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Auston Matthews

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/01/02/leafs-notebook-rolling-new-year-january-2/

You should read this in general, but the Matthews relevant portion that I want to highlight is the video breakdown at the end, detailing what went into the OT winner.
 
Significantly Insignificant said:
Bender said:
herman said:
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.
Click to expand...


He's a very special player no doubt, but I have my reservations about whether he could be compared to McDavid or Crosby.
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Yeah, I think he is more of an Yzerman in a league that has a Lemieux and Gretzky.
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I preferred Yzerman over the other two anyways, so I don't have a problem with that.
 
As is often the case after brilliant individual performances, the media will latch onto that easy story lifeline and milk it for the rest of the week.

This is just the TSN stuff from yesterday and this morning, ordered by goodness. I haven't listened to them yet, but I would imagine the last two are skippable.

Mirtle: http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/mirtle-we-underrated-how-good-matthews-could-be-1.642832

Shilton: http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/shilton-matthews-team-depth-driving-the-maple-leafs-1.642301

Dreger: http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/dreger-matthews-is-up-there-with-the-best-nhl-centres-1.642742

Naylor & Landsberg: http://www.tsn.ca/video/can-matthews-score-40-goals-this-season~1027307
 
It's great that Matthews is getting the hype, and he deserves every bit of it.  But the best play in OT Sunday was Nylander's, fighting to get the puck and then laying a perfect pass to Kadri.  I'm OK with Willie flying under the radar ... so long as the team well and truly realizes what a talent he is.
 
https://twitter.com/NHL/status/816359555365908480
www.twitter.com/NHL/status/816359555365908480
 
I think you can officially say Gary Lawless was wrong or premature with the Laine > Matthews article.

The real debate should be Matthews vs McDavid ;)
 
https://twitter.com/LeafsNews/status/816459042428219392

The way Matthews can quickly pivot that 6'3" 220lb frame from skating forwards to skating backwards and not fall down whilst making a play is awesome. Saw it on his 3-on=1 goal in the Centennial Classic as well. Just another tool in his arsenal.
 
I honestly didn't think he'd be this good.  I mean I read all the articles leading up to the draft, and still I had doubt.  It's the Leafs after all.
 
Smooth skater, great pivot, sharp shooter, excellent vision, smart passer, difficult to stymie for long (somehow comes up with something), and so much more. 

The best part?  He's a Leaf!  He's ours!  Nothing, as some have posted, could have prepared us fans to see the day when we'd be a getting a #1 pick and to be delighted at the result.  Now, that's awesome, alright!
 
https://twitter.com/LeafReport/status/816759408592097280
www.twitter.com/LeafReport/status/816759408592097280

Mirtle and Seigel chat about Matthews in the wake of the Centennial Classic, and go into a little bit more depth about what made people underestimate him coming into the draft (location, location, location).

I only got part way through it on my commute into the office, so I'll add thoughts later as they come.

This quote from Marc Crawford (pre-draft) is referenced:
I?ve said a lot of players I?d compare him to. He?s got elements of many players. Remember, he?s 18 years old. I had Anze Kopitar at 19, I had Jamie Benn at 19, and I had Joe Sakic as a 21 year old. I think Auston has got a lot of the qualities of those guys. At the same age, he looks very, very similar to Anze Kopitar with the way he drives the net, the way he protects the puck in offensive areas. He?s better offensively than Anze. He?s a shooter like Joe Sakic. His shot is similar to Jamie Benn?s. They shoot it with a lot of power, they stay on pucks the same way. Obviously, what you hope is that he adds an element of physicality to his game like Jamie Benn. You hope that he learns the defensive game the way that Anze Kopitar learned the defensive game. The hope is that the leadership that he has one day makes him like a shooting center that played well no matter who he played with and made people better, like Joe Sakic. I think Auston has that type of potential. He?s going to be an impact player right away; he?ll play in the top six right away, and he?ll have to figure it out as the year goes on. He?s a really good talent. He?s a kid that?s got his feet firmly planted on the ground. He?s got wonderful parents, great representation ? all the things that you want, plus he?s six foot two. That makes you a pretty attractive package to a prospective team.
Click to expand...
Courtesy of MLHS

Mirtle (and I) didn't fully believe him at the time because a) pre-draft hyperbole b) not enough eyeballs on Matthews c) seemingly came out of nowhere.

Matthews wasn't this good once he showed up at the USNTDP. Because of the environment he came out of, his natural talent was slightly stunted by the lack of competition and higher level coaching/teammates. So his rise appears more (reverse-)meteoric because there was such a short track of awareness and development.
 
https://twitter.com/drosennhl/status/817454713855770627
https://twitter.com/AM34/status/817224658718171138
 
Nik the Trik said:
Just got announced as the only Leaf on the All-Star team.
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It took me 5 minutes to remember that Komarov was our representative last year. We probably have half a dozen guys more deserving this year.
 
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