Toronto Maple Leafs: Many Milestones Within Reach

The Toronto Maple Leafs have several players that should reach significant franchise milestones this coming season.

The current “Core 4” era has been ridiculed for its lack of postseason success, but there is no doubt the team is currently in one of the most successful regular-season stretches in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.

The  Leafs much-maligned core is tied for the longest active streak for consecutive playoff appearances in the NHL.

Players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Morgan Rielly should continue their ascent on the all-time lists this year. Their accomplishments deserve recognition for a franchise over a century old with some impressive icons.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Many Milestones Within Reach During 2023-2024 Season

Current franchise cornerstone Matthews finds himself within a goal of hitting the 300 mark for his career. His first goal this year will also move him past former 3-time fifty-goal scorer Rick Vaive to fifth on the team’s all-time list for goals scored. (All statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com).

A thirty-five-goal season for Matthews, which he has accomplished in six of his seven seasons, will see him pass Ron Ellis for sole possession of fourth on the Leafs all-time goals list.

Matthews also frequently finds himself atop the NHL’s seasonal leaderboard for even-strength goals. He has 223 so far. Thirty such markers this season will see him move ahead of Frank Mahovlich into fifth place, just ahead of Darryl Sittler.

Additionally, he should climb further up the team leaderboard in two other, more obscure, categories.

Three more game-winning goals will move Matthews into solo third place behind only Mats Sundin, the franchise’s all-time points leader, and Dave Keon.

Needless to say, with Matthews’s continued assault on the team’s record books the Toronto Maple Leafs should eagerly continue their efforts to get him signed to an extension.

It should also mean something to Matthews to potentially hold many records for a storied franchise such as the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marner also has some very attainable achievements within reach this year. Should he justifiably crack the 100-point plateau he would surpass Ellis and move into sixth place for total points on the Leafs’ all-time points list.

Sixty assists for Marner, easily obtainable based on his passing acumen and past performance, would see him move into the top five, ahead of Tomas Kaberle.

The last of the Leafs mainstays to hit some milestones is Rielly. With nine more assists he will reach 350 for his career and pass Tim Horton to move into the top eight on the Leafs all-time list.

His first point this coming season will be his 415th and see Rielly break a tie with Ian Turnbull and move into fourth place among the team’s defensemen. Horton’s Leafs point total of 458 is also well within reach.

Rielly’s contract runs through the 2029-2030 season and offers him the opportunity to climb further up the team’s charts.

Matthews, Marner, and Rielly each would no doubt trade all of their accomplishments for a championship. They will continue their quest to bring that to the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.

In the meantime, respect must be given to their trek to the top of the team record books.