I want to hear this from the community

Franchise player. He’s the guy you build your team around and keep for 15 years. Basically destined to be captain, face of the franchise, etc.

It’s tough to call Matthews a generational talent, considering that Connor McDavid has just been stated. I think he’s somewhat close to that standard, but not quite. He’ll be a top 5 center in the league without a doubt, probably top 3.

yeah generational is a hard label to place on a player especially heading into the draft. Don't understand why some people ** cough cough @ChabotGod cough cough** think he was simply a 1C heading into the draft

Where's 4th line Centre?

He had just dominated against men in the NLA and flexed on everyone at the WJC before being drafted. Whoever says he only had 1C potential is either a) biased or b) needs to check how they evaluate talent

exactly. He proved he can take games and make turn them into his own destiny. That is what franchise players do

That’s a lie, I never said he only had the potential to be a 1C, I said before the draft his hype wasn’t to be a franchise type player such as McDavid had but I said he quickly transitioned into that franchise player. My argument was Dahlin already has that hype to be a franchise defenseman.

McDavid’s hype was generational, Matthews’ hype was franchise. Dahlin’s hype is different because he’s a defenseman, and usually all the hype for 1st overall revolves around a center.

Fair enough but what my original argument was, was that Dahlin has the hype around him to be the best defenseman in the NHL very early on in his career, similar to McDavid concerning centers, while Matthews had major hype around him I don’t think he was ever compared to be a Top 3 center in the NHL as soon as he jumped into the NHL, I believe he will be great in his career but I feel Dahlin still has more hype coming into the draft.

IMO, I think Dahlin IS McDavid - just as a defenseman. If you watch them they're similar players.

Dahlin reminds me a lot of Bobby Orr as well because he has no problem going to the net or going deep into the offensive zone and making plays because he has the speed to get away with it. Most defenseman wouldn't even attempt what he does and Dahlin gets away with it - which IMO defines generational talent. My only concern with Dahlin is if he can get away with the same moves at the NHL level, because Dahlin may be just too predictable. He tries the same moves an awful lot - he goes to the outside, then dangles back to the center of the ice then lets a shot go between the two hash marks. I've seen him try that move many times (Gretzky did it a lot) and it almost always works.. Sure that's a generational move but is that the only move in the toolbox?.... Yes absolutely Dahlin is a generational player - he has elite size, speed, hands and shot but like I said I don't know how his style will transition to the NHL because it almost appears that his moves are scripted or planned out and not made based on opportunity and if that's the case he may have some problems..... Either way he's certainly the best talent in the draft and right now a generational talent.

Partly because I had seen so little of Matthews, I had trouble labelling him more than a # 1 C before the draft. I'm not big fan of using the WJC as an evaluator of talent, such as calling players generational.
What I think of Matthews....now...franchise player. Hey if the Leafs win a few Cups with Matthews, maybe in some folks eyes he will be generational.

Considering Matthews played pro prior to the draft I think everyone expected huge results from him. I’d say he and Laine have been just as good if not better than what we thought they’d become. I definitely saw Matthews as a franchise center coming into the draft.