Leafs @ Avalanche - Feb. 12th, 9:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[L K]

For the handful of criticism posts for Zaitsev on the Colorado goal.  He was forced to try and cover two players because Hainsey was in no mans land because he tried to leave the zone before Marner cleared the puck and then got stuck not being able to get back and help decend

 

[herman]

I was very close to voting Nylander for one of the MotM accolades; I only went with Kappi and Papi because of their actual production in points. But Nylander was awesome last night. He's so good in all aspects of the game. He really doesn't have much of a weak spot. He's like Gardiner -- but even better -- in his ability to separate the puck from opponents and being able to anticipate the puck.

I genuinely think if he played the exact same game but was 20 lbs heavier and 2 inches taller(and was, say, Will from Calgary) he'd be seen completely differently by some people.

To be fair to those folks, adding 2 inches to Willy is a non-negligible difference.

 

[Kin]

I was very close to voting Nylander for one of the MotM accolades; I only went with Kappi and Papi because of their actual production in points. But Nylander was awesome last night. He's so good in all aspects of the game. He really doesn't have much of a weak spot. He's like Gardiner -- but even better -- in his ability to separate the puck from opponents and being able to anticipate the puck.

I genuinely think if he played the exact same game but was 20 lbs heavier and 2 inches taller(and was, say, Will from Calgary) he'd be seen completely differently by some people.

To be fair to those folks, adding 2 inches to Willy is a non-negligible difference.

Especially in height.

 

[Highlander]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

 

[Bender]

I was very close to voting Nylander for one of the MotM accolades; I only went with Kappi and Papi because of their actual production in points. But Nylander was awesome last night. He's so good in all aspects of the game. He really doesn't have much of a weak spot. He's like Gardiner -- but even better -- in his ability to separate the puck from opponents and being able to anticipate the puck.

I genuinely think if he played the exact same game but was 20 lbs heavier and 2 inches taller(and was, say, Will from Calgary) he'd be seen completely differently by some people.

To be fair to those folks, adding 2 inches to Willy is a non-negligible difference.

Especially in height.

 

[louisstamos]

Good advice!

 

[herman]

I was very close to voting Nylander for one of the MotM accolades; I only went with Kappi and Papi because of their actual production in points. But Nylander was awesome last night. He's so good in all aspects of the game. He really doesn't have much of a weak spot. He's like Gardiner -- but even better -- in his ability to separate the puck from opponents and being able to anticipate the puck.

I genuinely think if he played the exact same game but was 20 lbs heavier and 2 inches taller(and was, say, Will from Calgary) he'd be seen completely differently by some people.

To be fair to those folks, adding 2 inches to Willy is a non-negligible difference.

Especially in height.

Past a certain point, girth is a more important factor for getting in and out of tight spots.

 

[herman]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

How many more years do we have Kadri for? Nylander is the built-in replacement.

I don't think he's very Sundin-like other than being Swedish and a right shot. If anything Matthews is pretty Sundin-like, but with a better shot and better skating.

 

[Bullfrog]

He's also 6'-0" tall and 190+ lb. I don't think he really needs to fill out.

 

[ZBBM]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

How many more years do we have Kadri for? Nylander is the built-in replacement.

I don't think he's very Sundin-like other than being Swedish and a right shot. If anything Matthews is pretty Sundin-like, but with a better shot and better skating.

Now you've gone and obliquely suggested that my avatarman is something less than a god.  I cannot let that pass.

I don't see much similarity between their playstyles, actually.  Matthews has the better release, for sure, but Sundin had the wider repertoire -- especially a lethal backhand and a laser slapshot (see Goal #500).  I guess Matthews is a better skater but Sundin was sneaky-elite for his frame.  And he could bull his way out from behind the net to create chances, while Matthews is more shifty coming out from there.  Different game now, I know.

Anyway, if Matthews sticks with the Leafs after his 5 years are up I expect he will surpass Sundin's team scoring records eventually.

 

[herman]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

How many more years do we have Kadri for? Nylander is the built-in replacement.

I don't think he's very Sundin-like other than being Swedish and a right shot. If anything Matthews is pretty Sundin-like, but with a better shot and better skating.

Now you've gone and obliquely suggested that my avatarman is something less than a god.  I cannot let that pass.

I don't see much similarity between their playstyles, actually.  Matthews has the better release, for sure, but Sundin had the wider repertoire -- especially a lethal backhand and a laser slapshot (see Goal #500).  I guess Matthews is a better skater but Sundin was sneaky-elite for his frame.  And he could bull his way out from behind the net to create chances, while Matthews is more shifty coming out from there.  Different game now, I know.

Anyway, if Matthews sticks with the Leafs after his 5 years are up I expect he will surpass Sundin's team scoring records eventually.

Sundin was amazing: big and mobile and unbelievably skilled in an era of koala-hockey.

It doesn't show up in the traditional ways, but Matthews is also big and mobile and unbelievably skilled. The way I remember Sundin bulling his way into the zone or out from behind the net is kind of what I am seeing Matthews do, except it's less a physical bulling and more of a stickhandling of the puck through all the bodies and putting the puck into the net. Matthews' scoring repertoire is bordering on unparalleled in the league at the moment.

 

[ZBBM]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

How many more years do we have Kadri for? Nylander is the built-in replacement.

I don't think he's very Sundin-like other than being Swedish and a right shot. If anything Matthews is pretty Sundin-like, but with a better shot and better skating.

Now you've gone and obliquely suggested that my avatarman is something less than a god.  I cannot let that pass.

I don't see much similarity between their playstyles, actually.  Matthews has the better release, for sure, but Sundin had the wider repertoire -- especially a lethal backhand and a laser slapshot (see Goal #500).  I guess Matthews is a better skater but Sundin was sneaky-elite for his frame.  And he could bull his way out from behind the net to create chances, while Matthews is more shifty coming out from there.  Different game now, I know.

Anyway, if Matthews sticks with the Leafs after his 5 years are up I expect he will surpass Sundin's team scoring records eventually.

Sundin was amazing: big and mobile and unbelievably skilled in an era of koala-hockey.

It doesn't show up in the traditional ways, but Matthews is also big and mobile and unbelievably skilled. The way I remember Sundin bulling his way into the zone or out from behind the net is kind of what I am seeing Matthews do, except it's less a physical bulling and more of a stickhandling of the puck through all the bodies and putting the puck into the net. Matthews' scoring repertoire is bordering on unparalleled in the league at the moment.

Well said.  Sundin came out from behind there and, often as not, got hammered or hugged by whatever pylon was stationed there from the other team.

Dear God, to thee I make just one prayer: turn back the hands of time and let us see Sundin play one game, just one, with Nylander on his wing.  Then you may take me whenever you please.

 

[disco]

Yeah, I believe it's in there for Auston, but with three injuries in less than two years I think he maybe wants to focus on staying healthy for an extended period of time. Stay away from heavy traffic areas, modify his style a bit. I'm sure we'll see several guys have a surge of physicality in the playoffs, not necessarily hitting, put puck protection. We saw that with Mats in the latter half of his career.

 

[Highlander]

How many years till he switches to Centre or will he remain a winger?  Once he fill out his frame a bit I kind of imagine him as a Sundin type.

How many more years do we have Kadri for? Nylander is the built-in replacement.

I don't think he's very Sundin-like other than being Swedish and a right shot. If anything Matthews is pretty Sundin-like, but with a better shot and better skating.

Now you've gone and obliquely suggested that my avatarman is something less than a god.  I cannot let that pass.

I don't see much similarity between their playstyles, actually.  Matthews has the better release, for sure, but Sundin had the wider repertoire -- especially a lethal backhand and a laser slapshot (see Goal #500).  I guess Matthews is a better skater but Sundin was sneaky-elite for his frame.  And he could bull his way out from behind the net to create chances, while Matthews is more shifty coming out from there.  Different game now, I know.

Anyway, if Matthews sticks with the Leafs after his 5 years are up I expect he will surpass Sundin's team scoring records eventually.

Sundin was amazing: big and mobile and unbelievably skilled in an era of koala-hockey.

It doesn't show up in the traditional ways, but Matthews is also big and mobile and unbelievably skilled. The way I remember Sundin bulling his way into the zone or out from behind the net is kind of what I am seeing Matthews do, except it's less a physical bulling and more of a stickhandling of the puck through all the bodies and putting the puck into the net. Matthews' scoring repertoire is bordering on unparalleled in the league at the moment.

Well said.  Sundin came out from behind there and, often as not, got hammered or hugged by whatever pylon was stationed there from the other team.

Dear God, to thee I make just one prayer: turn back the hands of time and let us see Sundin play one game, just one, with Nylander on his wing.  Then you may take me whenever you please.

I will second that notion as long as either one of them scores the winning goal in Game 7