"He's not as good as Draisaitl": When NHL analyst Craig Button snubbed Auston Matthews as NHL's best player for Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl

NHL analyst Craig Button shared his opinion on the debate between Auston Matthews and Leon Draisaitl during a segment on TSN 1050 five years ago. In 2019, Button named Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl as the NHL's best player, overlooking Leafs star Auston Matthews.

During the discussion with former NHL players Jamie McLennan and Jeff O'Neill, McLennan acknowledged Draisaitl's talent, noting that while he's a top-five player, he sometimes appears fatigued late in the game.

Button, however, took a firmer stance, arguing that the conversation about Matthews being among the league's elite should stop, saying that Matthews does not measure up to Draisaitl as a complete player. He emphasized that until Matthews can demonstrate a similar impact on the game, he should not be included in the discussion of the league's best.

"I think the talk about Auston Matthews as being one of the best players in the league needs to stop. Because he’s not as good as Draisaitl. He’s not even close to Draisaitl right now. I know he’s a scorer but in terms of a complete player, not even in that category. He should never be in the conversation until he shows that he’s going to impact the game in the same way," Button said.

Both Auston Matthews and Leon Draisaitl have remained elite players since Button's remark. Whether it's scoring or playmaking, both have consistently delivered solid performances.

Draisaitl has reached the 100-point mark five times since then, while Matthews has achieved it twice, including two seasons where he scored 60 goals.

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Auston Matthews expressed discontent with Scotiabank Arena's atmosphere

Leafs captain Matthews shared his thoughts about the atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena during the intense fight between Ryan Reaves and Mathieu Olivier on Wednesday.

Matthews expressed his appreciation for the action but wasn't pleased with the lack of energy efforts from the Scotiabank Arena crowd during the fight.

“You love to see that. I would’ve liked a little more energy from the crowd after that. I thought it was a little quiet tonight, especially after two guys like that go at it," Auston Matthews said post-game.

Matthews has accumulated 38 points through 20 goals and 18 assists this season. He and the Toronto Maple Leafs return to the ice against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET.