gold star for USAHOF

15. Auston Matthews

15. Auston Matthews

In 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs chose Auston Matthews with the number one pick, the Californian-born hockey player who became an ice-sport superstar.  He was hyped to be great, and the Maple Leafs fans loved him immediately.

In the Center's first game, he scored four Goals, an unprecedented debut in the NHL.  Matthews won the Calder that year on a 40-Goal year, and he was first in Even Strength Goals (32).  To date, he has been a three-time All-Star and has never had a year where he lit the lamp less than 34 times.   Matthews had 47 Goals in 2019-20 and 41 in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign, which won him the Rocket Richard Trophy.  That was good but the American had another trick up his sleeve.

From the outset of the 2021-22 campaign, Matthews was lighting the lamp often and he broke Toronto's single-season record for Goals, netting 61 (with 106 Points in total), which also led the NHL.  Matthews was awarded the Hart Trophy for his work, as well as a second Rocket Richard, and his peers voted him as the MVP with the Lester B. Pearson Award.  Matthews was not as good last year, but was still at a superstar level with 85 Points.

As of this writing, Matthews is entering his ninth season and has been their star since his debut.  Stanley Cups will be the only way to enter the stratosphere of this list, but we aren't counting him out.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Center
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 1st Overall in the NHL Draft 6/24/16.
  • Games Played: 481
  • Notable Statistics:

    299 Goals
    243 Assists 
    542 Points 
    94 PIM 
    1.13 PPG 
    +109 Plus/Minus
    71.8 Point Shares 

    50 Playoff Games
    22 Goals
    22 Assists 
    44 Points 
    9 PIM 
    0.88 PPG 
    0 Plus/Minus

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Hart Trophy (2022)
    Ted Lindsey Award (2022)
    Calder Trophy (2017)
    Maurice Richard Trophy (2021 & 2022)
    First Team All-Star (2022)
    Second Team All-Star (2021)
    All-Star (2017, 2018, 2019 & 2022)
    All-Rookie (2017)
    Most Goals (2020-21 & 2021-22)
    Most Even Strength Goals (2016-17, 2019-20, 2020-21 & 2021-22)
    Most Game-Winning Goals (2020-21 & 2021-22)
    Most Shots (2020-21 & 2021-22)
    Most Goals per Game (2020-21 & 2021-22)
    Most Offensive Point Shares (2021-22)

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