Post 2013 Forward Lockout Tournament Tier 1 Final: Auston Matthews Versus Connor McDavid

[DitchMarner]

Since the players involved are at different stages of their careers, the best way to vote is probably by answering this question: If I was a General Manager and I could draft one player for my team (having the knowledge that I have about each player at this point in time), which player would I choose?

Some are more accomplished than others and some have been more injury-prone than others, but under different circumstances, how different could things have been?


Tier 1, Round 1:

Connor McDavid (52 votes to 4 - 92.9%)
Connor Bedard

Nathan MacKinnon (25 votes to 21 - 54.3%
Nikita Kucherov

Auston Matthews (62 votes to 33 - 65.3%)
Leon Draisaitl

Elias Pettersson (32 votes to 27 - 54.2%)
Jack Hughes

Jack Eichel
Aleksander Barkov (16 votes to 0 - 100%)

Kirril Kaprizov (39 votes to 27 - 59.1%)
Mikko Rantanen

David Pastrnak (23 votes to 8 - 74.2%)
Artemi Panarin

Mitch Marner
Brayden Point (19 votes to 8 - 70.4%)


Tier 1, Round 2:

Kirril Kaprizov
David Pastrnak (18 votes to 6 - 75%)

Brayden Point (15 votes to 12 - 55.6%)
Elias Pettersson

Aleksander Barkov
Auston Matthews (32 votes to 16 - 66.7%)

Connor McDavid (45 votes to 3 - 93.8%)
Nathan MacKinnon


Tier 1, Round 3:

David Pastrnak
Auston Matthews (40 votes to 22 - 64.5%)

Connor McDavid (52 votes to 3 - 94.5%)
Brayden Point


Final:

Auston Matthews
Connor McDavid

Click to read more...

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Fairly certain the bracket was designed to have these two meet at the end. I would put several players from this bracket ahead of Matthews.

 

[I am not exposed]

Obviously McDavid.

 

[bobholly39]

Obviously McDavid.

And it doesn't mean Matthews is #2 on this list just because he made the final - but I think he actually has a decent argument for #2 nonetheless.

Unlike many others who took a few years to really get going, he was really good in the NHL from draft+1 year, and improved every single year since then (last year is the only fluke, but he was supposedly injured).

All of Drai/Mack/Kucherov have a few more holes in their resumes in regards to starting later, or taking a bit longer to reach elite level, etc. That usually bodes well too for trying to predict the rest of Matthews' prime/career, in regards to expected consistency/longevity.

Obviously - flipside is Matthews' biggest weakness by far is playoffs. And it's not so much that he's horrible in playoffs - but he's nowhere as good as any of Drai/Kuch/MacKinnon.

You could also argue Bedard at #2 of course, and that might be the best choice, even though it's more risky with how unproven he still is.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Well at least they both finally made the Final in something.