The Toronto Maple Leafs offense hasn’t been quite as explosive as years past through the first few games, with just seven goals for through three contests. That could change pretty quickly as Auston Matthews is expected to play tomorrow night against the New York Rangers.
It will be the first time the Maple Leafs play a non-Canadian team in more than a year, a perfect time for their superstar center to return. Matthews missed the first three games as he recovered from offseason wrist surgery, but is now back to full health and ready to go.
Matthews, the reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner, has 199 goals through his first 334 games in the NHL and led the league with 12 game-winning tallies in 2020-21. He has also now registered more than a point-per-game in each of the last four seasons, though his assist total fell to just 25, a career-low, in 52 games last season.