This is probably one of those hockey debates we’re going to be hearing about for a decade plus. It’s inevitable.



That’s what has happened with Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, starting in 2005. Then there was Taylor (Hall) and Tyler (Seguin). Now it’s where Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are headed, given their terrific rookie seasons.



Last week, the debate blew up in Toronto after TSN’s Winnipeg-based correspondent Gary Lawless wrote a piece declaring, less than 30 games into their careers, that Laine would be the better player.



Lawless then went on Toronto radio to talk about his piece – and, well, there was yelling.



Often with these debates, the focus is far too often on goals and assists, even when we’re dealing with a tiny sample size and huge variance issues. With Laine sitting third in the league with 17 goals, he has received the bulk of attention of late – and certainly...