Auston Matthews came close to a historic milestone, falling just shy of becoming the first player in 31 years to score 70 goals, concluding the 2023-24 season with an impressive total of 69 goals.
Nonetheless, the American forward clinched his third Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer, adding to his previous wins in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Among active players, only Alex Ovechkin surpasses him with nine victories.
Throughout NHL history, only eight players have surpassed the 70-goal mark, including legends like Phil Esposito, Wayne Gretzky, and Mario Lemieux. Matthews, at 26, has already achieved the greatest goal-scoring season of the 21st century, surpassing Alex Ovechkin’s 65-goal record set in 2007-08.
Currently in his eighth NHL season, Matthews boasts 368 career goals, ranking third on the Maple Leafs’ all-time goal list, trailing behind Darryl Sittler by 21 goals and Mats Sundin by 52.
In a recent milestone, Matthews became the first player since Teemu Selanne with the Winnipeg Jets in 1992-93 to score 50 even-strength goals in a season.
As the regular season concludes, the Maple Leafs finished with a 46-26-10 record, accumulating 102 points. They are poised to face the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, scheduled to commence on April 20. Last season, the Maple Leafs secured their first playoff series victory since 2004, defeating the Lightning but ultimately losing to the Panthers in the second round.
Turning to the NHL draft lottery, the San Jose Sharks clinched the lowest position in the league for the 2023-24 season, granting them the highest odds of acquiring top prospect Macklin Celebrini. With the potential to be a franchise-altering selection, Celebrini, a standout from Boston University, recently made history as the first 17-year-old to win the Hobey Baker Award in NCAA history.
The draft lottery system allows teams to win the top pick twice within a five-year period, with the team holding the lowest odds securing the coveted selection. In past years, the lottery has seen both favorites and unexpected contenders clinch the top spot, showcasing the unpredictability of the process.