What happened last night that you need to know about? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best performances. This is where we say, "Morning, Joe."
Matthews brings it large: Amazing. Simply amazing. Few could have predicted Auston Matthews would have that kind of impact in his NHL debut Wednesday night. The best part of his four-goal night was he did it with ease. I'm not saying his accomplishments were easy, but it was the so-called little things that made his performance look effortless. His positioning was perfect. He was strong on the puck. He played as though he were a veteran and not a 19-year-old kid. (Ask Erik Karlsson, whose pocket he picked for his second goal.) Sure, he's the first NHL player to score four goals in his debut, but the best part was seeing his mother in the stands with tears in her eyes. That's a big journey for a kid who grew up playing hockey in Arizona and chose to go to Switzerland to develop, rather than the traditional junior or college route. Despite a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, Matthews' debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs was incredible. In our preseason picks, I said the Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine would win the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year. Any chance I can take that back? During the World Cup of Hockey, Matthews proved his worth for Team North America, but no one could have expected this. It's going to be great to watch him help the Maple Leafs become a contender once again.
Don't forget about McDavid: As the final buzzer sounded after the Senators won in OT, it was time to change the channel to watch the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames. I was thinking it would be funny if Connor McDavid scored three goals as a response to Matthews' night. Well, the newest 19-year-old captain came up a bit short, scoring twice and adding an assist to lead the Oilers to a 7-4 win over the Flames in the first game at Rogers Place. Like Matthews, McDavid was a stud for Team North America during the World Cup, and he proved once again in the Oilers' season opener why he should be considered one of the best players in the world. He missed a good portion of the 2015-16 season with a broken collarbone, so the hockey world didn't get a true glimpse of his talents at the NHL level. Unfortunately, fellow 2015 top pick Jack Eichel (No. 2 overall) of the Buffalo Sabres suffered an ankle injury during practice Wednesday and will be sidelined indefinitely, so once again we won't see McDavid-Eichel go head-to-head to start the season. Honestly, it's not even a debate anymore as to who's the most dominant.
And that's not all: Speaking of young players, Matthews and McDavid set the stage for fellow budding superstars to make their debuts on Thursday. The most anticipated is by Laine. The Finnish player, who was selected second overall in June behind Matthews, will make his debut Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. I expect he will make a strong push for that this season. I'm not saying he'll score four goals like Matthews did, but Laine is a confident kid who will make his presence felt with authority. No doubt he will use Matthews' debut as motivation. I'm also interested to see the New York Rangers' Jimmy Vesey make his NHL debut against the New York Islanders Thursday at Madison Square Garden. He was the biggest college free agent during the offseason; a lot is expected from him this season.