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Article content
We wouldn’t fault Auston Matthews if he wanted to postpone the Maple Leafs’ Christmas break.
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Then again, the three days off between games might be giving the Leafs superstar centre a chance to simply rest and reload.
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When the Leafs and Ottawa Senators meet at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night, Matthews will seek to continue a hot streak that is eye-popping even for a player who has regularly filled the net since his first National Hockey League game in 2016-17.
Fourteen goals in his past nine games brought Matthews to 28 in his first 30 games, a run that puts him in line to zoom past his personal best of 60 in 2021-22. Two years ago, Matthews had 22 goals in his first 30 games. Matthews, who has missed one game because he was sick, is on pace for 76 goals.
Matthews’ shooting percentage right now is a career-high 21.4%. In his 60-goal season, it was 17.2%.
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No NHL player has scored 70 goals since 1992-93. Teemu Selanne set an NHL rookie record when he scored 76 for the Winnipeg Jets, a total that was equalled that season by Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres.
Only 14 times in NHL history has a player hit the 70-goal mark in a single season. Wayne Gretzky did it four times, Brett Hull three.
And as for that first NHL game, of course, we all remember Matthews’ four-goal night in Ottawa in October 2016. In 30 games against the Senators since that game, Matthews has 19 goals.
Considering the regularity in which he has been filling the net recently, an uptick in his totals against Ottawa should be expected.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
RIELLY ‘UNDERRATED’
Not only has Morgan Rielly been the one constant on the Leafs blue line — he’s the only Toronto defenceman to skate in every game so far this season — the 29-year-old largely has continued his strong play from the 2023 post-season.
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Rielly usually deflects to talking about the success of the team as a whole when he is asked about his own play, but his teammates gladly will say what the presence of Rielly means to the group.
“He’s so underrated and doesn’t get enough credit around the league, even playing in the market here,” Leafs captain John Tavares said. “I’ve never seen someone so unselfish, a tremendous teammate, a leader, continues to be so stable and impacts the game in so many ways. We’re lucky to have him.”
Rielly has led the Leafs in ice time in each of the past five seasons, and at 24 minutes 32 seconds a game in 2023-24, is doing so again.
“When you have your horse out there that can really lead the way, you know he’s going to bring a lot at both ends,” Tavares said. “I know he is very driven to feel that he wants to continue to elevate his game.
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“It’s a credit to him how he continues to push to lead the group back there.”
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PENALTY-FREE ZONE
Matthews and Rielly are giving each other an early run for the Lady Byng Trophy.
Only three NHL players — Matthews, Rielly and forward Jake Neighbours of the St. Louis Blues — have played in at least 30 games this season and not been assessed one penalty. Neighbours has played in 33 games, Rielly in 31 and Matthews in 30.
It’s in total minutes played where a more complete story is told. Rielly has played 760 minutes 46 seconds; Matthews 638 minutes 22 seconds; and Neighbours 480 minutes 53 seconds.
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What makes the lack of trips to the box impressive on the part of Matthews is the way he strips the puck. He’s seventh in the NHL with 32 takeaways and not once has he been called for a hook or a slash, penalties that might come when a player is getting his stick in the hands of an opposing player. Matthews has been able to do it cleanly every time.
Matthews’ ability to avoid taking penalties has been one of the many hallmarks of his game since his first NHL shift. His career high is 20 penalty minutes last season, and his career low is eight in 2019-20.
Rielly’s career high is 40 in 2021-22, the only season of his previous 10 in the NHL that he had more than 28. His low is 12, in 2013-14.
LOOSE LEAFS
Kudos to Fraser Minten on being named captain of Canada at the world junior championship. The leadership qualities don’t come as a surprise to Leafs brass nor his teammates in Toronto as the season began, and the captaincy on such a stage is another indication of the player that one day soon will take a regular shift with the Leafs. Minten is the first Leafs prospect to wear the captain’s C for Canada at the world junior since 1985, when Dan Hodgson had the honours. A fifth-round pick by the Leafs in 1983, Hodgson’s time with Toronto was short, spanning 40 games during the 1985-86 season before he was traded to Vancouver … The Leafs’ seven goals by defencemen (Rielly with four, and Jake McCabe, Mark Giordano and Conor Timmins with one each) are third-fewest in the NHL. Only the Chicago Blackhawks (five) and Washington Capitals (four) have fewer from their D-men. The Colorado Avalanche defencemen have scored 27 goals, the most in the NHL … The Toronto Marlies are back in action on Boxing Day afternoon for one of their rare games at Scotiabank Arena, facing off against the Belleville Senators at 2 p.m.
tkoshan@postmedia.com
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