Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews is one goal away from breaking Rick Vaive’s single-season record, so expect history to be made tonight.
It’s been 40 years since Rick Vaive scored 54 goals in a season and no Toronto Maple Leafs player has broken that record, until (probably) tonight.
Sure, this is going out on a limb, but is it really a huge statement to say that Auston Matthews is going to score a goal tonight? He has 54 goals in 65 games is basically on a game per-game pace in his last 47 games.
Having not scored in the barn-burner game against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, Matthews is bound to get one tonight.
A New Toronto Maple Leafs Single Season Record
It’s hard to believe that 54 goals is the single-season record in Leafs history, considering that team that’s been around for over 100 years. Matthews is currently having the greatest goal-scoring season in a century.
If there are any Leafs fans out there right now that are not entertained by him or think that “we need to see it in the playoffs before we’re happy,” they need to give their head a shake. No matter how old you are, you’re currently watching t he greatest player in team history.
Sorry, Dave Keon, Mats Sundin, Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark, or whoever you have at the top of your list. Matthews is better than all of them and is only going to get better with age.
You can tell me that Matthews hasn’t won a Stanley Cup like Keon, won an Olympic gold like Sundin, won a Selke while scoring 120-plus points like Gilmour, or can fight like Clark, but none of that matters because Matthews is still the best overall player in team history.
Nobody can score goals like him and that’s the hardest/most important thing in hockey.
Whether it’s a breakaway, back-hander, slap shot or his unbelievable release with a wrist shot, Matthews is dominating the game right now with his goal-scoring ability.
Would it better if he scored on Hockey Night in Canada at home on Saturday night?
Sure.
That moment would be more special, but who cares where it happens? Matthews is going to break the record tonight and Leafs fans everywhere should feel blessed that he’s on your team. Let’s not worry about playoff results yet and live in the moment for once.
We should all celebrate Matthews for his incredible season and enjoy every moment, because players like this only come around once every 100 years.