Auston Matthews is in just his 6th NHL season and it is not an overstatement to call him one of the best goal scorers on the planet. Matthews has 224 career goals in 367 career NHL games, which currently has him setting just 6 goals away from another Leafs milestone. With his next 6 goals, the Scottsdale, AZ native will be entering the top-10 in goalscoring in franchise history.
Ted "Teeder" Kennedy is the owner of the 10th spot on the Leafs' all-time goalscoring list with 231 goals and the 24-year-old Matthews is nipping at his heels. The franchise centerman is enjoying quite the hot streak and is also on the verge of setting his own franchise record, for consecutive goals in road games. If Matthews records a goal against the Rangers on Wednesday, he'll have it.
Matthews has a good chance at jumping more than one spot on the all-time goalscoring list this season, also leapfrogging Bob Pulford (251), if he can surpass that elusive 50-goal plateau. He is currently scoring at the 60 goal pace. If he scores at the same pace for the remainder of the year, he would end the year one goal away from 8th all time, which is currently held by Wendel Clark (260).
Don't look now, Mats Sundin.. Auston is coming for your franchise goalscoring record. The funniest thing about that is that Matthews (if he plays at the level that we know he can) could eclipse Sundin's 420 goals over the course of the next 3 seasons, provided he re-ups in Toronto.
We truly are witnessing greatness in Auston Matthews. As long as playoff success comes along with the individual success he has had, he won't only be chasing goalscoring history, but also history as potentially the greatest Leaf ever.
