This is such a confusing post. Are you saying Cale Maker is the reason why Matthews has not won a cup? And the main reason why Mackinnon has won a cup. Despite the obvious production advantage Mackinnon holds in his playoff career over Matthews? No one is setting the bar that Matthews has to carry his team to a cup. Just produce and lead as a projected 13.5M player should be.
If anything, Eichel has made an even stronger case he belongs in this tier. He has shown what he can do on a playoff caliber team. He could always produce on those weak Buffalo teams. But now he has shown what he can achieve on an actual playofff caliber team. That is to lead the team in scoring and be one of it's integral players winning the cup. There is no way Marchessault scores those big goals or wins the Conn smythe without Eichel. Eichel elevated a teammate in the playoffs, I have yet to see Matthews do the same. And that makes Eichel better in my eyes. If you want regular season flash, it's Matthews. If you want cups it's Eichel.
Mack gives cup and reg season flash
I think most people in hockey regard Eichel as an elite talent in hockey. Again Marchessault does not win the Conn Smythe without Eichel. This is what elite players do. Several seasons of Bad teams and injuries have prevented Eichel from having that big one season that some are looking for. I don't think he needs to prove anything any longer. He led the VGK in scoring this year in their cup run. Mccrimmon got the player that put them over the top. Stone was a nice add, but you need that player that is a game breaker, either by creating a goal or scoring it. One can say Eichel when he finally got his chance to play for a playoff caliber team did it. If he can stay healthy, put in one 82 game season. He can put together a career regular season. Though a Cup and leading your team in scoring in the playoffs is a nice caveat to have on your resume too. Something I would hope Matthews would want over any regular season bragging rights.
If Eichel is a superstar, then so is Phil Kessel. Did you see Phil Kessel's playoff stats in Pittsburgh?
I will make this short. I am speaking facts, you are speaking in what ifs. Rarely the what if argument wins. Maybe if Mackinnon is on the Leafs with his 100 points proven in 77 games played in the playoffs the Leafs win the cup. Rather than Matthews 44 points in 50 games. But I would rather deal in the facts we have to dateI'll break it down for you. Mackinnon does not win a Cup without Makar. He could not get out of the second round without Makar going God-mode, as his history has shown. He made it out of the second round once in his career, and it's when Makar went God-mode and won the unanimous Conn Smythe. Seriously, Makar had 5 more points than Mackinnon, Makar plays defense. Makar put up 29 points in 20 games as the 1D with great defense, and you're saying they win that championship without Makar? Replace Mackinnon with Matthews and that team still wins that Cup. Mackinnon was outscored by both Makar and Rantanen.
Eichel is a great example of a supplementary player. He's never good enough to carry a team to the playoffs alone, but add him to a team that's already made the SCF along with a #1D and #1RW and he can carry them to the Cup. Basically, the same as Phil Kessel. He couldn't do it in Toronto, but you add him to another team where he doesn't need to carry the team, and he won 2 Cups. Your argument about Eichel being a superstar for joining a team that made the Cup without him and then winning as a supplementary piece is asinine at best. You take a team that goes to the Finals, add a #1 Cup-winning D, a #1RW, and a #1C - and you give all the credit to the #1C?
McDavid and Draisaitl play a different style than Matthews and Marner in the playoffs. The Leafs strategy in the playoffs is defense first, low scoring hockey. Which is why they allow much fewer goals than Edmonton in the playoffs. Edmonton's strategy is we got two of the best offensive players in the world, let's outscore our problems. Edmonton plays a completely loose open-end hockey. It's great against defensive teams because they can't produce that much, but it's horrible against deep competitive teams (Vegas, Colorado). Edmonton can beat teams like LA and Calgary with their style, sure, but they're not actual contenders. That's why despite McDavid and Draisaitl going 2PPG in the playoffs, they can still get swept. It's not the teams fault - the coach basically says no defense, outscore your problems - which is why it's really hard to compare their point totals until they prove they can have success with that style.
Similar ages argument now. Keep throwing mud until it sticks? No I think I will continue to deal in facts as it pertains to the topic discussed here.
Eichel signed a 8 year contract with Buffalo. He is making 10M per and is under contract to VGK for 3 more years thanks to this. VGK will benefit having Eichel at 10M per the next 3 years, while the Leafs will be hamstrung with Matthews making 13.5+ perhaps for less than max years if reports and his past contract negotiations are an indicator.
I am writing too many facts, this is why you have chosen to ignore the discussion I responded to you at first. Matthews outproducing Nylander in the playoffs, for I can only guess meaning Matthews deserves 13.5M less than 8 years max. I don't blame you for trying to change the discussion for you can't even respond to the post above. I don't want to repeat myself again here. It is clear you zero arguments against my the positions I have stated. Otherwise you would have stated them by now.
Matthews measuring stick is not Nylander though. It should be the players below, If he gets paid at 13.5M+ per for anything less than a max term based partly on his playoff record. Getting 13.5M+ would be bending over to him and his agent again. He would have milked the Leafs every last cent a second consecutive negotiations. For a caphit of 13.5M+ 8 years is at minimum the acceptable term. Otherwise the optics are he is just playing hockey for the money, and regular season stats, and not when it counts the most, the playoffs.You know Matthews outscored Nylander in the playoffs almost every year, including this season, right?
"The only Leafs player who do something during the playoffs" was 4th on the Leafs in playoff scoring this year. HfBoards, you got to love it.
It doesn't matter what Eichel got then, he had the exact same playoff series wins as Matthews had when Matthews signed for 5 years at 11.64 to Eichel's 10M(1.65 less) at a much more tram friendlier term while playing on a much worse team. He has now won a cup and led his team in scoring doing so while making 10M. This is more than Matthews has ever done in the playoffs at 11.64 and now he is commanding 13.5 for non max years. Facts matter.
Well if you want to continue to play the game of what if? Had Matthews been on Buffalo and Eichel was in Toronto. Eichel has proven he can win a cup leading a good team in scoring. Matthews has proven he can only lead a good team to the playoffs and usually be one and out, though I doubt even Bobby Orr could have led those Sabres teams to the playoffs.
