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.