Auston Matthews Sweepstakes: Exploring Early Possibilities
By Ryan Ritchie
Auston Matthews Sweepstakes: The Early Candidates to Land the Consensus 2016 Top Draft Pick
After leading the U18 U.S squad in 2014-15, Auston Matthews took his talents overseas in 2015-16, joining Swiss-A’s Zurich. As of December 16th, Matthews has 25 points in 22 games. He’s set to join Team USA at the upcoming World Juniors, and should be a stand-out at this year’s tournament.
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On a side note, Auston Matthews was the first player ever to suit up at the World Championships (for Team USA) before reaching draft eligibility.
Receiving high praise from scouts, Auston Matthews has long been the consensus number one pick for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He was only two days shy of being eligible for the 2015 draft. Ex NHL’er Ray Ferraro, told Leafs Lunch on Tuesday, if Auston Matthews was available in last year’s draft, he would have taken him ahead of Jack Eichel. Those are telling words considering the performance Eichel is putting on in Buffalo in 2015-16.
If he’s drafted first overall, Auston will be the seventh American born, and first half Mexican to be taken at the top. His father born in California, his mother in Mexico.
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In Sportsnet‘s preseason fantasy pool guide, analysts gave Auston Matthews a comparable with Ryan Getzlaf. Truth be told, scouts and experts are having difficulty drawing a fair comparison to any current NHL’er. NHL.com writer Mike G. Morreale gives Auston Matthews a comparable to Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby. Matthews style of play can be compared to a handful of other players (Anze Kopitar, Eric Staal, etc.). It’s difficult to gauge an exact comparison because he’s an all-around player that plays with high-end elements compared to several different current NHL’ers.
He has good size (with room to bulk up), arguably the best defensive center available at the draft in recent history. Auston Matthews also possesses top-notch offensive talent, making him a dominant force in all three zones. He’s extremely difficult to knock off the puck, and has great vision with a high hockey IQ.
2016 Draft Lottery: Early Contenders to Land Auston Matthews
Columbus Blue Jackets (11-19-3) 25 points in 33 games – (2-5-3) last 10 games
Nov 13, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen (19) looks to pass as Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy (12) defends during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Blue Jackets won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody expected Columbus to be sitting in the basement eight games short of the halfway mark in 2015-16. The Blue Jackets came out of the gates at a snail’s pace, forcing the firing of coach Todd Richards. John Tortorella’s short tenure hasn’t been any better, as the team continues to struggle. They’ve got an elite goaltender (currently injured), who’s been anything but elite. Poor effort and underperformance is the most generous way of describing the offense and defense in Columbus this season.
Rumors have been swirling around Ryan Johansen this season, but imagine featuring Auston Matthews and Ryan Johansen (or vice versa) as 1-2 center’s in 2016-17. If Jack Johnson gets caught pinching, or caught deep, it makes his job a little easier knowing Auston Matthews can read the play well enough to cover him. Strong defensive center’s can make offensive defenseman more effective, thus look better.
Toronto Maple Leafs (10-13-6) 26 points in 29 games – (4-4-2) last 10 games
Sep 26, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (62) skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Toronto sitting near the bottom is anything but surprising. It was a foregone conclusion the team would be in the draft lottery based on the current re-build. What is surprising in Toronto is the quality of structure in their game. The Mike Babcock effect is on full-display, although it doesn’t always translate into wins (it’s also pretty boring to watch). It’s a weak overall roster, with a maintained commitment to follow management’s plan.
It’s rare that a 19-year-old leads the AHL in scoring without a call-up, but that’s exactly what’s happened with William Nylander. He’ll represent Sweden at the upcoming World Juniors, and is likely to dominate the competition.
A shaky goaltending situation is largely to blame, with Jonathan Bernier expected to carry the load, but showing severe struggles early. It recently landed him a 10-day AHL conditioning stint, re-joining the Maple Leafs last night (Dec.15), allowing five goals in his return. James Reimer has played excellent in 2015-16, but is battling a recent injury. Reimer is a UFA next summer, and will likely play elsewhere in 2016-17 after battling inconsistent play over his entire career in Toronto.
Adding Auston Matthews to the mix in Toronto could change management’s re-build plan in a hurry. Toronto should be commended for upholding to the plan as long as they have, but how often do life’s intentions workout exactly as planned? Whether it’s a positive or negative thrown in the mix, life has a way of sticking forks in the road forcing us in different directions.
If Toronto were to land Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs would look at a 2016-17 roster featuring: William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, James van Riemsdyk, and possibly Nazem Kadri, if extended. Dare we throw Steven Stamkos‘ name in the mix? (it’s not worth considering the idea until he’s available July 1). Auston Matthews doesn’t ensure Toronto of a future Stanley Cup contender, but it does makes them an immediate playoff contender.
Anaheim Ducks (11-13-5) 27 points in 29 games – (5-4-1) last 10 games
May 10, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry (10) celebrates with center Ryan Getzlaf (15) after scoring the game winning goal in overtime against the Calgary Flames in game five of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. The Anaheim Ducks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
The shocker of 2015-16 is still fighting an uphill battle hoping to secure a playoff spot. A Stanley Cup favorite for some heading into the season, Anaheim still sits near the bottom of the Western Conference. The Ducks have scored a league-low 56 goals this season, and struggled immensely over the first 10 games.
Their 73 goals against ranks near the top of the NHL thanks to Frederik Andersen and John Gibson. But comparable to Columbus, this is another offensive/defensive group of players that have underperformed. Anaheim features a top NHL duo in Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, but finding a third on the top-line is a major concern 11 games short of the halfway mark of 2015-16.
Well this could be awkward… Ryan Getzlaf is locked in as the top center, with Ryan Kesler occupying the second line center slot. Both play somewhat similar styles to Auston Matthews (more so Getzlaf, obviously), except that Kesler is arguably one of league’s top faceoff-men. Realistically, there’s not a lot of room for Auston Matthews in Anaheim. But, if it were to come to fruition, teams can always find space for top talent such as this. It’s certainly not an ideal situation for the young center though.
Carolina Hurricanes (12-14-5) 29 points in 31 games – (5-4-1) last 10 games
Oct 21, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin (5) passes the puck in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina walked into 2015-16 with one of the NHL’s least talented overall rosters, with little expectation to do well. They’ve played well considering the associated factors of losing James Wisniewski in game one, along with the contract distraction of Eric Staal and Cam Ward. GM Ron Francis is tight-lipped in 2015-16 about his future plans, but it’s beginning to feel that both Staal and Ward are headed out of Raleigh.
The Hurricanes have some promising young pieces to build around in Elias Lindholm, Justin Faulk, Noah Hanifin, Haydn Fleury, and Sergey Tolchinsky. Jeff Skinner has turned a corner in 2015-16, looking to shake the injury-risk tag associated with him. Ron Francis has options to keep the young forward, or sell-high while his value is peaking.
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Latest rumors suggested that a trade was in the works that would send Eric Staal to Montreal for Lars Eller and Zachary Fucale. Indications are that Carolina may be looking for upgrades on Cam Ward, Eddie Lack, and prospect Alex Nedeljkovic.
If Auston Matthews landed in Carolina, he could the focal piece that GM Ron Francis builds around. There’s always a chance the young center could find himself in a veritable Colorado Avalanche type situation in three years like Nathan MacKinnon. But, Carolina’s future at the back-end looks much more stable.