3 Awards Toronto Maple Leafs Could Win During 2021-22 Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the potential to win three individual awards this season.
It had been a very long time since a Toronto Maple Leafs player had won an individual award, but now that Auston Matthews is on the roster, it’s happened twice in the past four seasons.
After his magnificent rookie performance, Matthews won the Calder Trophy, as the league’s best rookie. He scored 40 goals in that inaugural season and gave Leafs fans hope that the future of this franchise was in good hands.
Ever since that rookie campaign, Matthews has scored at will and it was only a matter of time before he won another award. Finally, during the 2020-21 season, it all came together for him, as he scored 41 goals in a shortened 56-game season, beating the competition by eight goals.
If the regular season had been a normal 82-game campaign, it’s possible that he would have beat the competition by close to 17 goals, as Matthews was on-pace for 65 total goals last year.
It’s crazy that Matthews didn’t get more Hart Trophy votes because scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in hockey and to do it at a pace that is so much better than the rest of the league, is outstanding. Also, the fact that Toronto was the best team in their division should have helped his case, but when Connor McDavid scores 105 points in 56 games and laps the league in points, it makes sense why he was awarded that trophy instead.
It’ll be interesting to see how this season goes, as the NHL finally returns to a full 82-game schedule for the first time in two years, but those extra games should give a few Leafs an advantage.
Here are three awards that the Toronto Maple Leafs could win this year.
No. 1: Jack Adams Award
The Toronto Maple Leafs are lucky to have Sheldon Keefe as their head coach, because everywhere he coaches, he wins. He’s won the CJHL championship, has reached a Conference Finals in the OHL and has won a Calder Cup in the AHL (stats: hockeydb.com).
He’s already replicated that success in the regular season, but sooner than later, it’s all going to come together in the playoffs.
Fortunately for Keefe and the Leafs sake, this award only matters on what he does in the regular season, so if the team falls again in the playoffs like they typically do, it won’t hurt his chances.
The 2021-22 season is going to be tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs, since they’re back in the Atlantic Division, but if they’re a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in that division, it will give Keefe a great chance at winning the award. Everyone expects Tampa Bay to be good again, so Jon Cooper won’t win, while Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins won this award a few years ago, so they’ll vote someone new and fresh if the Leafs are good.
As a result, Keefe could fit that mold as a new-ish coach to win this award if the Leafs are a top-five team in the NHL and one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
No. 2: Calder Trophy
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Owen Powers, isn’t going to be playing in the NHL this year, so it gives an opportunity to a young Toronto Maple Leafs player to steal that award.
Prior to Matthews winning this award in 2017, it had been 50 years since a Leafs player had done so. However, we shouldn’t have to wait that much longer since Nick Robertson has a legitimate shot at this award.
Cole Caufield will probably be the favorite to win this award, because he’s technically still considered a rookie, but if given a real opportunity, why can’t Robertson take a run at it?
Robertson is a skillful winger who has an unbelievable shot. If he’s paired up in the Leafs top-six, he could do some serious damage with the team’s core-four. Not too mention, his wrist shot could be a valuable piece on the man-advantage.
Now that he’s a year older and had another summer to get stronger, I’d expect Robertson to make the lineup and be a regular contributor with the Leafs. If that’s the case, watch out for him to replicate some junior magic and score a bunch of goals.
No. 3: Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
Obviously, you already know how I’m talking about, when it comes to this award. William Nylander has a great chance at winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy this year.
Just kidding.
Auston Matthews, if healthy, should compete for the “Rocket” Richard Trophy for the next decade. He may not win nine “Rocket’s” like Alex Ovechkin has done over his career, but it wouldn’t shock me if he’s close. He’s hands-down the best goal-scorer in the NHL and can’t be stopped when he’s on the ice.
The only question I have when it comes to Matthews winning the Rocket this year is “how many goals is he going to win by?” Is he going to lap the field and score 10-plus more goals than everyone or is someone else going to compete with him, unlike last year?
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The Toronto Maple Leafs individual single season record for goals is 52 goals, by Rick Vaive, almost 40 years ago, so that should be a huge motivating factor for Matthews, as he looks to win his second consecutive Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.