The Official 2018-19 NHL hockey thread
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Red Berenson in 1968 also scored 6 goal in a game. The difference is that Sittler added 4 assists in his dream match !
Laine v. Matthews Revisited
I am going to say that as of this writing Patrik Laine, not Auston Matthews, was the best player in the 2016 draft. He has played the most games and has the most points and these are the only stats that matter:
Laine: 177 games, 156 points
Matthews: 155 games, 148 points
You don’t help your team when you are on the injured list. Matthews will always be behind Laine in games and points and after a while when Laine pulls ahead by 100 or more points, the debate will stop. It’s still a debate, but I predict it ceases to be a debate within 3 years. Matthews is a poor man’s Eric Lindros, a guy with a big body who makes himself a big target by the way he plays. The bigger they are, the harder they fall when hit.
I am going to say that as of this writing Patrik Laine, not Auston Matthews, was the best player in the 2016 draft. He has played the most games and has the most points and these are the only stats that matter:
Laine: 177 games, 156 points
Matthews: 155 games, 148 points
You don’t help your team when you are on the injured list. Matthews will always be behind Laine in games and points and after a while when Laine pulls ahead by 100 or more points, the debate will stop. It’s still a debate, but I predict it ceases to be a debate within 3 years. Matthews is a poor man’s Eric Lindros, a guy with a big body who makes himself a big target by the way he plays. The bigger they are, the harder they fall when hit.
One mollion dollar winner with Laine 5 goal game.
https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/...ter-patrik-laine-scores-five-goals-in-a-game/
https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/...ter-patrik-laine-scores-five-goals-in-a-game/
Hextall was actually the GM. It’s amazing he got the axe before Hakstol. How is Hakstol still employed?????
Regarding Matthews- he needs to come back fast to avoid having Laine surge past him as the perceived best player in the 2016 NHL Draft, which is what is happening at the moment.
More on Hextall Firing
Struggling Flyers fire general manager Ron Hextall:
https://es.pn/2TKvQSp
Essentially 2 reasons for this move (1) inability to solidify goalie position (2) perceived lack of toughness as evidence by low penalty totals and only 2 majors in 23 games, which in Philadelphia hockey culture is unacceptable.
Struggling Flyers fire general manager Ron Hextall:
https://es.pn/2TKvQSp
Essentially 2 reasons for this move (1) inability to solidify goalie position (2) perceived lack of toughness as evidence by low penalty totals and only 2 majors in 23 games, which in Philadelphia hockey culture is unacceptable.
Buffalo Sabres Take Over NHL Points Lead
It's really amazing what sucking and tanking can do for a franchise. First Toronto, and now Buffalo, have proven that the best way to get really good really fast is to really suck for a few years, tank your way into good draft picks, and then coach up the young but very cheap talent:
http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/25396763/buffalo-sabres-make-history-worst-first-run
It's really amazing what sucking and tanking can do for a franchise. First Toronto, and now Buffalo, have proven that the best way to get really good really fast is to really suck for a few years, tank your way into good draft picks, and then coach up the young but very cheap talent:
http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/25396763/buffalo-sabres-make-history-worst-first-run
Flyers President Paul Holmgren fired two of the hockey team's assistant coaches today & told the press that the head coach's future will be up to the new general manager. I heard from a source that Holmgren will be interviewing Chuck Fletcher tomorrow morning.
Last night highly successful return by Matthews with 2 goals and an assist..........still hoping that a Leafs-Jets Stanley Cup final could possibly resolve Matthews-Laine debate once and for all......
Meanwhile Crosby hat trick is overcome by 8 points from MacKinnon-Rantanen-Landescog line, which is having 8-10 point nights on a regular basis. These guys are racking up points like Rickey Henderson used to rack up stolen bases........Rantanen and MacKinnon 1-2 in the NHL in points:
http://www.espn.com/nhl/statistics
Pastrnak and Skinner have tied Laine for NHL goals lead with 19, but MacKinnon is right on their asses with 18, and Matthews has time to get back in this race if he continues playing as he has.
Is the Colorado thin air to which they are acclimated a factor in the stats of the MRL line? I do not remember any other Avs lines, playing in the same air, scoring at this rate.
Meanwhile Crosby hat trick is overcome by 8 points from MacKinnon-Rantanen-Landescog line, which is having 8-10 point nights on a regular basis. These guys are racking up points like Rickey Henderson used to rack up stolen bases........Rantanen and MacKinnon 1-2 in the NHL in points:
http://www.espn.com/nhl/statistics
Pastrnak and Skinner have tied Laine for NHL goals lead with 19, but MacKinnon is right on their asses with 18, and Matthews has time to get back in this race if he continues playing as he has.
Is the Colorado thin air to which they are acclimated a factor in the stats of the MRL line? I do not remember any other Avs lines, playing in the same air, scoring at this rate.
Yep what a return for Matthews :yo:....and what about Tavares with 2 goals and Marner with 3 assists.....just great.
Only 2 days left for Nylander to sign with Leafs.......is he on his way to KHL ?.....William knows well he will not play with Toronto next year.....so cela doit peser beaucoup dans sa décision......
Yep another festival for RANTANEN---MacKINNON---LANDESKOG......they are really fun to watch.....
Only 2 days left for Nylander to sign with Leafs.......is he on his way to KHL ?.....William knows well he will not play with Toronto next year.....so cela doit peser beaucoup dans sa décision......
Yep another festival for RANTANEN---MacKINNON---LANDESKOG......they are really fun to watch.....
There is NO debate. Hockey expert after hockey expert all say that Auston Matthews is already among the top 3 players in the league. Even the french sports media says the same thing over & over.
The comparison you use between Matthews and Laine is the wrong one. They are two completely different types of players. The only thing they have in common is that they came from the same draft year. Matthews is bigger, smarter, better looking, a leader, a goal scorer, a tremendous passer, a great skater, an above-average defensive player who plays as well on the defensive side of the game as on the offensive side. He's also a great centre, something every single in the league seeks since they are rare. Matthews is the consensus franchise/generational player while Laine is not. Matthews makes every single player playing along him considerably better.
Laine is a winger. He's a sniper and one of the best in the league. But most teams all have high-scoring wingers. Laine also lacks in maturity but this is normal considering his young age. But Laine is no leader. I doubt he'll ever be named captain. He also doesn't make his teammates better. All he does with the puck he shoots and often scores. He's not a playmaker. He's also poor on the defensive side of the puck. There is zero comparison to Matthews.
The player most experts compare Matthews to is Connor McDavid, whom many consider the top player in hockey However there are people who claim they'd chose Matthews over McDavid if they'd have to make a choice. Personally I'm not sure anymore. I used to say that if Edmonton would offer McDavid to the Leafs for Matthews i'd do this trade in a second. Now after watching Matthews dominate other teams on a regular basis i'm not so sure i'd make that trade anymore if i were the Leafs. Matthews is THAT good!!!
Many are unaware of this but just before Edmonton won the draft lottery that year the Leafs had better odds to win the lottery by the time the Oilers' ball came out. Had the Leafs won the lottery this would have meant they would have picked McDavid first overall. Jack Eichel would have been picked next by whomever. But the Leafs never would have been able to pick Mitch Marner fourth overall since they already would have picked McDavid. This means that i'm not so sure the Leafs would be where they're at today had this scenario happened since anyone following the Leafs is fully aware that Mitch Marner is nearly as important to the Leafs as Auston Matthews is. Matthews is widely considered one of the top 3 players in the league but someone could make a case that Mitch Marner is top 5 or top 6 already.
Therefore.....if i had to chose between Laine & Marner i likely would pick Marner over Laine. Marner is THAT good! He's a magician with the puck and he's already one of the league leaders in points. He also makes other players around him better with his magical passing skills and every night John Tavares must literally be kneeling down and thanking God for pairing him up with Mitch Marner as soon as he joined the Leafs!
What's funny is that Matthews was a bit rusty & wasn't on top of his game, which is normal considering he missed 14 games. Tavares was set-up brilliantly by Marner on his goals. Marner is a magician with the puck & has quickly a great passer. He's dangerous every time he steps onto the ice and touches the puck. That play when he broke his stick & grabbed one given to him by the equipment guy as he was skating by was absolutely brilliance! What a play! What a pass!
Freddie Andersen was on top of his game once again making brilliant save after brilliant save. He'll likely get consideration for the Vezina trophy at the end of the season if he keeps it up and remains healthy. He's signed long-term at half the money Carey Price is getting. What a bargain!
The Sharks had spurts of greatness (especially on the PP) but Erik Karlsson is struggling and appears slow. He's on the final year of his contract & i'm starting to wonder if he'll be with the Sharks next season. I also wonder if he might not get traded later this season if the Sharks continue to struggle. The Sharks went all in when they traded for him but i'm starting to wonder if they don't regret that trade.
As for William Nylander my guess is that he'll be re-signed to a 2-year contract either tomorrow or by Saturday. I can't imagine him refusing all that money currently being offered to him by the Leafs. Sign the goddamn two-year bridge deal and then work your butt off to earn a bigger paycheque two years from now!
As for the Leafs they should figure any way to re-sign him and if means giving him more money than they feel he's currently worth than go for it & trade him during the off-season since you'll get better and bigger offers for him once the season ends. By giving in to his demands it'll mean even tougher negotiations with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner during the offseason so that's why Nylander will likely be traded (should they meet his contractual demands).
However a bridge deal could mean he'll be with the team for at least another year. Then they could possibly sign him for more $$ once Patrick Marleau retires from hockey less than two years from now.
If the Leafs sign Nylander the pieces will be in place for a very serious run at the Stanley Cup. He is a very good player who adds serious depth to this squad. On this team he could take the next step and become a point a game player. I also like that he has shown horse-like qualities the last 2 years, playing all games and not getting deactivated due to namby pamby injuries:
https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/n/nylanwi01.html
https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/n/nylanwi01.html
Karlsson.....what an horrible game he played yesterday.....slow and bad plays......the fit is not there,,,agree he could be trade this season......and what about coach DeBoer....can't stand him no more.....what a soporific coach.....and Quenneville is just rigth there.....This team needs new blood.....
I agree that he could become a point-a-game player but William Nylander is no DEPTH PLAYER. He's easily a top 6 forward and a first or second liner on any team. Behind Matthews, Marner & Tavares he'd be the Leafs' top forward.
I didn’t say he was a depth player, I said he deepens their roster. It’s always better to have two stellar lines than one or 3 stellar lines than 2. Nylander deepens the quality of the lines.
Nylander Contract Situation Analyzed
Here is a good summary of the William Nylander contract situation:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cb...eed-to-know-about-the-maple-leafs-winger/amp/
The article gives a mixed message on how close the sides are and how much the Leafs want/need him, so it seems like we will just need to wait and see how it all plays out.
Here is a good summary of the William Nylander contract situation:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cb...eed-to-know-about-the-maple-leafs-winger/amp/
The article gives a mixed message on how close the sides are and how much the Leafs want/need him, so it seems like we will just need to wait and see how it all plays out.
You said he 'adds serious depth to this squad'. In other words he's a depth player. That's what 'depth' players do: they add depth to their teams.
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