This season, Auston Matthews is a scoring machine. He’s had an interesting run where he continues to showcase his goal-scoring power and leads both his own team – the Toronto Maple Leafs and the entire NHL with an impressive 23 goals. For what it’s worth, he’s also added 12 assists and ranks second on the team with 35 points.
What makes Matthews so lethal this season is his shooting percentage. It’s simply outstanding, standing at 19.2%. That means that almost one out of every five shots he takes finds the back of the net. Despite having fewer assists than some teammates, his goal-scoring impact significantly drives the team’s offensive success.
Last Night Against the Blue Jackets, He Scored Two Goals
In last night’s odd 6-5 comeback loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Matthews scored two third-period goals and added an assist. That extended his scoring streak to four games. Over that span, he’s pumped in seven goals and three assists (for 10 points).
If he maintains the remarkable pace he’s on throughout the season, there’s a real possibility he could approach the coveted 70-goal mark by the time 2023-24 ends. He is currently on pace to reach 69 goals, a mark achieved last by Mario Lemieux during the 1995-96 season.
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The prospect of Matthews putting up another 60-goal season would solidify his status among the elite scorers in NHL history. Joining the exclusive club of players with two 60-goal seasons, including legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, would be a testament to his exceptional goal-scoring abilities. Although he plays in a different era of the NHL, where (in my opinion) scoring is more difficult, Matthews is starting to make believers that he’s one of the best goal-producers throughout NHL history.
Matthews Is Almost Certain to Score 40 Goals – And, Soon
After scoring 23 goals in just 27 games, Matthews seems poised to reach the 40-goal mark. If he continues his current scoring pace, he’s on track to hit the 40-goal mark in approximately the next 15 games. Therefore, he could achieve this milestone around the 42nd game of the season.
If he can accomplish this feat, it would mark the sixth time in eight seasons that he has achieved this impressive milestone. Currently leading the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy, awarded to the league’s top goal-scorer, Matthews eyes a third win. That would put him in the esteemed company of the Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin.
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Matthews Does Have Competition for the Rocket Richard Trophy
Even if Matthews excels with the Maple Leafs, he could miss out on the Richard Trophy. Currently, he’s facing competition in the goal-scoring race from other NHL players. For example, the surprise in the race (at least for me) is the Vancouver Canucks Brock Boeser with 22 goals. This season, as well, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov seems to have pumped up his goal-scoring (he’s been more of a playmaker in the past) and is third with 20 goals.
The question remains: Can Matthews reach the historic 70-goal milestone this season? And, if he does, can he write his name into the annals of NHL greatness? It’s possible, but is it likely? It’s going to be a close race between Matthews and the 70-goal mark.
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