The Toronto Maple Leafs have Wednesday off before hosting the St.Louis Blues on Thursday night.
They beat the Stars last night (3-1) despite playing a terrible game. Here’s your news and notes for this off-day.
Auston Matthews
According to last night’s broadcast, when the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie sensation Auston Matthews scored his 25th goal of the season, he became the first Leafs rookie to do so since Sergei Berezin in 1996.
It took Berezin 73 games. Matthews did it in 52.
Berezin is a forgotten hero – the Leafs weren’t exactly great during his tenure, but he did score 37 goals in 1998. He also scored 20 goals in all but one year he played for the Leafs. The year he didn’t he would have if not for injury.
Weirdly, he was unsuccessful, mostly, after leaving Toronto. He played briefly with Phoenix, Montreal, Washington and Chicago before retiring in 2002-03. All this info is from hockey DB.
Also Matthews
Per @EliasSports: Auston Matthews is second @MapleLeafs rookie to score six GWGs in a season, joining Howie Meeker (8) in 1946-47. #DALvsTOR pic.twitter.com/TioD5hZcoJ
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 8, 2017
That is pretty cool. I figure GWG are probably a bit of a fluky stat, but six winners is still pretty sweet. He’s no Todd Gill, but I think Matthews might just be alright.
Standings
With the win last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved into a tie with the Senators with 60 points. The Senators have played one less game, but the Leafs have more regulation wins.
Also, the Leafs are the way better team.
That being said, I think we miss Phaneuf. I know the Leafs needed out of his contract and that there was probably some psychological benefits from moving on from the ex-captain, but as a fan, I miss the huge hits and exciting play from Dion.
He remains one of my favorite players in the Leafs history.
Also, don’t look now, but the Leafs, were they to win their three games in hand on the Canadiens, would just be two points back.
Playoffs
NHL power rankings, point projections, and playoff chances pic.twitter.com/C2uCPvWXkB
— dom ???? (@omgitsdomi) February 8, 2017
First of all, if you only follow one person on twitter, make it Dom. Second, that chart is an attempt to look beyond win/loss records, account for luck, and rate the teams on how their record SHOULD be, if things were fair and just (which they are not).
Interesting to note that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the tenth best team in the NHL, according to this model. They have a 73% chance of making the Playoffs and are a better team than both Montreal and Ottawa (told you).
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