Auston Matthews

[Bender]

Sundin, at age 21, had a 30 game point streak.  Finished with 114 points that year.  However that was with the Nordiques.

The most remarkable thing about that point streak is that he is one of only three players all time to have a streak that hit 30+ games.  We can guess who the other two are.  Pretty heady company.

Seven games translate over a full year but he is on pace for 117 points right now

Which if Matthews gets there in his second season, well that will be amazing.  The last couple of seasons there has been an average of one player getting to a hundred points, and barely beyond that.  If Matthews was to get to 117, well that's when I'd start to consider putting him in the conversation with McDavid, Crosby and Karlsson.

Why does the point total need to be that high?

 

[Coco-puffs]

You have to look at them relative to the rest of the league though. In Sundin's rookie year he wasn't in the top 50 of NHL scorers and didn't win rookie of the year. Matthews was 20th overall in scoring in his rookie season.

I don't think you can just look at it in that way though. Matthews also joined a team that seemed built to shelter the rookies, with a couple good scoring lines and with veterans in key places. Sundin joined one of the all-time worst teams in history.

The Nordiques had 31 points the year before Sundin joined. That's not a typo.

It's always difficult to compare, but if Matthews has a career where he's up for awards like the Hart, Rocket Richard, Conn Smythe(please please please) it would be hard to say that Sundin was a better player. Guys that are up for awards are considered to be the  top 1-3 players in the entire league.  From what I remember, Sundin was never in that conversation. All that being said, it's a bit premature to compare now with Matthews only 89 games into his career.

Mats Sundin received votes for the Hart Trophy in 5 different seasons in his career.  Highest he finished was 8th in voting in 2001-2002, a year he had two 2nd place votes.  He also had four 2nd place votes in 2003-2004.  He was in the conversation.

Of note, Matthews was 11th in Hart Trophy voting last year.

 

[rdowdall]

Sundin, at age 21, had a 30 game point streak.  Finished with 114 points that year.  However that was with the Nordiques.

The most remarkable thing about that point streak is that he is one of only three players all time to have a streak that hit 30+ games.  We can guess who the other two are.  Pretty heady company.

Seven games translate over a full year but he is on pace for 117 points right now

Which if Matthews gets there in his second season, well that will be amazing.  The last couple of seasons there has been an average of one player getting to a hundred points, and barely beyond that.  If Matthews was to get to 117, well that's when I'd start to consider putting him in the conversation with McDavid, Crosby and Karlsson.

Why does the point total need to be that high?

Well it doesn't.  It was a quick and dirty post, poorly constructed because it didn't really provide any context.  If he had 117 points, but he finished fifteenth in scoring, well that wouldn't be as good as getting 100 points and winning the Art Ross. 

I think Matthews is a very good hockey player and he does things that very few other hockey players can do.  I'm just not sure if I would put him in the McDavid, Crosby, Karlsson class, or if he will ever even get to be in that class.  I think there is a lot of hype about Matthews, and it seems that people want to make him out to be better than he is at times.  I find the comparisons to Lemieux and calling him a generational talent might be a bit much at this point.  All I was trying to say is that if Matthews were to have an exceptional season and win an Art Ross this year while having an above normal point total for the past couple of Art Ross winners, then I would start to come around on those opinions.

 

[princedpw]

I?m certainly hoping for the best with respect to Matthews but I think the current hype is out of control, or at least premature.  Some are talking about him competing with McDavid for the hart. 

Let?s wait until he has played 40 games and whether he can stick in the top 3 goal scorers or point getters. If he can, then we can start Hart conversations. 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Outside of the inevitable mouth breathers on social media that are part of every fanbase, the overwhelming majority of the "hype" I've seen surrounding Matthews has been of the "if he keeps this up" and "what he is presently doing is remarkable" variety.

I don't see many sane voices calling him a sure thing, just that at this present level he is producing, he is propelling himself into that type of conversation.

 

[Bender]

Sundin, at age 21, had a 30 game point streak.  Finished with 114 points that year.  However that was with the Nordiques.

The most remarkable thing about that point streak is that he is one of only three players all time to have a streak that hit 30+ games.  We can guess who the other two are.  Pretty heady company.

Seven games translate over a full year but he is on pace for 117 points right now

Which if Matthews gets there in his second season, well that will be amazing.  The last couple of seasons there has been an average of one player getting to a hundred points, and barely beyond that.  If Matthews was to get to 117, well that's when I'd start to consider putting him in the conversation with McDavid, Crosby and Karlsson.

Why does the point total need to be that high?

Well it doesn't.  It was a quick and dirty post, poorly constructed because it didn't really provide any context.  If he had 117 points, but he finished fifteenth in scoring, well that wouldn't be as good as getting 100 points and winning the Art Ross. 

I think Matthews is a very good hockey player and he does things that very few other hockey players can do.  I'm just not sure if I would put him in the McDavid, Crosby, Karlsson class, or if he will ever even get to be in that class.  I think there is a lot of hype about Matthews, and it seems that people want to make him out to be better than he is at times.  I find the comparisons to Lemieux and calling him a generational talent might be a bit much at this point.  All I was trying to say is that if Matthews were to have an exceptional season and win an Art Ross this year while having an above normal point total for the past couple of Art Ross winners, then I would start to come around on those opinions.

Yeah, I mean maybe not. The Lemieux thing is over the top but I think he's in the next tier of forwards behind Crosby and McDavid.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/921913570836860928
https://twitter.com/Goal_Leafs_Goal/status/922098376895803393
An end-to-end by AM with a give-and-go to Willy sprinkled in. I love this man.

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/TheFlintor/status/922608027617783808
An irritated AM pumps those tree-trunks and gets it back.

 

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/TheFlintor/status/922608027617783808
An irritated AM pumps those tree-trunks and gets it back.

It's funny looking at him battle with Kopitar, their body types are so similar.

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/926302930046767104
https://twitter.com/BradyTrett/status/926302149000204288

 

[L K]

Matthews update - 82GP 59 goals 47 assists 106 points

 

[Peter D.]

Matthews update - 82GP 59 goals 47 assists 106 points

?

 

[Frank E]

Matthews update - 82GP 59 goals 47 assists 106 points

?

Those are his tracking numbers...he has 18 points in 14 games.

 

[Peter D.]

Matthews update - 82GP 59 goals 47 assists 106 points

?

Those are his tracking numbers...he has 18 points in 14 games.

Ahhh...my bad.  For some reason I thought it was his last 82 games (which seemed off) based on the hoopla last night he has scored the most scored since the beginning of last season.

 

[L K]

Matthews update - 82GP 59 goals 47 assists 106 points

?

Those are his tracking numbers...he has 18 points in 14 games.

Ahhh...my bad.  For some reason I thought it was his last 82 games (which seemed off) based on the hoopla last night he has scored the most scored since the beginning of last season.

Those numbers aren't so bad either.

Last 82GP 44G 31A 75P

 

[hockeyfan1]

(*sigh*)  If not for Auston...

[tweet]926438815190753282[/tweet]

..and...

[tweet]926574864311267328[/tweet]

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/927965592212197383
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/927964646992154626
Auston talked about even though not being 100% he can still contribute. A very astute observation from the sophomore center...

 

[Zee]

"Didn't have the same power", that was noticeable as the game went on the other night.  He started well but seemed to fade a bit as the game wore on.  Hopefully he can get back to 100%

 

[ZBBM]

The question must be asked:

Is Matthews still necessary?

 

[freer]

The question must be asked:

Is Matthews still necessary?

Really, Really Dude. Are you kidding?