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Which Toronto Maple Leafs Could Win NHL Awards This Year?

By James Tanner

VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 10: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs walks to the Leafs dressing room before their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena December 10, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 10: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs walks to the Leafs dressing room before their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena December 10, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have several players/coaches who may win NHL Awards this summer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won both games since the NHL all-star game as they enter the home stretch of the playoff race.

While individual awards pale in comparison to team success, it is always fun to win awards.

The Leafs should have nominees for at least three.

Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL Awards

A member of the Toronto Maple Leafs has never won a major NHL award in the post expansion era.

Sure, Doug Gilmour won the Selke, Pat Burns won the Jack Adams and Auston Matthews own the Calder, but those are but the appetizer to the real NHL awards.

The Hart Trophy for the league’s MVP, the Art Ross for the league’s scoring leader, and the Norris and Vezina (best defenseman and goalie, respectively) make up the four major NHL awards.

The Leafs never win those.

Last year Morgan Rielly was robbed of a nomination and wouldn’t have been an unworthy winner.  The same goes for Freddie Andersen who was robbed as well.

This year, barring a final 30 games for the record books, Andersen will not win his long sought Vezina.  And Morgan Rielly, playing through injury and finally breaking something bad enough to take some time off, is not going to be nominated either.

However, there is some good news.

Auston Matthews has to be the current favorite to win the Rocket Richard Trophy, as he has 21 goals in his last 20 games.

I wouldn’t call the Rocket Richard one of the major trophies, but winning it would still be excellent. No member of the Toronto Maple Leafs has a reasonable shots at the Vezina, Norris or Art Ross this year.

But the real prize is the Hart Trophy, and Matthews – as the NHL’s 5v5 goal scoring king – should definitely receive consideration.

While preference usually goes to the total points champion, the goal scoring Matthews does, especially at even-strength, is unprecedented.  He also drives possession, and puts up excellent defensive metrics.

You can easily make a case – if you value the scoring of actual goals more than assists, and heavily weight 5v5 play, which we all should – that Matthews is the best player in the NHL.  (All stats naturalstattrick.com).

If the awards went out today, I believe Matthews should be the winner.

Oh, and I almost forgot: new coach Sheldon Keefe should probably win the Jack Adams coach as NHL coach of the year.  He took a disaster in the making, and rescued the season.  He resurrected Tyson Barrie, and has just generally been excellent since taking over the Leafs.

Next. Leafs Top Ten Prospects Updated. dark

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3rd in the NHL by points-percentage since Keefe took over.

To sum up: Matthews for the Hart. Keefe for the Jack Adams.

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