Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews set the new franchise goal-scoring record. His recent surge quieted doubts about his future in Toronto, and it should stay that way.
The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrated superstar center Auston Matthews passing Mats Sundin as the franchise's all-time leading goal-scorer on Tuesday.
Matthews scored his 421st-career regular-season goal on Saturday, and Sundin flew to Toronto from Sweden to celebrate the milestone before the Leafs' game against the Florida Panthers.
Matthews now has 21 goals and 34 points in 36 games this season, putting him on a pace for his seventh season of at least 40 goals in 10 NHL seasons, and the only reason he didn't have at least 40 goals in all nine seasons prior to this one is that he appeared in 68 games or fewer in three seasons.
Still, after Matthews and the team stumbled through the early part of the current campaign, there was speculation about whether the Leafs and Matthews would look at a trade if they failed to improve.
However, in his last five games, Matthews has seven goals – and suddenly, there aren't any more calls for Toronto GM Brad Treliving to deal Matthews. And to be honest, we were always ready to make the argument Matthews deserves to be a Leaf for life – and this return to form only underscores that belief.
Have The Toronto Maple Leafs Finally Found Their Identity?
With Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies picking up their games in a big way, the Toronto Maple Leafs look more like what they're expected to be.
It isn't just that Matthews is far and away the Maple Leafs' most talented player that makes him so irreplaceable – although that certainly is part of his value.
Why on earth would Treliving even consider moving Matthews at a time when he's experiencing struggles with his game? You don't sell low on your best player, that's for sure.
But the more important thing to realize is that even the world's greatest goal-scorers go through tough stretches. If that weren't true, even the game's all-time greatest scorers – the Wayne Gretzkys, Brett Hulls and Alexander Ovechkins of the world – would've had 82 goals year in and year out. But of course, that's not the way the real world works, so even if Matthews has had scoring droughts every so often, you don't decide to give up on him.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Could The Maple Leafs Ever Move Auston Matthews? Are The Kings Done Dealing?
It was a matter of time until the Maple Leafs' struggles generated trade speculation about Auston Matthews. Meanwhile, the Kings might not be done in the trade market.
From our perspective, Matthews is the greatest Leaf we've ever seen in action. And for a franchise that's had superstars including Sundin, Dave Keon and many others, that's saying something. So while it may have been fun for some folks to pretend Matthews had even a remote chance of being on the trade block, we hope Matthews' current surge disabuses them of that notion.
Matthews could get beyond the 40-goal mark this season, and Toronto could still miss the playoffs for the first time since the Matthews era began. But that has everything to do with the fact hockey is a team sport and not a game in which one player can singlehandedly carry their team to glory.
So here's hoping we don't have to deal with additional trade rumors involving Matthews. Things might eventually change if and when he decides he no longer wishes to be a Maple Leaf, but that's something that's equally hard to envision, as Toronto management has done everything in its power to ensure Matthews has been treated like Blue & White royalty and that the team is competitive.
At 28, Matthews has many years of Grade-A hockey left in him. Choosing to trade him now, or at any point, really, is preposterous – and if he ever took leave of his senses and did deal Matthews, Treliving would live in infamy as the GM who gave up on a Maple Leafs icon and pretty much close Toronto's competitive window on the spot. Thus, we'll reiterate the point – Matthews deserves to be a Leaf for life, and no minor slump here or there for the team or player should convince anyone otherwise.
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