Jarome Iginla vs. Auston Matthews

[Haatley]

Right, but at the same time of their careers:
Iginla - Totals: 626 GP, 250 G, 253 A, 503 PTS - Playoffs: 28 GP, 14 G, 10 A, 24 PTS
Matthews - Totals: 562 GP, 368 G, 281 A, 649 PTS - Playoffs: 55 GP, 23 G, 25 A, 48 PTS

Matthews has scored 118 more goals and 146 more points in 64 less games.
Matthews received Selke votes in 2017 (38th), 2020 (16th), 2021 (27th), 2022 (10th), 2023 (14th) and 2024 (3rd).
Iginla received Selke votes in 2002 (14th) and 2004 (34th). Iginla would also receive votes in 2008 (48th), 2009 (35th) and 2012 (43th).

I know Iggy is more physical and harder to play against, etc. but it's hard to ignore Matthews offensive production is much higher than Iginla's, plus he's reached as high as 3rd in Selke voting over Iginla's peak of 14th.

Now do era adjusted.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Now do era adjusted.

And dont forget east coast bias

Also Toronto has been the better team for all off Matthew’s career compared to what Ignla had to work with.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

Voted Matthews. Goals aren’t everything but he’s so consistently and absurdly dominant at goal scoring that offsets Matthew’s lack of prolific playmaking imo. Close though. I do think Matthews ‘ two way game ‘ is a bit overrated each year I watch him in April

 

[strattonius]

Iginla is one of the best leaders in hockey.

Comparing their stats doesn't really give a ton of context given Iginla played in one of the lowest scoring eras in history.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Now do era adjusted.

Ya that would help Iginla,
Lower scoring then.

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[Arthur Morgan]

This is the issue, most people commenting on here haven’t watched Iginla’s whole career very closely. ‘One solid playoff run’ is honestly putting it lightly. The flames missed the playoffs the year before. Then just by adding a healthy Iginla, they get 1 win away from a Cup win. It was one of the biggest player impacts on a team we have ever seen, and when that season concluded Iginla was considered by many to be the best in the world.

I watched Iginla many many many times, always loved him as a player but I wouldnt place him above Matthews.

 

[mattihp]

The creepy pants dropper takes this. Only win for Iginla is toughness, strength and leadership.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Iginla is one of the best leaders in hockey.

Comparing their stats doesn't really give a ton of context given Iginla played in one of the lowest scoring eras in history.

put Iginla in todays NHL and he's still not out scoring Matthews. love Iginla and always have, always will too but come on

 

[Video Nasty]

its pretty obvious why he's almost winning the poll.

I think the results are close for three major reasons actually.

1. It's been 20 years since Iginla's one excellent playoff performance and 15 years since his last really good season. The time has come to romanticize the past.

2. Matthews (and the Leafs) is coming off another embarrassing performance and failure in the postseason. There is also the interesting wrinkle of minor disappointment that he just missed 70 goals, even though 69 goals was quite pleasurable.

3. Most will vote against the Leafs player for a laugh because the fans can be so annoying (Transparency since individual votes are not visible to the public: I voted for Matthews).

If this poll was created when he was hunting 70 and seemed almost a lock to do it, or before this postseason, he would likely be winning by a bigger margin (65-35 or greater).

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Iginla is one of the best leaders in hockey.

Comparing their stats doesn't really give a ton of context given Iginla played in one of the lowest scoring eras in history.

No he isn't.

Leaders win, Iginla never won.

Oh he smiles for the cameras, great.

 

[Steven Toast]

Matthews, not close either.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

I watched Iginla many many many times, always loved him as a player but I wouldnt place him above Matthews.

That is fine, and I wouldn't place Matthews above Iginla at this point in Matthews career, as he could very well be closer to a Stamkos legacy than an Ovechkin. My main point is they are objectively on the same tier of player.

put Iginla in todays NHL and he's still not out scoring Matthews. love Iginla and always have, always will too but come on

This is where there must be just a disconnect, like some Matthews fans are delusional. In no world would Matthews outscore Iginla, besides in the goal scoring department, where Iginla would still be quite competitive. However Iginla was the much better playmaker, and won an Art Ross. He would easily create more offense than Matthews, and that is a pretty objective statement.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

That is fine, and I wouldn't place Matthews above Iginla at this point in Matthews career, as he could very well be closer to a Stamkos legacy than an Ovechkin. My main point is they are objectively on the same tier of player.

This is where there must be just a disconnect, like some Matthews fans are delusional. In no world would Matthews outscore Iginla, besides in the goal scoring department, where Iginla would still be quite competitive. However Iginla was the much better playmaker, and won an Art Ross. He would easily create more offense than Matthews, and that is a pretty objective statement.

Matthews would crush Iginla in scoring, Iginla just too inconsistent.

First season after lockout he wasn't even top 50 in scoring...

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

I think the results are close for three major reasons actually.

1. It's been 20 years since Iginla's one excellent playoff performance and 15 years since his last really good season. The time has come to romanticize the past.

2. Matthews (and the Leafs) is coming off another embarrassing performance and failure in the postseason. There is also the interesting wrinkle of minor disappointment that he just missed 70 goals, even though 69 goals was quite pleasurable.

3. Most will vote against the Leafs player for a laugh because the fans can be so annoying (Transparency since individual votes are not visible to the public: I voted for Matthews).

If this poll was created when he was hunting 70 and seemed almost a lock to do it, or before this postseason, he would likely be winning by a bigger margin (65-35 or greater).

Look at it like this. If this poll gets done in 30 years when Matthews is long retired, and Matthews doesn't add anything new to his legacy with a dominant playoff run or actually consistently being a serious Selke contender, or finding his playmaking touch, or actually challenge OV's goalscoring records, then the results would be exactly the same, because people would just pull up their trophy cases and look at their peaks. And if you just pull up Iginla's trophy case, and see he peaked as someone who almost had a full award sweep with an art ross, richard, and player voted MVP, and had one of the most memorable runs to the final where he dragged a team that missed the playoffs the year before, and then compare it to Matthews, you almost certainly have a split that looks very similar as it does here. I think leaf fans just can't see it objectively, and look at the facts past the name.

Matthews would crush Iginla in scoring, Iginla just too inconsistent.

First season after lockout he wasn't even top 50 in scoring...

You know that first season after lockout is firmly out of Iginla's peak right? He turned 30 after that season. Matthews fan don't want to be objective in this thread and its obvious. Ages 21-27 pre-lockout Iginla was a scary dude before the injuries started to creep up.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

That is fine, and I wouldn't place Matthews above Iginla at this point in Matthews career, as he could very well be closer to a Stamkos legacy than an Ovechkin. My main point is they are objectively on the same tier of player.

This is where there must be just a disconnect, like some Matthews fans are delusional. In no world would Matthews outscore Iginla, besides in the goal scoring department, where Iginla would still be quite competitive. However Iginla was the much better playmaker, and won an Art Ross. He would easily create more offense than Matthews, and that is a pretty objective statement.

I dunno I kinda view Matthews as a tier above Iginla. I dunno if Iginla would out produce more points than Matthews. but Matthews plays the more important position that's harder to play over a Winger.

Iginla only managed to lead his team to the playoffs 5 times in CGY and then made it two more times as he was hunting for a cup. so I dunno I have a hard time placing him above. I am a Leafs fan so prob little bias in there.

Matthews is 257 goals away and still has 992 games left to the same gp as Iginla
Matthews is also only 651 points away from matching Iginla with 992gp left,

I understand times have changed but I just dont see how Iginla is over Matthews

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

I dunno I kinda view Matthews as a tier above Iginla. I dunno if Iginla would out produce more points than Matthews. but Matthews plays the more important position that's harder to play over a Winger.

Iginla only managed to lead his team to the playoffs 5 times in CGY and then made it two more times as he was hunting for a cup. so I dunno I have a hard time placing him above. I am a Leafs fan so prob little bias in there.

Matthews is 257 goals away and still has 992 games left to the same gp as Iginla
Matthews is also only 651 points away from matching Iginla with 992gp left,

I understand times have changed but I just dont see how Iginla is over Matthews

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but you clearly don't watch hockey that much. Or you don't really know the game. Matthews doesn't create offense, and doesn't play a traditional center role. Marner is the one that is tasked with dishing out the puck on the top line, and that is something the leaf players and coaching staff have even talked about. It is not a secret. To blindly take Matthews because 'he plays the more important position' is a pretty weak argument.

Then you go on to post numbers. Bud, Iginla won the Rocket scoring 41 goals. That is 16 goals less than Sam Reinhart this season. Can you make an argument past the numbers, because that is beyond weak to blindly compare numbers.

The reality is, the majority of people who claim they watched Iginla play saw post lockout Iginla, who was done competing for major awards and was in the back half of his career, and oh btw, older than Matthews now. I am pretty convinced only a handful of posters pounding their chest about Matthews and claiming Iginla is getting nostalgia votes didn't watch pre-lockout hockey.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Look at it like this. If this poll gets done in 30 years when Matthews is long retired, and Matthews doesn't add anything new to his legacy with a dominant playoff run or actually consistently being a serious Selke contender, or finding his playmaking touch, or actually challenge OV's goalscoring records, then the results would be exactly the same, because people would just pull up their trophy cases and look at their peaks. And if you just pull up Iginla's trophy case, and see he peaked as someone who almost had a full award sweep with an art ross, richard, and player voted MVP, and had one of the most memorable runs to the final where he dragged a team that missed the playoffs the year before, and then compare it to Matthews, you almost certainly have a split that looks very similar as it does here. I think leaf fans just can't see it objectively, and look at the facts past the name.


You know that first season after lockout is firmly out of Iginla's peak right? He turned 30 after that season. Matthews fan don't want to be objective in this thread and its obvious. Ages 21-27 pre-lockout Iginla was a scary dude before the injuries started to creep up.

The two seasons before the lockout he scored 73 points in 81 games and 67 in 75..

Good for 16th and 35th in league scoring.

One monster season followed by good not great seasons and a fluke run.

He was a good player and seems like he mostly a good guy off the ice but he is being given wayyy too much credit here.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but you clearly don't watch hockey that much. Or you don't really know the game. Matthews doesn't create offense, and doesn't play a traditional center role. Marner is the one that is tasked with dishing out the puck on the top line, and that is something the leaf players and coaching staff have even talked about. It is not a secret. To blindly take Matthews because 'he plays the more important position' is a pretty weak argument.

Then you go on to post numbers. Bud, Iginla won the Rocket scoring 41 goals. That is 16 goals less than Sam Reinhart this season. Can you make an argument past the numbers, because that is beyond weak to blindly compare numbers.

The reality is, the majority of people who claim they watched Iginla play saw post lockout Iginla, who was done competing for major awards and was in the back half of his career, and oh btw, older than Matthews now. I am pretty convinced only a handful of posters pounding their chest about Matthews and claiming Iginla is getting nostalgia votes didn't watch pre-lockout hockey.

Matthews didnt really overly play with Marner this year man, Domi did just as good of a job that Marner did with Matthews. I watch enough hockey and I watched alot of Iginla play as well in my life man. Matthews position still is the tougher position. more responsibility to play C than W. I didnt say that was the only reason though lol.

numbers matter man, and the reality is majority of those people would vote against the leafs even if they knew it was the wrong answer. Matthews loses like 95% of his polls here. I also dont care, I dont see how in any world Iginla is above Matthews.

when its all said and done Matthews will finish above Iginla. prob pass him before his career is up.

wonder what opinions would be if Matthews wasn't a Leaf

 

[Golden_Jet]

Matthews didnt really overly play with Marner this year man, Domi did just as good of a job that Marner did with Matthews. I watch enough hockey and I watched alot of Iginla play as well in my life man. Matthews position still is the tougher position. more responsibility to play C than W. I didnt say that was the only reason though lol.

numbers matter man, and the reality is majority of those people would vote against the leafs even if they knew it was the wrong answer. Matthews loses like 95% of his polls here. I also dont care, I dont see how in any world Iginla is above Matthews.

when its all said and done Matthews will finish above Iginla. prob pass him before his career is up.

wonder what opinions would be if Matthews wasn't a Leaf

From moneypuck

Matthew’s, Marner , Knies. Most minutes as a line (404 minutes)

Next one for Matthews was
Bertuzzi, Matthews, Domi at 147 minutes

Third was Knies Matthew’s Nylander 118 minutes

 

[strattonius]

No he isn't.

Leaders win, Iginla never won.

Oh he smiles for the cameras, great.

No. Hockey has a larger team aspect and sometimes even the best leaders are left short of a cup. You're being disingenuous about Iginla's leadership.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

From moneypuck

Matthew’s, Marner , Knies. Most minutes as a line (404 minutes)

Next one for Matthews was
Bertuzzi, Matthews, Domi at 147 minutes

Third was Knies Matthew’s Nylander 118 minutes

im just saying, Domi in the end did just as good of a job setting up Matthews as Marner did. it was a good way to even the skill throughout the lineup. although it still didnt work. leafs choke again

EDIT: forgot to say, I guess I forgot how many mins they did play together but in the end Matthews and Domi played very well together. kinda replaced Marner on Matthews wing

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

The two seasons before the lockout he scored 73 points in 81 games and 67 in 75..

Good for 16th and 35th in league scoring.

One monster season followed by good not great seasons and a fluke run.

He was a good player and seems like he mostly a good guy off the ice but he is being given wayyy too much credit here.

So 02-03 he played through multiple injuries, and included a injured finger the whole year. The flames missed the playoffs. The following year before the lockout, he won the Richard and dragged that non playoff team the year before to a stanley cup final, and subsequently was considered by many to be the best player in the world in 2004.

Dude, just admit you didn't watch him play pre-lockout. Thanks for pulling up his stat sheet and reading it to us though.

 

[Regal]

The two seasons before the lockout he scored 73 points in 81 games and 67 in 75..

Good for 16th and 35th in league scoring.

One monster season followed by good not great seasons and a fluke run.

He was a good player and seems like he mostly a good guy off the ice but he is being given wayyy too much credit here.

Iginla was the Hart runner up in 03-04

 

[Regal]

Look at it like this. If this poll gets done in 30 years when Matthews is long retired, and Matthews doesn't add anything new to his legacy with a dominant playoff run or actually consistently being a serious Selke contender, or finding his playmaking touch, or actually challenge OV's goalscoring records, then the results would be exactly the same, because people would just pull up their trophy cases and look at their peaks. And if you just pull up Iginla's trophy case, and see he peaked as someone who almost had a full award sweep with an art ross, richard, and player voted MVP, and had one of the most memorable runs to the final where he dragged a team that missed the playoffs the year before, and then compare it to Matthews, you almost certainly have a split that looks very similar as it does here. I think leaf fans just can't see it objectively, and look at the facts past the name.


You know that first season after lockout is firmly out of Iginla's peak right? He turned 30 after that season. Matthews fan don't want to be objective in this thread and its obvious. Ages 21-27 pre-lockout Iginla was a scary dude before the injuries started to creep up.

Iginla was 28 for the entirety of the first year after the lockout, and went on to have two of his best year in ‘07 and ‘08 after that.

 

[crowi]

I dunno I kinda view Matthews as a tier above Iginla. I dunno if Iginla would out produce more points than Matthews. but Matthews plays the more important position that's harder to play over a Winger.

Iginla only managed to lead his team to the playoffs 5 times in CGY and then made it two more times as he was hunting for a cup. so I dunno I have a hard time placing him above. I am a Leafs fan so prob little bias in there.

Matthews is 257 goals away and still has 992 games left to the same gp as Iginla
Matthews is also only 651 points away from matching Iginla with 992gp left,

I understand times have changed but I just dont see how Iginla is over Matthews

I voted Matthews weeks ago. Going about their position when Matthews actually plays like a soft winger with no heart is hardly meaningful. Iginla was much more of a leader than Matthews is and likely ever will be.