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Toronto Maple Leafs: Where Does Auston Matthews Rank Among Young NHL Stars?

By Eric Cruikshank

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck during an NHL pre-season game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on September 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck during an NHL pre-season game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on September 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 7: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his gaol against the St. Louis Blues with teammate Auston Matthews #34 during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /

#4 – Auston Matthews

Finally, the one you have been waiting for.

Sometimes I think people have kind of forgotten just how good Auston Matthews really is because of how the Leafs have performed overall this season. Matthews currently sits 13th overall in points with 16 goals and 15 assists through 29 games.

What puts Matthews over a lot of these other players on this list is what he has been able to do at even strength. Although Babcock previously experimented with Matthews playing alongside Marner, Matthews only plays with the best players when the Leafs are on the power play, and has still become widely regarded as one of the best players in the league.

96 of his 127 career goals have come at even strength, and 68% of his career total points have come at even strength as well. Not many players this high in the list can say the same.

Matthews is not playing to the caliber Leafs fans know he can play at, and the fact that he has still had one of the biggest impacts on the Leafs offence this season, is saying something. He currently leads the Leafs in scoring chances and is second in high-danger scoring chances, as well as being second on the team in rebounds created this season, and will no doubt be a contender for the goalscoring title.

What has prevented Matthews from going higher on this list is his ability to take over a game on a regular basis when his team needs it. Obviously that is easier said than done, but I would not have said it if Matthews was not capable of it.

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