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

[The90]

“If we compare the years when Phil Esposito score 60 or more goals to the years when Matthews could have scored 60 goals but actually didn’t, it’s easy to see that Matthews is the superior player”.

You guys are honestly incredible.

 

[34]

“If we compare the years when Phil Esposito score 60 or more goals to the years when Matthews could have scored 60 goals but actually didn’t, it’s easy to see that Matthews is the superior player”.

Matthews is honestly incredible.

The ONLY active player to have multiple 60 goal seasons. Not even Ovechkin has done it.

3 Rockets in 4 seasons.

 

[Ol' Jase]

The ONLY active player to have multiple 60 goal seasons. Not even Ovechkin has done it.

3 Rockets in 4 seasons.

Editing other people’s posts now?

Wild.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Editing other people’s posts now?

Wild.

About the equivalent of inventing people’s discussions and attempting to hold them responsible for your statements, I suppose?

 

[Ol' Jase]

About the equivalent of inventing people’s discussions and attempting to hold them responsible for your statements, I suppose?

From Hockeyreference the goal scoring in Esposito’s 60 goal seasons was:

3.12
3.07
3.20
3.43

During the 5 years Matthews has performed at a 60 goal pace it has been:

3.11
3.18
3.14
2.94
3.02

You bet.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

If not 70. 68 or 66 would be a cool number. 67 or 69 would look worse imo lol

 

[Melrose Munch]

Aim for 40 assists as well.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Honestly, it would've been so interesting to watch Matthews play for a team that gets even league average PP opportunities every year. Not a team that is constantly in the bottom 4 or 5. His goal totals could've have been unbelievable. Low to mid 70's wouldn't have been out of the question.

Toronto simply don't get enough PPs for that to happen.

The talent Toronto has on the PP negates this. They should be scoring at will with the likes of Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Bertuzzi, Reilly... few teams on paper match this over the years.

 

[Divine]

The talent Toronto has on the PP negates this. They should be scoring at will with the likes of Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Bertuzzi, Reilly... few teams on paper match this over the years.

I don't think you understood the point.

Toronto was first in the league on the PP in 2022
Toronto was second in the league on the PP in 2023 (behind a historic Oilers PP)
Toronto was second in the league on the PP this year before Marner got injured
Toronto is 28th in the league in PP opportunites per game played since 2016-2017 (when Matthews was drafted)

They don't get many PP opportunities. His point was if Toronto get's more PP's (and wasn't bottom 4 in PP opportunities) they'd score more goals... you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent.

Quite the interesting take.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I don't think you understood the point.

Toronto was first in the league on the PP in 2022
Toronto was second in the league on the PP in 2023 (behind a historic Oilers PP)
Toronto was second in the league on the PP this year before Marner got injured

They don't get many PP opportunities. His point was if Toronto get's more PP's (and wasn't bottom 5 in PP opportunities) they'd score more goals... you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent.

Quite the interesting take.

Soft perimeter teams draw fewer PPs, surprise.

"you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent."

Is the interesting interpretation. I was unaware Toronto ends each season with 0 PPs. Matthews is in an ideal situation to maximize PP production with that talent. He is not alone on an island as he would be on many other teams.

 

[Divine]

Soft perimeter teams draw fewer PPs, surprise.

"you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent."

Is the interesting interpretation. Matthews is in an ideal situation to maximize PP production with that talent. He is not alone on an island as he would be on many other teams.

What does that have to do with if Matthews was on a team with more PP opportunities he would score more PP goals?

Also - your point about soft teams get less PP's is also incorrect - the soft perimeter Golden Knights are one spot above Toronto at 27.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

What does that have to do with if Matthews was on a team with more PP opportunities he would score more PP goals?

You are choosing to look at this as though a one way street. Matthews benefits from the talent of his roster as well.... creating alternate realities hardly adds value.

 

[Divine]

You are choosing to look at this as though a one way street. Matthews benefits from the talent of his roster as well.... creating alternate realities hardly adds value.

Matthews led the league in even-strength goals in his rookie season playing with rookies Nylander & Hyman. Quite the leap to try and discredit his scoring.

 

[The Podium]

Soft perimeter teams draw fewer PPs, surprise.

"you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent."

Is the interesting interpretation. I was unaware Toronto ends each season with 0 PPs. Matthews is in an ideal situation to maximize PP production with that talent. He is not alone on an island as he would be on many other teams.

Teams with possession tend to get the most calls in their favour. Good teams will tend to have more PPs than bad teams chasing.

The Leafs haven’t missed the playoffs* since AM broke into the league and they are 26/30 in PP opportunities in that stretch. I’m not counting Vegas or Seattle because they didn’t exist for multiple years in this timeline and are 31 and 32 on this list because of it.

The teams behind Toronto are SJS, NYI, ANA and CBJ.

Surprisingly enough, Edmonton also ranks quite low in the same timeframe at 22.

 

[Crow]

Teams probably avoid taking penalties against Toronto because they know it’s lethal. Pretty simple really.

 

[AvroArrow]

Teams probably avoid taking penalties against Toronto because they know it’s lethal. Pretty simple really.

Crazy that teams were smart enough to figure that out with Toronto but not smart enough to figure it out with Edmonton.

Teams don't get called for shit, watch a few games it's not difficult to spot it. Regardless, even with bottom 5 powerplay opportunities he's the leading scorer.

 

[The Podium]

Teams probably avoid taking penalties against Toronto because they know it’s lethal. Pretty simple really.

Oh man, I didn’t realize every team can be so disciplined against the Leafs for 8 years straight

 

[Maple Leaf]

Teams probably avoid taking penalties against Toronto because they know it’s lethal. Pretty simple really.

More like the refs rig it

 

[AvroArrow]

Oh man, I didn’t realize every team can be so disciplined against the Leafs for 8 years straight

I still remember the exact moment things changed, it was November in the first year of the Tavares contract. Our PP was near 40% and we were destroying teams, the media made a big deal about how deadly the Leafs PP was and how many penalties Kadri was drawing. They did a small segment on TSN.

Literally the very next day the whistles went away and it's been that way ever since.

 

[34]

Editing other people’s posts now?

Wild.

But nothing. The Oilers don’t have a goal scorer on Matthews level. Don’t talk to me about secondary assists in the garbage pacific division either.

 

[Ol' Jase]

Crazy that teams were smart enough to figure that out with Toronto but not smart enough to figure it out with Edmonton.

Edmonton has 6 more PP chances than Toronto this season. Not exactly night and day differences we're talking about.

Both teams don't get called nearly as much as they likely should.

But nothing. The Oilers don’t have a goal scorer on Matthews level. Don’t talk to me about secondary assists in the garbage pacific division either.

What secondary assists? What are you talking about?

 

[The90]

Soft perimeter teams draw fewer PPs, surprise.

"you counter with they should score more goals on PP's they don't get with all their talent."

Is the interesting interpretation. I was unaware Toronto ends each season with 0 PPs. Matthews is in an ideal situation to maximize PP production with that talent. He is not alone on an island as he would be on many other teams.

How about puck possession teams like Toronto Carolina and Colorado? They draw many penalties?

 

[Crow]

More like the refs rig it

I don’t feel like that is a likely explanation. Why would the refs, who there are many of, conspire to rig games against the leafs?

 

[The90]

Edmonton has 6 more PP chances than Toronto this season. Not exactly night and day differences we're talking about.

Both teams don't get called nearly as much as they likely should.


What secondary assists? What are you talking about?

Lol. Take that ‘this season’ back to 16-17 and how many more opportunities do the oilers have?

 

[The Podium]

Lol. Take that ‘this season’ back to 16-17 and how many more opportunities do the oilers have?

Not as much as you think, only ~50-60 more which works out to about 6-7 more a season