Tank Nation: Matthews Edition

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

As much as we talk about getting one of the very good players in the top 4, getting Matthews is just so important at this point.

43 points in 33 games in the Swiss league.  The only other player that is outperforming him is Pierre Marc Bouchard who is lapping the league with 63 points in 46 games.

I don't disagree with the general point but from someone who's admittedly entirely unfamiliar with the league he's in, Laine looks like he's putting up some pretty decent numbers for a 17 year old too.

But comparatively, not as impressive. Laine's in a 5 way tie for 34th in league scoring.

Well, in fairness the SM-Liga is probably a stronger league and Matthews is 8 months older than Laine. (Remember Matthews was days away from being included in the last draft.)

As Nik mentions, Auston is clearly the top choice, but it's been very interesting seeing the upturn in Laine's projections post WJnrs's.

Laine has so much skill for such a big man, if his skating improves he could be one of the top guys in the NHL for a long time. McKeens has actually ranked him ahead of Matthews for the first time.

Although Puljuj?rvi scored more at the WJnr's he seemed to me like a prospect that is dominating because of his size who might hit a bit of a wall once he gets to the NHL and there are a lot of guys as strong as him.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Question, taking a look at the Leafs organisation, if they can't pick Matthews or Laine, is there a chance they take Chychrun at #3?

It's probably too early to be drafting for need given you should really always be taking the BPA anyway, but I wonder how high Chychrun might be on the Leafs list.

 

[Kin]

Question, taking a look at the Leafs organisation, if they can't pick Matthews or Laine, is there a chance they take Chychrun at #3?

It's probably too early to be drafting for need given you should really always be taking the BPA anyway, but I wonder how high Chychrun might be on the Leafs list.

I'd guess they will be looking at Chychrun very closely. I don't think it's to the point where they take him instead of Puljujarvi just because they want a defenseman though. Especially because size on the wing is another area of need.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Question, taking a look at the Leafs organisation, if they can't pick Matthews or Laine, is there a chance they take Chychrun at #3?

It's probably too early to be drafting for need given you should really always be taking the BPA anyway, but I wonder how high Chychrun might be on the Leafs list.

I'd guess they will be looking at Chychrun very closely. I don't think it's to the point where they take him instead of Puljujarvi just because they want a defenseman though. Especially because size on the wing is another area of need.

I'm also very curious to see where Matthew Tkachuk is in terms of ranking closer to the draft. Either way, outside of Matthews, I would be thrilled with any of the other 4 guys mentioned. And I think that's pretty reasonable, given the way the Leafs are playing.

 

[maplesyrup]

Yeah, I'm just happy to get top end talent. Matthews would be nice but it doesn't seem like getting the other 3 would be jump-out-the-window-on-fire awful.

 

[Kin]

With a top 6 pick they're guaranteed Matthews, one of the Finns, Chychurn, Tkachuk or Nylander. Would I like #1 as opposed to #2, #2 as opposed to #3 and so on? Sure. But none of those options are terrible.

 

[Highlander]

I would prefer Laine over the other Finn for sure.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Oilers lose again.

 

[Bullfrog]

Come on 2nd place!

 

[Redleaf]

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Oilers lose again.

I'm going to stop you. This is where it ends, or finishes to be more precise. Edmonton last, Toronto not last. After that it'll all be up to the luck of the lottery balls. 

 

[L K]

I like reading the 'Oilers considering trading Yakupov' articles as if trading the least valuable of their top picks is going to somehow yield them the big coup they need to fix their crap team.  Hey everyone, come give us your top players/prospects in return for a guy who can't hit .5 PPG in his 4th NHL season.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Oilers lose again.

I'm going to stop you. This is where it ends, or finishes to be more precise. Edmonton last, Toronto not last. After that it'll all be up to the luck of the lottery balls. 

Everyone knows the last place team wasn't going to win the lottery anyway.

 

[bustaheims]

I like reading the 'Oilers considering trading Yakupov' articles as if trading the least valuable of their top picks is going to somehow yield them the big coup they need to fix their crap team.  Hey everyone, come give us your top players/prospects in return for a guy who can't hit .5 PPG in his 4th NHL season.

But he was drafted 1st overall! Potential! Oilers! Ummm . . . reasons!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Oilers lose again.

I'm going to stop you. This is where it ends, or finishes to be more precise. Edmonton last, Toronto not last. After that it'll all be up to the luck of the lottery balls. 

Everyone knows the last place team wasn't going to win the lottery anyway.

That's if the Leafs finish last.  We all know what it will look like if Edmonton finishes last:

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

If Daly pulls that 1st overall card and it doesn't have a Leafs logo on it, I suspect he'll be taking a long vacation up in the pine barrens courtesy of The Don.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I like reading the 'Oilers considering trading Yakupov' articles as if trading the least valuable of their top picks is going to somehow yield them the big coup they need to fix their crap team.  Hey everyone, come give us your top players/prospects in return for a guy who can't hit .5 PPG in his 4th NHL season.

But he was drafted 1st overall! Potential! Oilers! Ummm . . . reasons!

Has he played with many of the top guys in Edmonton? I'm asking because I don't know.

I know before McJesus's injury he was getting some good press playing with him.

 

[Kin]

Has he played with many of the top guys in Edmonton? I'm asking because I don't know.

Not a ton. Chiefly it looks like he's played with guys like Gagner, Roy and Purcell but there's some RNH, Eberle and Hall at 5 on 5. Certainly enough so that you couldn't say it's never been tried. Without busting out the Excel spreadsheet I couldn't really get into the Chicken or the Egg of that though.

 

[dappleganger]

I would prefer Laine over the other Finn for sure.

I concur.

 

[Zee]

I would prefer Laine over the other Finn for sure.

I concur.

Patrik Laine almost sounds like Patrick Kane so he must be good.

 

[bustaheims]

Not a ton. Chiefly it looks like he's played with guys like Gagner, Roy and Purcell but there's some RNH, Eberle and Hall at 5 on 5. Certainly enough so that you couldn't say it's never been tried. Without busting out the Excel spreadsheet I couldn't really get into the Chicken or the Egg of that though.

I'd also be hard-pressed to say that he's earned that opportunity. There's been some talk about his defensive game improving, but, before this season, it was pretty bad (though, to be fair, so is the rest of the team's); but, outside of his rookie season, where he put up an unsustainable 20% shooting percentage, he's been a ~9% or below shooter. Not exactly the prolific offensive producer he was expected to become. He's still a serviceable NHL player - and may still have some potential to develop into a 2nd line type depth scorer - but, now that he's well into his 3rd consecutive season of mediocre production his trade value is pretty low.