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Auston Matthews Announced as Calder Finalist

By James Tanner

Apr 13, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates with the puck as Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) defends in the second period in game one of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates with the puck as Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) defends in the second period in game one of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Auston Matthews has been announced as a Calder Finalist.

Along with Auston Matthews, Columbus defensemen Zach Werenski and Winnipeg forward Patrik Laine were the other finalists.

The Calder, of course, is for the NHL’s rookie of the year.  Auston Matthews is the heavy favorite and almost sure to win.  In fact, it would be an outrageous scandal the likes of which have never been seen, where he to lose out.

Well, not really, but he is pretty much guaranteed to win it.

Matthews led the NHL in even strength goals.  He had 30 of them.  That’s more than any player in the NHL – not just rookies. He did it playing with two other rookies, at the NHL’s hardest position.

He was seventh in the league in shots among forwards.  Matthews got at least one shot in every single game this year.  He also played in all 82 games.

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Auston Matthews: Calder Winner

And, while playing that position, Auston Matthews was competent defensively as well.  During two separate scoring droughts, Matthews was effective and helped his team, even while staying off the score sheet.

He set pretty much all Leafs rookie records and his 40 goals is – if you adjust for era – one of the best single season goal totals in team history. (If you adjust for era, he absolutely smashed Clark’s 80s rookie record at well).

All said, it was one of the greatest rookie classes in recent memory, but no one is close to Matthews.  Laine and Werenski are good players, but they could have just as easily been replaced by Nylander, Marner, Matt Murray, Matt Tkachuck.  All are good and all would have been worthy nominees.

But, no offense to any of those guys, leading the NHL in 5v5 goal scoring is about the most impressive stat you can have. It’s better than leading in overall goals or even points – at least in my opinion.

And, Matthews was a 52% possession player to top it off.  He will win the Calder Trophy and the only question is if it will be unanimous.  It wouldn’t even be that far fetched for him to get some Hart Trophy votes.  He doesn’t deserve to win it (that’d be McDavid or Crosby) but that it’s a testament to his season and Calder worthiness that he is one of ten or so players who legitimately deserve votes.

Auston Matthews will win the Calder.  Hopefully his team can win a Playoff series as well.

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