Top 11 Reasons This Year Is Different for the Toronto Maple Leafs

#1. Auston Matthews

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the best player in the NHL on their team.  In the last 11 playoff games, Auston Matthews has three goals.

In his last 51 regular season games, he has 51 goals.

I would say that he is due for some playoff scoring, and I would hate to be the team that has to face Auston Matthews when he has “just” 3 goals in his last 11 games.

Mitch Marner has 18 games without a goal – he’s well overdue as well.

The Leafs are going to crush whoever they play if they get good goaltending.  If the Leafs struggle in net, the series will seem much closer, but the Leafs will score their way out.

Did you see Auston Matthews just decide to win a game by himself last week in Dallas?  That play alone gives me all the confidence I need for the upcoming playoffs.

This is the best player in the game having his best ever season. I guarantee you he will not disappoint in the playoffs again.

If Matthews is going and the rest of the Leafs are OK, they will win most of the time.

If Matthews is going and the Leafs get good defense, special teams and secondary scoring, who is going to beat them? No one.

Do you think a player can achieve what Matthews has in his life so far and not be able to find an extra gear when it really counts? I predict he scores eight goals in the four games against whichever unlucky team has to face him this spring.

There are nine good reasons, listed above, why you should believe in this year’s Toronto Maple Leafs, but the only one that matters is this one.  Auston Matthews is the best player, and the team with the best player has the best chance to win.