Leafs Return to Playoffs and Auston Matthews Can't Stop Scoring

For the sixth straight season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, becoming the fifth team to lock in a spot, and the first Canadian club to do so this season. The last part means that the pressure is on for a Canadian club to win a Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, but that's another story. The central focus is this team's goals; of course, the main one is the Stanley Cup, but they have to do something they haven't done in 18 years: win a playoff series.

The 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators; that was the last playoff series victory for the Leafs. Since being ousted that year by the Philadelphia Flyers, the Leafs had a playoff drought that ended in the shortened 2012-13 season, and we saw how that ended. Game Seven, Leafs up 4-2 very late, but the Boston Bruins tie it, force OT, and Patrice Bergeron ends it. The playoff streak began with an unexpected appearance in 2017, and though they were ousted by the Washington Capitals, it seemed like expectations returned to the Leafs, and good things would come from them.

What would happen in the next four years? Lost to Boston in due to a blown Game Seven lead (2018), lost to Boston in Game Seven after failing to seal it at home in Game Six (2019), lost the Qualifying Round to the Columbus Blue Jackets by being shutout in Game Five (2020), and led 3-1 over the Montréal Canadiens only to lose Games Five and Six in OT and pull a disappearing act in Game Seven (2021). Many often wonder why the Leafs fanbase is immensely pessimistic no matter how well the team does. I just told you why.

There are several factors to the Leafs' stellar campaign, which has seen them reach the 100-point mark. There are many talented players who contributed, but there's one I really want to talk about: Auston Taylour Matthews.

Earlier in the season, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning said that Auston Matthews could score 60 goals this season. After seeing how quickly he got to 50, I said several times, "Matthews is scoring 70." Leafs fans are immensely thankful that Auston Matthews is on their team. I, an Avalanche fan, am very thankful that I had the good common sense to draft Matthews on one of my fantasy teams. Matthews is superhuman. It was on April 7 that Matthews set the new franchise record for goals in a season, and his skates are still set on overdrive; he added two more in less than 30 seconds in the playoff clinching win over the Canadiens.

Matthews has 58 goals this season, so he definitely has a good chance to put up 70. In his career, Matthews has 257 goals in six seasons, which is nearly 43 goals per season. This leads me to my next prediction: Auston Matthews will break the career goals record, whatever that number is. He's not even 25, yet he has 257 goals. Remember: hockey players have long careers, meaning Matthews has about 13-15 years left. He will, at least, join that short list of players who have 800 career goals; a list that includes Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe, and next season, Alex Ovechkin will join that list. We could be on the cusp of watching an absolutely NHL career.

But back to the Leafs as a whole. The Leafs currently sit at 2nd place in the Atlantic Division. That position means home ice advantage in Round 1. The Leafs haven't had true home ice advantage in a playoff series since the 2004 win over the Senators; yes, the Leafs had home ice in 2021, but that series had no fans in attendance for the most part due to COVID protocols. The Leafs could possibly face either the Bruins or the back-to-back defending champion Lightning in the Atlantic Semifinals. A series would against either of those teams would be epic. If they beat Boston, it would exorcise a nine-year-old demon. If they beat Tampa, they will have ousted an absolute juggernaut. With the way this season has been going, the Leafs better win a series, because another opening round defeat would cause so much ruin. It would ruin Matthews' stellar season, it would put coach Sheldon Keefe's job in jeopardy, and most of all, it would likely lead to general manager Kyle Dubas being fired.

If you like this story, click the heart, and click subscribe for more of my stories! Tips and pledges would be greatly appreciated, but only if you want to do so!