Auston Matthews Draws Comparison To Beloved Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup Champion
Auston Matthews has already cemented himself as one of the best players over the last few years, now his peers have compared him to Hall of Famer Pavel Datsyuk.
It's been a sensational career so far for the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, being one of the greatest scorers of this generation and coming off a historic 2023-24 season where he tied the legendary Mario Lemieux for the most goals in a season in nearly 30 years.
His impact on the game cannot be overstated, and his peers have taken notice. His Team USA teammate Patrick Kane recently gave some big praise to his compatriot, relating Matthews' abilities to a very recent Hall of Famer:
It's incredibly high praise to be compared to the Red Wings legend, who dazzled fans for years with his highlight reel goals, elite skating ability, and the skills to make the opponents look like deer in headlights:
Datsyuk didn't just create sensational moments, but he was one of the most complete players to ever do it.
His ability to read opponent's passes, his stick checking wizardry, and relentless engine made him at nightmare regardless of where he was on the ice.
Datsyuk's career lasted 14 years in the NHL, and he was amongst the game's best even towards the end. He scored 314 goals and 604 assists to go along with him ranking amongst Detroit's best throughout their historic franchise.
He's won several awards in addition to his two Stanley Cups, including 3 Selke Trophies and 4 Lady Byng Trophies, highlighting Datsyuk's gamesmanship on the ice and his well-rounded skillset.
While it will still be several years before Matthews reaches the level of Datsyuk, as he was one of a kind. But so is Auston Matthews, and there's no doubt when all is said and done, he will join Datsyuk amongst the NHL's greats.
