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LEAFS’ MATTHEWS NEEDS TO EXPAND HIS GAME
In his four years in the NHL, Auston Matthews is second in the entire league in goal scoring, behind only Alex Ovechkin, and just ahead of David Pastrnak, Nikita Kucherov and Leon Draisaitl.
It is indeed an individual place where no Maple Leaf has ever been before, surrounded by three Hart Trophy winners and Ovechkin, the nine-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner, who tied with Pastrnak for the award this past season.
In his rather brief time playing, Matthews leads all of hockey in even-strength goals, ahead of Ovechkin 121-116 and that means even more when you consider Matthews has played 31 fewer games the Ovi.
That’s the great aspect of what Matthews brings to the Leafs. What isn’t so great or impressive are his assist numbers, where he ranks 80th in the NHL over four years, just behind Jake Gardiner of all people. Matthews has yet to hit the 40-assist mark in any season. By comparison, Connor McDavid has averaged 69 assists a season over the past four years.
In point scoring, Matthews is just 19th overall, 10th among centres. Among the first orders of business for coach Sheldon Keefe in his first full season with the Leafs is to find a way to expand Matthews’ game. The more playmaker he becomes, the more offence he creates, the more dangerous a centreman he will be.
PRO SPORTS SO HARD TO FIGURE OUT THESE DAYS
With the NHL, like all leagues, trying to figure out what next season will look like, the notion of having an All-Canadian division is indeed intriguing. Especially considering the array of talent and the apparent flaws in almost every Canadian franchise.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiS2h0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvdG9yb250by1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy9zaW1tb25zLXN1bmRhedIBeWh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvdG9yb250by1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy9zaW1tb25zLXN1bmRheS93Y20vNDVkYzZmNzctMTI1ZS00ZTNhLThkZGEtYmJjYzlmZTk5ZjZkL2FtcC8?oc=5
2020-10-17 22:38:57Z
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