Auston Matthews

[L K]

So going backwards from today Matthews first takes over the goal scoring lead in 2018-2019 from Ovechkin.  If you go back to Matthews rookie season he?s second in the league in goals behind Ovi. Go back a further season and Matthews is still 2nd in the league in total goals

 

[Bullfrog]

So The Book on Matthews is "don't let him shoot"

 

[rdowdall]

Given the trials and tribulation of the Oilers, I got to thinking about what would have happened if the Leafs had gotten McDavid instead of Matthews.

While McDavid is the better player, I think the Leafs would be a worse team today if the ping pong balls had bounced in favour of the Leafs getting McDavid.

 

[L K]

It was harder to say when McDavid was scoring at 2PPG, and ultimately Matthews can't get shut down like he was against Montreal (still had a lot of scoring chances but a star needs to bury those opportunities).  I would much rather have Matthews over McDavid.  Matthews is a far more complete player.  Less of the playmaking stuff but he's so much better defensive than McDavid.

 

[Kin]

Push comes to shove I think I'd rather have McDavid just 1v1 but in a weird way I think I prefer Matthews-Marner than I would to McDavid-Marner.

 

[herman]

Marner was from the McDavid draft so it?s more like
McDavid/Nylander/mid-range 2016 pick*/Tavares
Vs
Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

* Yegor Korshkov without a doubt

 

[L K]

Push comes to shove I think I'd rather have McDavid just 1v1 but in a weird way I think I prefer Matthews-Marner than I would to McDavid-Marner.

Yeah, I probably should say that I'm just comparing a 1 for 1 swap of players.  McDavid-Marner seems like a bad fit.  McDavid-Nylander isn't the same thing as McDavid-Draisaitl.  I'd rather have Matthews on this particular roster

 

[Kin]

Marner was from the McDavid draft so it?s more like
McDavid/Nylander/mid-range 2016 pick*/Tavares
Vs
Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

I didn't really think we were delving too deeply into the multi-verse but unless McDavid being around makes the Leafs brass go for it the same way Matthews did(which raises the question of how they would, exactly) I don't think McDavid's rookie year(where he was injured, remember and didn't even win the Calder) propels them from where they were to mid-pack. Odds are it's

McDavid/top 10 pick in a draft that includes guys like Tkachuk and McAvoy/Nylander/Taveres

vs.

Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

 

[L K]

Marner was from the McDavid draft so it?s more like
McDavid/Nylander/mid-range 2016 pick*/Tavares
Vs
Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

I didn't really think we were delving too deeply into the multi-verse but unless McDavid being around makes the Leafs brass go for it the same way Matthews did(which raises the question of how they would, exactly) I don't think McDavid's rookie year(where he was injured, remember and didn't even win the Calder) propels them from where they were to mid-pack. Odds are it's

McDavid/top 10 pick in a draft that includes guys like Tkachuk and McAvoy/Nylander/Taveres

vs.

Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

McDavid-Tkachuk-Nylander-Tavares would certainly be interesting.

 

[rdowdall]

Marner was from the McDavid draft so it?s more like
McDavid/Nylander/mid-range 2016 pick*/Tavares
Vs
Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

I didn't really think we were delving too deeply into the multi-verse but unless McDavid being around makes the Leafs brass go for it the same way Matthews did(which raises the question of how they would, exactly) I don't think McDavid's rookie year(where he was injured, remember and didn't even win the Calder) propels them from where they were to mid-pack. Odds are it's

McDavid/top 10 pick in a draft that includes guys like Tkachuk and McAvoy/Nylander/Taveres

vs.

Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares

I was mostly looking at it from a Matthews - Marner versus McDavid - High 2016 pick.  It is hard to say what the Leafs would have done.  Maybe they keep Kessel around?  Ultimately though, I guess the Leafs brass has been pretty smart about the moves they have made, so maybe they would be in the same sort of area they are now.  I was just thinking about it this morning as they went through the coaches and goalies that have played with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

http://youtu.be/KxbUpT1oTMs

I'll never tire of watching this.

 

[L K]

http://youtu.be/KxbUpT1oTMs

I'll never tire of watching this.

It?s such a shame that they didn?t win that game.  If they did it goes down as one of the best games in Leafs history.  Id put it right up there but just below Mats Sundin?s hat trick 500th goal game against Calgary

 

[Joe S.]

Is Erik Karlsson a super villain? Wtf is up with that secret lair he was interviewed in?

 

[ZBBM]

We've never seen anyone like him in a Leafs uni.  He's elevated his defensive game to the point where he has to be a Hart finalist this year.

 

[bustaheims]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1511162979001286663

 

[Arn]

We've never seen anyone like him in a Leafs uni.  He's elevated his defensive game to the point where he has to be a Hart finalist this year.

Sundin was clearly the best player the Leafs have had in my time (since the late 90s).

Matthews is already better, I feel. 

 

[Bender]

We've never seen anyone like him in a Leafs uni.  He's elevated his defensive game to the point where he has to be a Hart finalist this year.

Sundin was clearly the best player the Leafs have had in my time (since the late 90s).

Matthews is already better, I feel.

I do think Sundin never really had anyone on par as Mitch Marner feeding him though. But yeah, Auston is definitely the best player we've seen in a Leafs uni, especially combined with the fact that he's still pretty young.

 

[Arn]

The hat trick last night to equal the all time Leafs season record, really reminded me of the Sundin hat trick when he reached the 500 goals with a hat trick.

Matthews is already just completely taking over and shaping games, and he's starting to do it regularly. Sundin did the same but as you say with probably less of a supporting cast at times, though he did get to play with the likes of Mogilny who was no slouch

 

[Zee]

The hat trick last night to equal the all time Leafs season record, really reminded me of the Sundin hat trick when he reached the 500 goals with a hat trick.

Matthews is already just completely taking over and shaping games, and he's starting to do it regularly. Sundin did the same but as you say with probably less of a supporting cast at times, though he did get to play with the likes of Mogilny who was no slouch

Matthews is entering his prime too.  God willing if he stays healthy we could see him pot 70 goals next season (and probably get close in a few more seasons)

 

[Kin]

Sundin was clearly the best player the Leafs have had in my time (since the late 90s).

Matthews is already better, I feel.

I'm still not prepared to go quite that far. I think Sundin, in a more wide open league, would have been something very different than what we saw.

And I don't think I'd equate a 30 year old Sundin getting to play off and on with a past his prime(although still very good) 32 year old Mogilny to what Marner and Matthews have going on. Sundin's best year was him scoring 94 points on a team whose top three scoring wingers were Berezin, Clark and Todd Warriner.