Auston Matthews 69 goals in 81 games, most goals scored since Lemieux in 1995-96

[JoVel]

You weren't here 2 years ago when he scored 51 in 50 were you?

A LOT of people claimed exactly that.

To be fair I tend to stay away from any Leaf or Matthews threads, reading through them isn't good for my brain.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It's honestly an insane run. Will probably be awhile since we see a season like this again.

Wonder if there's still people arguing he hasn't been the best goal scorer in the league since being drafted lol.

He did this 2 years ago.

 

[Peasy]

He did this 2 years ago.

More so talking about if he actually scores 70+ this season.

He didnt pace for 70 in 2021-2022. Hes currently pacing for 77.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Same could have been said about Ovie all those years ago. Matthews is pacing the same as Ovie did back in the day.

I don’t disagree. But I also think anyone saying Ovechkin would break Gretzky’s goal record when he had 350 career goals likely would have been called crazy. I’m not saying it won’t happen, but I would assume Vegas odds are at least 10:1.

And if you look at other players who were on a better pace like Lemieux, Bossy, Robitaille, Hull. None of them even hit 800 goals. So odds are not in Matthews favor.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Will probably end up the best goal scorer in the history of the league (until the next one gets here, sometimes in the future).

 

[Suntouchable13]

Same could have been said about Ovie all those years ago. Matthews is pacing the same as Ovie did back in the day.

I just don’t know if he is the kind of player that will stick around past age 36, let’s say. I think he retires in 10 years. 650-700 goals.

 

[SensontheRush]

I can see him getting 50 in 50 in the next few years. Guy is a stud.

Seems more likely he does than doesn't in the upcoming years IMO.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

Love that Matthews is scoring at this torrid pace!

So many non leaf fans forget that he's a 200ft player. He's defensively responsible, not just an offensive juggernaut.

 

[Daximus]

Currently on pace for the 2nd highest era adjusted goals pace in league history. Very impressive season from Matthews. It's tough to beat Hull's 90/91 - 86 goal season when the next highest was 51 but he's currently on pace to best Ovi's 07/08 - 65 goal season.

 

[SkinsFan09]

I’m more surprised he has 3 of the top 5 on that list than this season being #2

I'm not. He's an all-time goal scorer and NHL scoring has completely changed as he's entered his prime. We're in the highest scoring environment since 1995-96.

This season if he stays on pace would be No. 2 all-time era adjusted just ahead of Ovechkin's 65. Amazing.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

One thing Ovechkin has that very few in the history of the league is durability and otherworldly consistency. he put up 40 and 50 goal seasons until age 36. Matthews won't have that durability and already has nagging wrist injuries that won't help him as he gets older. Even if Matthews PEAKS higher than Ovechkin goal scoring wise and beats 65 goals, he gas a hell of a hill to climb to get even 800 career goals. that's why Ovechkin stands alone as a goal scorer for me. been doing it since 2005 and has insane durability and consistency.

congrats to Matthews, great goal scorer and great accomplishment. he needs to round out his overall game to become a 100 point player to take that next step as a player IMO.

 

[SkinsFan09]

just FYI

Saying McDavid is the best player in the league does not take away from what Matthews is doing right now.

 

[Face Of Bear]

A true once in a generation talent.

 

[34]

A true once in a generation talent.

You are right. Matthews is a generational hockey player. The guy is incredible.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

The shot on goal #50 was sneaky. He telegraphed that as a pass right until he shot it, and by that point the goalie had no time to even adapt.

 

[Martin Skoula]

One thing Ovechkin has that very few in the history of the league is durability and otherworldly consistency. he put up 40 and 50 goal seasons until age 36. Matthews won't have that durability and already has nagging wrist injuries that won't help him as he gets older. Even if Matthews PEAKS higher than Ovechkin goal scoring wise and beats 65 goals, he gas a hell of a hill to climb to get even 800 career goals. that's why Ovechkin stands alone as a goal scorer for me. been doing it since 2005 and has insane durability and consistency.

congrats to Matthews, great goal scorer and great accomplishment. he needs to round out his overall game to become a 100 point player to take that next step as a player IMO.

We already saw what he looks like with his wrist not working though, his 40 goals last year are a Kreider/JVR highlight reel with maybe 5 actual snipes in there. Healthy prime aged Ovi had back to back seasons at a lower floor.

If Matthews is really set on taking a run at the record, even if his wrist explodes tomorrow I think he can stay in the 50 range just by moving to a team that gets power plays when his contract is up. He has one of the most obvious late career adjustments of any goal scorer imo, if this scoring environment keeps up it’s not that far fetched to keep a 50+ pace for a long while doing an Andreychuk impression. 32 year old Hyman on 2 bad knees and stone hands is pacing 50+ as a netfront guy, it’s not the same barrier it used to be.

 

[FliegerKorps]

I hate the leafs with all of my heart but Matthews is a special player.

 

[34]

The shot on goal #50 was sneaky. He telegraphed that as a pass right until he shot it, and by that point the goalie had no time to even adapt.

He scores in so many different ways. Keeps the goalies guessing.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

I just don’t know if he is the kind of player that will stick around past age 36, let’s say. I think he retires in 10 years. 650-700 goals.

It would be unprecedented in 21st century hockey for a player as good as Matthews to be done at 36.

Even if he isn’t ’Auston Matthews’ by that stage, he’ll still be a 20-30g man on a ring-chase.

 

[MoreMogilny]

One thing Ovechkin has that very few in the history of the league is durability and otherworldly consistency. he put up 40 and 50 goal seasons until age 36. Matthews won't have that durability and already has nagging wrist injuries that won't help him as he gets older. Even if Matthews PEAKS higher than Ovechkin goal scoring wise and beats 65 goals, he gas a hell of a hill to climb to get even 800 career goals. that's why Ovechkin stands alone as a goal scorer for me. been doing it since 2005 and has insane durability and consistency.

congrats to Matthews, great goal scorer and great accomplishment. he needs to round out his overall game to become a 100 point player to take that next step as a player IMO.

We won’t know how Matthews will perform later in his career until he’s there. I do think it is unlikely for any player to replicate Ovi’s late career goal scoring surge, but if any player currently in the league has a shot, it is Matthews.

He’s played through injuries and adapted quite well to still be productive. His missed games are worth noting as a concern down the road but again it’s something we can’t project.

Over the last 5 years he paces for 60 goals and 104 points per 82 games. It would be great if he can play as many full seasons as possible to witness his capabilities.

It would be nice to see him produce more in terms of assists but he’s just simply not being put in that situation when his line mates have not been goal scorers ever since he was separated from Nylander.

 

[TheDoldrums]

he needs to round out his overall game to become a 100 point player to take that next step as a player IMO.

he has already scored over 100, is pacing for over 110 this year, has paced for over 100 over the last 5 years lol.

The next step in his game is clearly having a dominant, long postseason performance. Nothing to do with "rounding out his overall game" when he's already a very complete player.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Just amazing. 12 goals up on 2nd with 1 game in hand (2 games less played but Leafs at 55 and Panthers at 56)

Matthews is paid that because you expect 50.

Last 3 years has averaged that and gets to add goals to raise that number.

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[REALTALK81]

Hats off to Matthews and the season he is having but I'm more interested in his playoff performance this year. He could score 200 goals in a season but if he doesn't produce in the playoffs, it doesn't really matter.

 

[Drytoast]

The fact he's smashing all of the Leaf's scoring records talks about the sad state of affairs of previous Leaf talent. Don't get me wrong, he's f***ing amazing...but he's going to surpass Sundin likely next season already.