Debate Erupts After Analyst's Take on Jack Hughes and Auston Matthews
Photo credit: Hockey Patrol
NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp caused quite the stir when he said he would rather take a healthy Jack Hughes over Auston Matthews; and Maple Leafs fans are furious.
There's always going to be discussions amongst fans about who they believe the best players in the world are. While there is a bit of objectivity to that, a lot of bias and favoritism often finds itself intertwined at the end of the day.
We can't help it, we're all passionate fans, but it does sometimes lead to some less than stellar opinions.
Why Hughes vs. Matthews Became the Center of Attention
In the case of the NHL Network, they are getting a ton of flak for analyst's Mike Rupp's comments recently, which has sparked a firestorm on social media.
In talking about best centers, Rupp boldly claimed that instead of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, he prefers New Jersey's Jack Hughes; so long as it's dependent on one factor:
A healthy Jack Hughes, I would take him over Auston Matthews.
It was a stunning confession that is quite egregious if you look at the optics. While Hughes is no doubt a young star, Matthews is undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers of this generation, he's broken records, and with or without Mitch Marner is still capable of 50+ goals.
Plus, it's not like Hughes has perfect attendance; he's never played a full season and has already missed 124 games in his six-year career so for Rupp to say he would take a healthy Hughes misses the fact that he's never seen him fully healthy; so where's the foundation of his argument?
How Fans Reacted to the Analyst's Controversial Comparison
But it was the fan outrage that might make Rupp re-think his opinion; or completely double down:
Some are definitely also pointing out that Rupp, a former Devils player himself, might be holding that aforementioned bias:
The general consensus from fans seems to be that Matthews is unquestionably the better player, though some did mention that one positive for Hughes is his team-friendly contract; though that has nothing to do with on-ice performance.
It's hard to see a world where Matthews is not considered one of the best, and an injury-riddled season doesn't disparage what he did in years previous.
Jack Hughes is an incredible hockey player no question, but Auston Matthews is well...Auston Matthews. The numbers speak for themselves.
