Auston Matthews Will Surpass Maple Leafs Legend En Route to Major Goal Scoring Milestone Next Season

As the Toronto Maple Leafs gear up for a new season, and their first without superstar Mitch Marner, the team's offensive strategy will need to evolve.

With Marner's absence leaving a significant gap in both scoring and playmaking, the Leafs must adopt a different approach, starting from the top.

That begins with captain Auston Matthews, who will be counted on not just for his impressive and growing leadership as captain, but for his elite goal-scoring prowess. He's long been one of the most prolific scorers in the league, and the numbers back it up.

Matthews currently ranks 110th in NHL history with 401 goals in just 629 games. For perspective, Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl ranks just below him at 111th all-time with 399 goals -- but in 790 games, 161 more than Matthews.

Now, Matthews is closing in on the top 100 all-time goal scorers. He's just 12 goals behind former Leafs susper star Phil Kessel, who sits at 413 goals in 1,286 games.

He's also nearing a historic franchise milestone, as Matthews is only 19 goals shy of passing Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin (420 goals) for the most goals in team history.

Last season was a frustrating one for Matthews, who battled through injuries and never seemed to be at full strength. He still managed to score 33 goals in 67 games -- a great goal total for most players, but below expectations for a two-time 60-goal scorer. A healthy return to form is expected.

With Marner's production missing from the lineup, Matthews will need to be at his best. The Leafs are likely to adopt a more balanced offensive approach this season, spreading the scoring responsibilities across the roster. But make no mistake -- Matthews will need be the driving force behind it all.