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Toronto Maple Leafs: Expect Auston Matthews To Be Best Player in Series

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 20: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 20, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Lightning 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 20: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 20, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Lightning 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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It’s hard to remember that Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews is only one year removed from winning a Hart and Rocket Richard Trophy.

In terms of Toronto Maple Leafs greats, Matthews is already a top-5 player of all-time, despite never winning a playoff series. However, I think that’s about to change.

When the Leafs drafted Matthews first-overall in 2016, I would’ve been shocked if you told me that this team hadn’t won a playoff series yet. Matthews was the last link of the rebuilding phase and was supposed to take this team from the gutter to the promised land.

Over the past seven years, Matthews has done his part. He won the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie, has been named to countless NHL All-Star teams and as previously mentioned, won the award as the league’s most valuable player last season.

Despite living up to individual expectations, he’s yet to put his team on his back, leading them to a playoff series victory. Marner may have been the team’s MVP during the regular season, but Matthews needs to be the best player on the ice to help Toronto finally win a playoff series for the first time since 2004.

Matthews Will be Best Player Against Tampa Bay

So here’s why Matthews is going to be the best player in this series and guide Toronto to victory.

After a “disappointing” season, Matthews’ name has been quiet in the media this year. Connor McDavid has been the focus all season, scoring 64 goals, registering 153 points, and is going to run away with the Hart Trophy, while Matthews was “just” a 40-goal scorer.

Matthews finished 14th in the NHL in goals scored and has somewhat been a forgettable name, when he’s only one-year removed from winning a Hart.

Matthews clearly loves the spotlight so what better time to play your best hockey than now? Everyone’s individual stats start back at zero for Game 1, so Matthews has a chance to be the goal-scoring leader once again and put his name back on the front page.

In only a few games, Matthews can change the narrative and be the center of the hockey universe. He can rewrite history and put 2004 behind us, as that year as continued to haunt Leafs fans for 19 years.

Matthews almost had a defining moment last season when he scored the game-winning goal in Game 5, but he unfortunately couldn’t replicate that in Game 6 or 7. He needs to have that defining moment during a do-or-die game this season, or he’ll end up on those front pages, for all the wrong reasons.

dark. Next. Leafs Should Run it Back Regardless of Outcome

In roughly two weeks we’ll know the answer, but I promise you that Matthews is going to be the best player in this series and will help Toronto finally win a playoff series.

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