Settling the NHL Debate

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl Quiet the Ongoing Auston Matthews Debate

The notion of Auston Matthews being superior to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl has been prevalent since the start of the 2018-19 season, when Matthews started leading the NHL in scoring after only five games. Sportsnet asked fans who they would rather have, McDavid, or Matthews, and a panel of experts agreed that Matthews is the better 200-foot player. This debate continued throughout the year, with former NHL G.M. Doug McLean suggesting that Matthews' game was more complete than McDavid's and former NHL analyst Nick Kypreos suggesting that McDavid had an edge in playmaking ability. In 2023, Matthews signed a new four-year deal at $13.25 million per season, making him the highest paid player in hockey.

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