Maurice Richard Trophy Tournament (1995-Present) Round 2: 2023 Connor McDavid vs 2022 Auston Matthews

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP #2 (Round 2): Connor McDavid (2023) vs Auston Matthews (2022)

Connor McDavid (2022-23):

Games Played	Goals	Even Strength Goals	Power Play Goals	League Wide Goals Per Game
82	64	39	21	3.18

Auston Matthews (2021-22):

Games Played	Goals	Even Strength Goals	Power Play Goals	League Wide Goals Per Game
73	60	44	16	3.14

Round 2 Matchups
24 Matthews vs 95 Bondra Thread
23 McDavid vs 22 Matthews
21 Matthews vs 20 Ovechkin
19 Ovechkin vs 09 Ovechkin
12 Stamkos vs 10 Crosby
08 Ovechkin vs 04 Iginla
02 Iginla vs 00 Bure
98 Selanne vs 96 Lemieux

Round 1 Results

Click to read more...

 

[Regal]

McDavid by a hair. Basically the same scoring environments and he played all the games and scored more goals. Matthews had the slightly better overall pace, but McDavid also scored 60 in 72 games before slowing down in his last 10. No guarantee Matthews wouldn’t as well. Also, McDavid also found time to lead the league in assists on top of it.

 

[bobholly39]

Going to vote Matthews, but it's close.

I really think his 50 goals in 50 game stretch was spectacular, and it's definitely an influence in my vote. I also know Matthews had injuries that year which affected his overall tally - that's not really a positive, but it's still impressive that he scored so many in less games/despite injury.

If we lean on the fact that McDavid also led the league in points and assists - I would vote for him. But i think the idea is to look only at goals

 

[tabness]

GUCCY over McPP

 

[Auston Marlander]

- 9 fewer games played
- 4 fewer goals scored
- High G/GP
- Lower goals per game played league wife
- Less reliant on PP goals
- 51 goals in a 50 game stretch


Unless someone only considers total goals, it's Matthews.

 

[Namikaze Minato]

- 9 fewer games played
- 4 fewer goals scored
- High G/GP
- Lower goals per game played league wife
- Less reliant on PP goals
- 51 goals in a 50 game stretch


Unless someone only considers total goals, it's Matthews.

I mean, that is a pretty big part of winning the Rocket Richard trophy though.

I do agree its Matthews but this should be very close. 64 goals in 82 games is crazy (2nd was 60 in 82gp and 3rd was 55 in 81gp) but I lean slightly more towards 60 in 74 (2nd was 55 in 80gp and 3rd was 52 in 81) so he had a bigger gap and still played quite a few less games.

 

[Video Nasty]

- 9 fewer games played
- 4 fewer goals scored
- High G/GP
- Lower goals per game played league wife
- Less reliant on PP goals
- 51 goals in a 50 game stretch


Unless someone only considers total goals, it's Matthews.

McDavid scored his 60th in his 72nd game, while Matthews got his 60th (and 59th) in his 73rd game. We don’t know what happens with Matthews playing 9 more games. Maybe he scores 10, maybe he scores 3.

The difference in league wide GPG is negligible, therefore not worth noting as one of your key bullet points.

Your closing sentence is a point you don’t really want to introduce. If we’re not considering only total goals, that brings in the very valid point that it’s more impressive for the playmaker first to score more or a similar amount of goals as the noted goal scorer.

 

[blundluntman]

I’m gonna take Matthews here personally. I think what Mcdavid did was more impressive given how cerebral he was with his shot selection/rhythm and his overall point production that year, but Matthews was more versatile; a pure goal scorer if you will. I prefer Mcdavid’s season but Matthews was more dominant

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Papi here, he got that and was more than reliable defensively which is always the tie-breaker.
Also more ES goals...damn I wish we'd (Ottawa) tanked hard that season (Matthews Draft year), we'd be so much better with him in the line-up.

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

I think its note worthy that McDavid was still a playmaker first in the 2023 season. 89 assists and 153 points compared to 46 assists and 106 points for Matthews.

 

[Ignatius]

McPPMerchant