Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Grades 2019-20 Regular Season

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 17: Ilya Mikheyev #65 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for a faceoff against the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 17, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 5-3.(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

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TORONTO, ON – MARCH 18: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Auston Matthews

The Toronto Maple Leafs best player was well on his way to a career season when the NHL shutdown in March.

Matthews – who is the best 5v5 goal scorer in the NHL since he entered the league – once again led the NHL in 5v5 goals.

He only barely failed to win his first ever Rocket Richard Trophy, and had the season gone on for its full length, he probably would have.

Matthews posted insane 5v5 statistics and you can make a very good case that he should be the NHL’s MVP since he was the NHL’s best 5v5 player.

47 goals, and 80 points in 70 games.

54% Corsi.

The Leafs got 55% of the shots when Matthews was on the ice, 56% of the scoring chances, 56% of the dangerous chances, plus 59% of the goals and 56% of the expected goals.

The guy is a machine. He is also the NHL’s second best player after Connor McDavid and the best player in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history. With another 12 games on the schedule, Matthews would have shattered the Leafs single season goal record, and 60 goals wasn’t completely out of the question.

AUSTON MATTHEWS. A++. . .

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