WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
Hyman strikes me as Babs Torontonian Abdelkader.
Auston Matthews
- Thread starter disco
- Start date
herman
Well-known member
mr grieves said:
As hilarious as all of that is to me (as someone who was pushing for Hyman to be on the 4th line early on), I think we need to look at the chances generated, rather than just the goals that went in.
Hockey, being a dynamic sport with chance-driven results, is hard to accurately describe just by looking at goals. I don't have the game footage in front of me, and I also don't have the time, but it'd be good to see and log how good scoring opportunities develop and what role someone like Hyman had in it.
Is Matthews generating this much because of Hyman's help, or in spite of Hyman's participation? How fun would it be if Matthews' winger had Hyman's size and jam but a finisher's hands? I can see Yegor Korshkov up there in a year or two...
herman
Well-known member
Zee said:
Sort of, mostly because we got him at 31, which most considered a reach. He's an overager (already 20) in the KHL this year.
http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-top-25-prospects-under-25/2016/8/8/12358958/maple-leafs-top-25-under-25-yegor-korshkov-starts-things-off-at-no-25
http://theleafsnation.com/2016/8/11/tln-top-20-prospects-2016-17-yegor-korshkov/
6'4", but lean at 190 lbs now per hockeydb (179 at the draft). Solid skater with pretty good speed, strong hockey sense, plays a cycle game, and has a finisher's hands.
I don't think he's a legit 1st line winger like Marner is, but if Babcock is going to insist on a mucker on every line, then I'd want someone like Korshkov with Matthews.
disco said:
I actually think Hyman is a good fit for Matthews. He does all the dirty work on the boards and doesn't do too much. He knows he's out there to get the puck to Matthews and then go to the net and recover the puck.
I see it as Hyman is to Matthews as Connor Sheary is to Crosby. Neither are your typical first line players but they fit with the superstar and are willing to do the grunt work to get the puck on the superstars stick.
mr grieves
New member
herman said:
It's almost as if, when you've got a good enough driver, you needn't assiduously follow the disher/mucker/finisher formula and instead find linemates that complement the star.
mr grieves
New member
Can8899 said:
Connor Sheary has 18 goals and 37 points so far this season. Hyman won't have that at the end of the season.
Here's a list of guys who've played as many minutes and scored at about Hyman's rate, when about his age:
Matthew Lombardi
Jarret Stoll
Colby Armstrong
Jay McClement
Daniel Winnik
They aren't "typical first line players" either.
ZBBM
Active member
Just to be contrarian, maybe Matthews is tailing off because:
1. He's never played this many games, and he is, contrary to some Twitter accounts, a mortal.
2. He's very very good, but not good enough to get 40 goals in a season.
3. He's got a nagging injury that he's hiding from everyone, trainers included.
4. He's pulling a Raycroft and he'll never hit these numbers again.
5. Babcock told him to quit scoring because it's getting to be embarrassing for Zach.
6. Lou told Babcock to tell him to quit scoring because it's about the crest on the front not the name on the back and certainly not about the Mike Brown 'stache Auston longs to rock.
1. He's never played this many games, and he is, contrary to some Twitter accounts, a mortal.
2. He's very very good, but not good enough to get 40 goals in a season.
3. He's got a nagging injury that he's hiding from everyone, trainers included.
4. He's pulling a Raycroft and he'll never hit these numbers again.
5. Babcock told him to quit scoring because it's getting to be embarrassing for Zach.
6. Lou told Babcock to tell him to quit scoring because it's about the crest on the front not the name on the back and certainly not about the Mike Brown 'stache Auston longs to rock.
Zee said:
I would say definitely number 1. He looks a little lethargic lately compared to his earlier play unlike his earlier slump when I think he was just trying to figure things out. Back then he was getting a lot of prime chances, hitting posts, etc. I haven't seen that of late. I also think it's time to try another option than Hyman on that line. Babcock has tried to get him going I am sure by switching up Nylander and Brown, but even that has worked the past few games. May need a new look on a the left side for a change. I'd like to Sosh plugged in there.