Auston Matthews has become one of the league’s elite players and recently received a very important nod from the NHL Network.
Matthews is widely regarded as one of the elite of the elite in the NHL, and for good reason. Last season, his performance cemented his status as a top talent, as he led the league with 69 goals and accumulated 107 points.
Matthews received several award nominations and secured his sixth individual trophy in just eight NHL seasons, capturing the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer. Additionally, Matthews took on a new leadership role this summer, being named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, succeeding John Tavares in one of the most heartwarming captaincy torch passing ceremonies ever witnessed.
Following his impressive performance, Matthews saw a notable rise in the NHL Network’s “Top 20 Centers Right Now” list. This year, Matthews climbed from fourth to third place, surpassing Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers.
The only two players ahead of Matthews are, deservingly, Canadian superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.
MacKinnon, who ranked second, had an outstanding season, capturing his first Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player and his first Ted Lindsay Award, voted on by the players, as the most outstanding player. MacKinnon achieved a career-high 140 points last season.
Connor McDavid, unsurprisingly, topped the rankings once again. McDavid is not only the top center in the league but also the best player overall. His speed, skill, and hockey IQ are unparalleled. Despite a somewhat down year by his standards with 132 points, McDavid came close to winning his first Stanley Cup. The Edmonton Oilers were defeated in Game 7 of the Finals by the Florida Panthers. McDavid also earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ MVP, even though his team did not win the Cup.
The important thing to note here is that Matthews is closing the gap on some of the league’s elite players. He’s younger than both McDavid and MacKinnon, and so there’s still a legitimate possibility that he will be able to find another level in his game, which would be a whole new level of exciting for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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Source: USA Today
