The Toronto Maple Leafs record for most goals in a season (54) was set by former team captain Rick Vaive back in the 1981-82 season. Will this be the year that the record is finally broken?
If Auston Matthews can stay healthy, then it is very likely that he will break the record and set his own. Last season, Matthews missed four games and still managed to score 41 goals in 52 games. That puts him on pace for 65 goals in an 82 game season.
Using his current scoring pace, Matthews should be able to tie the record of 54 goals in 70 games this season. If he can stay relatively healthy and play in at least 78 – 82 games, we could see the first Toronto Maple Leafs player to reach and pass the 60 goal mark.
On question that is being asked by fans is, can Matthews continue to score at his current pace with Zach Hyman no longer on his line? I believe the answer is yes, but having a player like Hyman on his line does make it easier.
Who Will The Toronto Maple Leafs Use On Left Wing For Matthews?
As we head into the NHL’s free agency period starting on Wednesday, July 28th, it will be interesting to see if Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas can find a suitable replacement for Zach Hyman.
Dubas will need to find a player that can either play a similar style to Hyman and is a scoring threat. If the player is a scoring threat, it will take some of the defense pressure away from Matthews.
Tyler Bertuzzi
One player who fits the Hyman style of play and has been linked to Toronto is Tyler Bertuzzi.
Bertuzzi is a restricted free agent for the Detroit Red Wings. Toronto could wait until after the 5 pm ET deadline tonight for Bertuzzi to have his qualifying offer or wait until his new deal is signed.
His last deal had a $3.5 million salary-cap hit, so his new deal will likely come in around $5 million. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently have $9.355 million in available cap space. They could fit Bertuzzi without too much trouble, plus a roster player will likely go to Detroit in any deal the two teams work out.
Bertuzzi has proven in previous seasons that he can score 20 goals, and he plays a very similar style to Hyman. He could excel if allowed to play with Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Blake Coleman
Blake Coleman is another player that can score 20 plus goals a season who would benefit greatly from playing with Matthews and Marner. He will be an unrestricted free agent this Wednesday and could likely be had for somewhere between $3.5 million – $4.5 million.
Coleman is a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion from his past two playoffs with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That kind of pedigree would be a bonus for Dubas to add to this team.
Another part of Coleman’s game that might get overlooked is his physicality. He recorded 109 hits last season in 55 games. He had 166 hits in 57 games during the 2019-20 season.
Final Thoughts On Matthews And Left Wing Options
I think we will see Matthews reach the 54 goals record and pass it this season. My prediction for Matthews this season is 61 goals and 37 assists for 98 points in 78 games.
As for who will play on Matthews left wing, I will be happy with either option, but I would prefer Coleman over Bertuzzi.