HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Hotstove: Expectations For Auston Matthews' Rookie Season?

First

30G 26A 56P -12

82 points or he is a bust IMO.

Frenchy, McDavid projects to score 29 if he plays a full 82 last season. 30G for Matthews may be a tad ambitious.

A lot will depend on how much ice time Matthews gets and the quality of his opposition.

Eichel was getting over 19 minutes most games.

Kadri only got about 18 minutes last season and Bozak got less. Matthews will likely not get more ice time than either of these centers so I think we need to reel in our expectations.

Fifty points would be a very successful season but don't label Matthews a bust if he only gets 45.

Wouldn't be surprised if nylander out scores hI'm this year.

A thousand

Matthews should lead the Leafs in points. I would think he projects eventually as the superior player to John Tavares, so I think 70 + points is a reasonable expectation for a player who should be challenging for the Art Ross for most of his career.

I think 20g 25a is a realistic expectation. Scoring is down and to expect 70 plus points is ridiculous. He isn't gonna play 20 mins a night as an 18 year old rookie!

Very Lupul-esque would be my guess.

I expect Matthews to be a consistent 70 point player in his prime. Along with being heavily relied upon for the penalty kill and important defensive zone face offs.

Rookie season I see somewhere between 45-55 points. 15-20 goals.

82 points or he is a bust IMO.
- Mr.Bobby

Calder or Bust. Would say Hart too, but Kadri is bound to win it for sure this year.

40-50 would be my guess assuming he plays all 82 games.

A thousand
- Zezel

More than a thousand...A hundred..

Those are all good predictions. I think 20G 30A 50P is what is expected.

As for who will play with Willie and Auston(if that lands past the pre-season) I think it MUST be JVR. Give them a vet with size. He doesn't throw many hits but he digs the puck out of the corners and plays great in front of the net.

Keep Kadri-Komarov and whatever responsible RW to play against top opposition. LIkely Connor Brown. It's tough because we'll be riding 3 rookie RW's on our top 3 lines. Brown, Marner, Nylander.

That leaves Marner to play with Bozak and maybe Lupus if he's healthy enough. Two scoring lines and a 'defensive line with talent'.

Calder or Bust. Would say Hart too, but Kadri is bound to win it for sure this year.
- tomburton99

True. If Kadri wasn't so unlucky last year he would have been as good as Crosby.

He'll be an 19-year old joining a rebuilding hockey team. I expect games where he'll break through, and others where he'll struggle - like the rest of the team.

20-25-45

Frenchy, McDavid projects to score 29 if he plays a full 82 last season. 30G for Matthews may be a tad ambitious.
- golfingsince

29 goals and 83 points.

Matthews has been similar to Eichel at every level except less of a playmaker and puck handler and a better two way game. I based it on that. Might be ambitious, but I expect he scores more goals than assists this season so scale it back however you feel necessary.

29 goals and 83 points.

Matthews has been similar to Eichel at every level except less of a playmaker and puck handler and a better two way game. I based it on that. Might be ambitious, but I expect he scores more goals than assists this season so scale it back however you feel necessary.
- AdamFrench

1 goal, 0 assists.

1 goal, 0 assists.
- golfingsince

Not a bad first shift.

What ever points Mathews scores next season .... Liane will score at least 15 more points...... Go Jets Go

Not a bad first shift.
- AdamFrench

I'll say 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 pts.

Calder or Bust. Would say Hart too, but Kadri is bound to win it for sure this year.
- tomburton99

i think matthews, marner, nylander will finish 2,3,4 in calder voting i that order. They will steal each others votes. in the long run marner is a far better player than nylander. his hockey sense is elite whereas nylander needs work but has amazing offensive skills.

either way, the season cant come soon enoug h for leafs fan.

the leafs were good last year but only had jvr to put pucks in the net. and he didnt even play from january on.

we will have scoring talent! possibly a bunch of rookie errors to go along with it, but SCORING!

What ever points Mathews scores next season .... Liane will score at least 15 more points...... Go Jets Go
- Deanyoungblood7

Only 15 more? Why not 20?