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Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews Ties Rookie Scoring Record

By Matt Duscharme |
March 2, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) before a face off against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
March 2, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) before a face off against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs: Some Records are Meant to be Broken, But More Often Than Not Players Stay Stuck on Them. So can Auston Matthews Pass Wendel Clark’s Rookie Goal Record? He Has Time!

When Auston Matthews opted to play in the Swiss Elite League last year a lot of people wondered why, well the reasoning was simple, get some pro experience before your draft to make you a more well-rounded player. And that’s exactly what happened, he stepped into the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has the mentality of a thirty-year-old player who has been in the NHL since he was 18.

Mar 7, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) takes a shot during warm ups prior to playing Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) takes a shot during warm ups prior to playing Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

And from day one Matthews has dominated, for instance, his first regular season game he scored four goals and not just tying a record but breaking it. And it may be some time before someone else does that again. He’s led the Leafs in points all season long often going back and forth with another star rookie Mitch Marner.

This season has been a year of record-breaking for the Leafs, William Nylander recently broke the rookie record for most consecutive games with points with 10 games. Marner recently broke the Leafs record for most assists by a rookie with 40. And now Auston Matthews has tied Wendel Clark with 33 goals as a rookie. With eight games left in the season, Auston has plenty of time still to score just one goal. But the question is can he do it? I myself believe so, this kid is too talented not to. His poise and control with the puck make him a player we don’t often see unless you are watching Edmonton or Pittsburgh on a daily basis then you know who I’m talking about.

Next: Auston Matthews: Ultimate Calder Trophy Candidate

Before the 2015 NHL entry draft, Auston Matthews was ranked higher than Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Then due to McDavid’s rookie campaign being more than a point per game player Matthews fell to number two. And then he fell to number three after Eichel’s rookie season was over, the point is Matthews has been pegged as the generational player two years before he touched NHL ice. So what he is capable of is off the charts and yet to be seen. Toronto definitely got themselves a gem when they selected him, and as for the Wendel Clark record, Matthews will end up breaking a lot more Leafs records than just that one throughout his career.

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