Auston Matthews

[sickbeast]

Noted Habs fan Andrew Berkshire on Auston Matthews.

Considering that the hype train hasn?t been as crazy as I assumed it would be at this point, I?m going to do something a little crazy and compare Matthews to Connor McDavid?s rookie year in terms of offensive impact at even strength.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/comparing-rookie-seasons-auston-matthews-connor-mcdavid/

Thanks to a few people on here who convinced me to give Berkshire more of a chance, he does a lot of good work.

That's very impressive to see him comparing so well to McDavid.

 

[Highlander]

Conner who?

 

[LuncheonMeat]

So can we award Matthews the NHL rookie of the month for December (and Anderson NHL top 3), or do we have to wait until tomorrow?

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/mkmolnar/status/815699703539126272

 

[ZBBM]

That vid will henceforth run on my desktop. For approximately ever.

 

[hockeyfan1]

https://twitter.com/mkmolnar/status/815699703539126272

The art of perfection.

 

[disco]

https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/video/matthews-top-shelf-snipe/t-277437436/c-47968603

Regular cam, that pivot by Auston is so cool.

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/32202/2017/01/02/mirtle-auston-matthews-is-better-than-anyone-gave-him-credit-for/

Read this while you can.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

https://theathletic.com/32202/2017/01/02/mirtle-auston-matthews-is-better-than-anyone-gave-him-credit-for/

Read this while you can.

I was coming here to share this, I had to go compose myself after reading that.

 

[herman]

Earlier in the year, I said the head to head comparison won't be Matthews vs Laine, but McDavid vs Matthews. And if the drafts were merged these past two seasons, he would've gone second over Eichel. I'm probably still under rating him.

Stylistically, Matthews is demonstrating shades of current Crosby.

 

[Zee]

https://theathletic.com/32202/2017/01/02/mirtle-auston-matthews-is-better-than-anyone-gave-him-credit-for/

Read this while you can.

I was coming here to share this, I had to go compose myself after reading that.

Me too, it was like Christmas all over again

 

[Redleaf]

Earlier in the year, I said the head to head comparison won't be Matthews vs Laine, but McDavid vs Matthews. And if the drafts were merged these past two seasons, he would've gone second over Eichel. I'm probably still under rating him.

Stylistically, Matthews is demonstrating shades of current Crosby.

As a long time Leaf fan, I'm still waiting for the bottom to fall out , but the more games this guy plays , the more you start to realize he is much more than most of us bargained for when the Leafs won the lottery and secured  that 1st overall pick. Matthews looks like he'll become a true 'generational' player now, and he's a LEAF! Some dreams do come true boys and girls!

 

[Bender]

Earlier in the year, I said the head to head comparison won't be Matthews vs Laine, but McDavid vs Matthews. And if the drafts were merged these past two seasons, he would've gone second over Eichel. I'm probably still under rating him.

Stylistically, Matthews is demonstrating shades of current Crosby.

He's a very special player no doubt, but I have my reservations about whether he could be compared to McDavid or Crosby.

 

[rdowdall]

Earlier in the year, I said the head to head comparison won't be Matthews vs Laine, but McDavid vs Matthews. And if the drafts were merged these past two seasons, he would've gone second over Eichel. I'm probably still under rating him.

Stylistically, Matthews is demonstrating shades of current Crosby.

He's a very special player no doubt, but I have my reservations about whether he could be compared to McDavid or Crosby.

Yeah, I think he is more of an Yzerman in a league that has a Lemieux and Gretzky.

 

[Highlander]

https://theathletic.com/32202/2017/01/02/mirtle-auston-matthews-is-better-than-anyone-gave-him-credit-for/

Read this while you can.

All I can say is WOW, thanks for sharing that Herman. I am still buzzing from that amazing goal from last night

 

[McGarnagle]

I don't see any rush to categorize him based on less than half a rookie season. He'll go through ups and downs, right now he's on a up, and people are breathless about it, just like his 4 goal opener.

Selfishly, I'm rooting for him to win the calder since Pronman anointed Laine as the top pick in the draft, and the two are compared weekly in the media, but that will probably dissolve after the rookie season.

 

[herman]

He's a very special player no doubt, but I have my reservations about whether he could be compared to McDavid or Crosby.

It certainly would be safer to lean conservative here.

The premise of Mirtle's article was that there isn't really a prescedent for what Matthews has done in the USNTDP, Swiss League, and now in the NHL. Most viewers have erred on the conservative side.

Obviously he's not at Crosby levels, nor does he have McDavid's dazzle, but the pieces are there for him to develop into a comparable player because of his remarkable consistency in shot generation, play driving for his teammates, and individual skill in handling and finishing, while still developing an already fairly mature defensive capability that I think is actually ahead of McDavid's at this point.

Part of McDavid's wow factor is his top gear speed and ability to make plays at those speeds. He basically generates uncontested chances because of it. Crosby and Matthews on the other hand, cut through defenses with stick handling and edgework, generally scoring from in close (i.e. With people draped over them) at a very consistent rate.

I also would have said all this during his 13 game drought but replaced the word scoring with generating dangerous shots.

 

[Highlander]

I was just walking the dog and started to think about some of Mirtles comments, like his assists are not where they might be if Brown and Hyman were better scorers (although I think Brown is coming along fine there). I started thinking if Auston had his own version of Mogilny and that got me thinking. Who the hell is that going to be?  Will it be Marner?  Leipsec? Kapi or someone new? 

Hyman is a great digger (an animal in Babcocks own words), but he is making a few bonehead plays and had few gaffes yesterday. All in all his work ethic outways his shortcomings to date.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Auston Matthews leads 3 Stars of the Week (from NHL.com):

FIRST STAR - AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews led the NHL with 4-2-6 in three outings, all multi-point performances, to help the Maple Leafs (17-12-7, 41 points) complete a perfect week, capped by a victory in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic. He registered 1-1-2 in both a 3-2 shootout win over the Florida Panthers Dec. 28 and a 3-2 overtime triumph against the Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 29. Matthews then scored twice, including his first career overtime goal, in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic Jan. 1. The 19-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., native paces rookies in goals (20), points (32) and game-winning goals (t-3) through 36 contests this season, aided by 6-3-9 during a six-game point streak and 14-5-19 in 17 outings dating to Nov. 23.

https://www.nhl.com/news/auston-matthews-chris-kreider-marc-andre-fleury-named-3-stars-of-the-week/c-285254990?tid=282747176

I'm going to assume, because I'm a Leafs fan, that both Matthews and Anderson will be stars of the month for December.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/815976187486990336
www.twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/815976187486990336

Auston Matthews gives Matt Martin the feels. If he didn't before, Martin will gladly go through a wall or three a night for this team. He put on some great shifts with Gauthier and Soshnikov during the Centennial Classic.