Editor In Leaf
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Toronto Maple Leafs: Comparing Matthews/Marner With Toews/Kane

By Matthew Rodrigopulle

Dec 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and center Mitch Marner (16) step onto the ice before the start of their game against the San Jose Sharks at Air Canada Centre. The Sharks beat the Maple Leafs 3-2 in the shootout. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and center Mitch Marner (16) step onto the ice before the start of their game against the San Jose Sharks at Air Canada Centre. The Sharks beat the Maple Leafs 3-2 in the shootout. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 28, 2016; Sunrise, FL, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) talks with center Mitch Marner (16) before a game against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Maple Leafs are winning as of late, not only in their games however, but also in the rookie race.

It’s been expected this season that Toronto Maple Leafs phenom Auston Matthews would  be the top contender for the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year. After all, being chosen first overall and being labelled the face of one of the biggest and most storied franchises in hockey would place some big expectations on a kid.

Other than him, everyone seemed to be focusing their attention to second overall pick Patrik Laine and goaltending rookie Matt Murray.

However, one of the more bigger surprises in the rookie race this season has been Mitch Marner, who is currently beating Matthews in points.

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The pair are ranked first and third in the league in rookie scoring right now, and I think this feat may foreshadow two Calder nominations for the Leafs. It’s a very rare circumstance but it’s still a possibility.

In fact, the last time a team had two Calder finalists in the same season were the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007-08 when then-rookies Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane each put on spectacular rookie seasons.

Kane ended up winning the Calder over Toews, but I’m sure the result doesn’t matter as much now after the what the Blackhawks were able to achieve already between the two.

Earlier this season, I wrote about how the Toronto Maple Leafs rebuild is looking a lot like the Chicago Blackhawks rebuild in the 2000’s.

Even from then, I saw the parallels between Kane and Marner and Matthews and Toews, but now after getting a real glimpse into how their rookie seasons may shape out, I feel as if the mirroring seems to be much more apparent.

So let’s take a look at exactly how the pairings are similar during their rookie seasons.

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