Toronto Maple Leafs: The 3 Most Likely NHL Awards a Leaf Could Win
The Toronto Maple Leafs are loaded with tons of talent and some of their players should compete for individual awards next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a ton of players on their roster that have the capability to perform at the highest possible level.
With talent comes the possibility of being one of the best players in the whole league and potentially winning some hardware.
From Tavares, to Rielly to Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Andersen, not to mention their coach and GM, several players on the Leafs roster could conceivably win awards next season. Here are the three that I think are the most likely.
3. Vezina Trophy – Frederik Andersen – 31 years old – G
2019-20 stats – 52 GP – 29 W – 13 L – 7 OTL – 2.85 GAA – .909 SV%
Career stats – 358 GP – 213 W – 92 L – 45 OTL – .2.63 GAA – .917 SV%
It may be a long shot after last season, but I have Frederik Andersen winning the Vezina Trophy. Now, yes, I know what you’re thinking, you’re probably thinking I’m crazy right now for putting him on this list,, but hear me out. Andersen has been one of the best goalie in the NHL for the last five or so seasons. During his best years in Toronto, he played in front of terrible defensive teams and helped the Leafs qualify for the playoffs when their team maybe wasn’t quite all the way there yet.
I know he had a very bad year this past season posting up statistically his worst season as an NHL goalie and was also a below average goalie during the second half of the season, but you also have to take into account that he is one of if not the most overworked goalie in the league and faces a ton of shots every game. Not to mention the normal volatility of the position.
Andersen is arguably a top 10 goalie in the league in some peoples eyes, and when this man is on his game he seems like he is unstoppable. Expect Andersen to bounce back next season and compete for, and possibly win, the first major award of his career. (Stats from Hockey-Reference.com)
2. Jack Adams Award – Sheldon Keefe
2019-20 record – 36-25-9 (81 PTS)
2019-20 Keefe record – 27-15-5 (59 PTS)
At my number two spot on this list I have Sheldon Keefe winning the Jack Adams Award.
I put this on the list mainly because of what Keefe was able to do to this team once he was hired after the firing of Mike Babcock a month and a half into the 2019-20 NHL season. Keefe turned a 9-10-4 team that was on pace to finish the season with 32 wins and 78 points, into a team that went on a 15-4-1 run as soon as he was hired and ended up with a 27-15-5 record at the time of the season pause due to Covid.
Under Keefe, the Leafs were the 8th best team in the NHL, despite playing almost half their games without Morgan Rielly, and then almost half of those games without Jake Muzzin as well. Factor in the less-than-reliable goaltending and its clear that Keefe made a huge difference.
The Toronto Maple Leafs numbers under Sheldon Keefe are pretty remarkable, and if you ask me, they were a completely different team under him than they were under Babcock. The Leafs were significantly better at defense and special teams under Keefe, and his focus on puck-possession really seemed to pay off, despite some less than ideal results.
The Toronto Maple Leafs never played a full season under Keefe yet still played some pretty good hockey while they were at it. With a full season, the new additions, another year of growth for their core players, Keefe could very well be a nominee for the Jack Adams Award and may have a chance to win it too if the Toronto Maple Leafs season goes very, well.
1. Rocket Richard Trophy – Auston Matthews – 23 years old – C
2019-20 stats – 70 GP – 47 G – 33 A – 80 PTS – 53.9% CF%
Career stats – 282 GP – 158 G – 127 A – 285 PTS – 52.6% CF%
At my number one on the list, I have Auston Matthews winning the Rocket Richard Trophy.
There are multiple reasons to why I have this number one on my list. Besides Matthews almost winning the Rocket Richard Trophy this past season, he has been at the top of the league in goals ever since his rookie season. Since his first game in the NHL he has been the best 5v5 goal scorer in the league.
Posting up a career high of 47 goals in the 2019-20 season and finishing just one shy of being tied for the Rocket Richard with Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak, Auston Matthews continues to show his growth in his game and truly what kind of player he can become.
Dating back to his rookie season, Matthews is currently second in all goals in the NHL with 158 only behind none other than Alex Ovechkin, but Matthews is currently first in even strength goals with 121.
In the end it isn’t a bold statement at all to say Auston Matthews will end up wining next season’s Rocket Richard Trophy. Has the Leafs not had the final 12 games of their season cancelled, there is a strong probability that Matthews would have beaten his career high and the Leafs all time single season goal scoring record of 54, held by Rick Vaive.
With the exception of Matthews’ Calder Trophy win in 2016-17, the Leafs haven’t won a major NHL award in years, so hopefully next year corrects that unfortunate trend.