almost a year younger than Eichel. I don't think it is unreasonable to think he may have gone #2 last draft.

And we all know how highly Eichel is thought of.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Nope.

You really don't understand how asking a pre-draft player to carry his WC team to victory is over the top? Connor McDavid isn't even doing it.

I don't think you have read my posts today on the matter. And I really do not understand why the defensiveness by posters here. It cited by me Matthews has had a good tournament. But what you you to see in this level of prospect is is player that can affect change in a game as in today's 3rd period against Germany. No one said he had single handedly carry his team. But wanting to see Matthews elevate his game as the situation arises. This is unfair? Has he shown us this this year year at the WJC(similar age players) NLA playoffs, today's game? As I said I am waiting to see this. And I am keeping m judgment open since Matthews has more games to play to prove he can do this.

 

[Redwingsfan]

The Laine vs Matthews topic is closed, and its not going to continue here. Thank you.

 

[JetsFan815]

I think Matthews had a very good game. The onus should be on the veterans to carry the game not an 18 year old

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

I think Matthews had a very good game. The onus should be on the veterans to carry the game not an 18 year old

The onus shouldn't be on any one player to carry a team in a game. US team was off today, except for Matthews who had a really good game.
Next game is a must win for USA, or they're out of the tourney.

 

[Atomos2]

Kane was referenced for being able to show he can raise his game as the situation dictates. Let's get that point straight.

I don't know how much you value Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant GM Kyle Dubas, but here is his point of view on that topic:

Simply identifying skill and putting those players in position to succeed may be more important than trying to find clutch players.
That would be the stance of Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Kyle Dubas, an executive whose background mix of hockey scouting and analytics makes him a little more skeptical when it comes to labeling a player as clutch.
“It’s affected so much by who is on the ice in the last minute,†Dubas said. “If you’re a good player playing on a good team, you’re going to be on the ice late in the game. It’s proportionately weighted to players in that situation.â€

...

For him to even consider the notion of clutch, it needs to happen again and again and again and again in a player.
“I’ve always been very careful about it. It has so much to do with the quality of team you’re on, the circumstances,†he said. “I do think it takes special characteristics and traits when under pressure to continue to play your same way. I don’t necessarily believe that players get any better and I haven’t been doing this long enough to say it with any authority, but I believe in pressure moments that there are some players by every measure that do get worse. I think it has to do with the quality of competition you’re playing against in those clutch moments.â€

“[Toews] is one of the best players in hockey. He’s in big moments all the time. He’s a great player in those big moments all the time,†Dubas said. “In the end, we’re all just trying to figure out how it all works. I hope one day, you can define clutch. Right now, it’s a mystical, magical thing few players have. And it makes sports cool.â€

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/craig-custance/insider/post?id=6000

 

[Sundinisagod]

I thought Matthews looked great this morning. Every time I watch him play, I'm more certain he's the right pick for Toronto, basically everything you'd want in a #1 center.

 

[BWDude]

https://streamable.com/8dgl

Just gonna leave this here, it really just shows how well he actually played and honestly how awful Vatrano/a lot of his teammates were- V had zero patience all game and just kept shooting it into the goalie.

 

[ijuka]

The onus shouldn't be on any one player to carry a team in a game. US team was off today, except for Matthews who had a really good game.
Next game is a must win for USA, or they're out of the tourney.

Actually, USA is still in if they tie the game in regulation. Only a regulation loss kicks them out of quarter finals.

One man alone can't really carry a team unless they are someone like McDavid against a significantly weaker team and can just run through the defense / have a massive speed and skill advantage. It's always frustrating seeing good set ups not having a good finisher(Like with Rantanen in Finland's game vs Slovakia today) and just as frustrating having a good finisher not getting the passes / game played so that he can make use of his strength in goal scoring.

Matthews is in a good place in this regard in that he can make some things happen on his own as well. He does remind me most of Malkin when thinking about centers, though he might defensively be slightly better. Likely not quite as high an offensive upside, but still I feel like the comparisons to Toews or Kopitar are quite far off the money.

 

[Bruce Granville]

His wristshot is really good, but it seems to be his only weapon.
He skates well and picks the pocket quite often.
I think he will produce some points, but won't be near the the top 10 in scoring for the next 5-10 years.
He's definitely more a Selke candidate. I don't know how good his faceoff is though.
He will be fun to watch.

 

[IronHalen]

https://streamable.com/8dgl

Just gonna leave this here, it really just shows how well he actually played and honestly how awful Vatrano/a lot of his teammates were- V had zero patience all game and just kept shooting it into the goalie.

Vatrano killed all of the nice set ups haha

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Matthews is so ****ing good man Toronto is lucky.

 

[Riellyfan04]

https://streamable.com/8dgl

Just gonna leave this here, it really just shows how well he actually played and honestly how awful Vatrano/a lot of his teammates were- V had zero patience all game and just kept shooting it into the goalie.

man hes so strong on the puck... and those defensive plays are awesome

 

[Hokinaittii]

https://streamable.com/8dgl

Just gonna leave this here, it really just shows how well he actually played and honestly how awful Vatrano/a lot of his teammates were- V had zero patience all game and just kept shooting it into the goalie.

Watching these always reminds me of Barkov. Only really noticeable thing is how much more agile skater Matthews is.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

His wristshot is really good, but it seems to be his only weapon.
He skates well and picks the pocket quite often.
I think he will produce some points, but won't be near the the top 10 in scoring for the next 5-10 years.
He's definitely more a Selke candidate. I don't know how good his faceoff is though.
He will be fun to watch.

I don't know if he'll be able to generate offense on his own the way Malkin does, but with the right linemates he would be really dangerous. He needs something like a prime Holmstrom on his line, he generates a crazy amount of rebound/tip attempts.

 

[BWDude]

His wristshot is really good, but it seems to be his only weapon.
He skates well and picks the pocket quite often.
I think he will produce some points, but won't be near the the top 10 in scoring for the next 5-10 years.
He's definitely more a Selke candidate. I don't know how good his faceoff is though.
He will be fun to watch.

https://streamable.com/g9v2

1. Again look at this where he one times it. That is quite the myth.

2. I actually see him as more of an offensive juggernaut (kind of like a McDavid-lite playmaker, way less speed but more power) while being solid defensively. And also he is tied with Larkin for the team lead in point, and while this is not really indicative of any NHL production, it shows that he does in fact put up points.

Otherwise I pretty much agree.

 

[ijuka]

https://streamable.com/8dgl

Just gonna leave this here, it really just shows how well he actually played and honestly how awful Vatrano/a lot of his teammates were- V had zero patience all game and just kept shooting it into the goalie.

Is it bad that even though I'm paying attention to Matthews, what still catches my attention most is how bad his team is playing? It's like he's the only sane player on the team(line), it's quite unfair for him while players like Kane are off golfing.

 

[KGL]

Is it bad that even though I'm paying attention to Matthews, what still catches my attention most is how bad his team is playing? It's like he's the only sane player on the team(line), it's quite unfair for him while players like Kane are off golfing.

Seriously. Offence dies on the stick of Vatrano.