5 shocking predictions for the Toronto Maple Leafs 2024-25 NHL season
By Edward Eng
Auston Matthews will score 80 goals
When it comes to Auston Matthews, is there really anything he couldn’t do?
An elite star player both in the offensive and defensive end, Matthews once again put together a strong 2023-24 season by leading the entire league in goals with 69 while finishing once again above the 100-point threshold with 107 points. His 69 goals was the most by any player in one season since Alexander Ovechkin potted 65 back in the 2007-08 NHL season.
With the way Matthews has been improving even more year after year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him one day score almost at a goal a game pace and surpass the 80-goal mark in one season.
Well, that achievement will be happening this upcoming year. Why is that? Just last season, Matthews posted 18 multi-goal games, including six hat tricks, so he certainly has no problems with scoring in bunches.
On top of that, aside from getting a huge confidence boost by becoming the team captain for 2024-25, it could also potentially the last season of both Mitch Marner and John Tavares as a Maple Leaf.
As a result, there’s no doubt Matthews wants to get it done in what perhaps could be the last hurrah for the so-called “core four”. In doing so, look for Matthews to go beast mode on the ice and score at will to topple 80 goals this season, which will rank him fourth all-time just behind Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull and Mario Lemieux.