"Watching Matthews score 60 goals and then 69 goals in two out of three seasons was one of the biggest highlights of the past 50 years in Leafs history, as he set records, won multiple awards, but what did they really accomplish? The Leafs failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs and Matthews' goal pace wasn't sustainable, making it feel like a wasted opportunity."
"After the Leafs won the 2016 NHL Draft Lottery, Bucigross wrote an article titled "Seriously, Leafs fans: Top prospect Auston Matthews could be the next Jonathan Toews." As a huge Leafs fan and someone who was working with the organization at the time, I vividly remember reading this at the time and thinking that Toronto could have the future Toews with Matthews and Patrick Kane with Mitch Marner, which enevedibly meant that Stanley Cup rings would follow very soon."
"That prediction never came true as those two never elevated their game in the playoffs, but what if Matthews has just been Toews all this time and head coach Craig Berube is finally getting that out of him? When the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft was selected by the Leafs, he wasn't pegged as the next Alex Ovechkin (who he shares a birthday with), but was compared more to Anze Kopitar, Patrice Bergeon and obviously Toews."
Auston Matthews experienced historic goal-scoring seasons with 60 and 69 goals, setting records and winning multiple awards. Those scoring peaks did not translate into deep playoff success, as the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to advance past the second round. Matthews' current down year suggests his 60+ goal pace was unsustainable and raises the possibility that his true scoring ceiling may be closer to 30–40 goals. Early scouting compared Matthews to two-way centers like Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, and Patrice Bergeron rather than a pure sniper like Alex Ovechkin. A reduced scoring rate could benefit Toronto if it yields a more complete, playoff-effective version of Matthews under coach Craig Berube.
#auston-matthews #toronto-maple-leafs #goal-scoring-decline #playoff-performance #player-comparisons
Read at Editor In Leaf
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]