Will Matthews hit 70 goals in a season in his career?

[Menzinger]

He's good enough to come close and anything can happen in that instance.

 

[Leafsfan74]

In 2019-20 when Matthews played against the full NHL he scored 47 goals in 70 games = 55 goal pace.

Against the 6 Canadian teams only he is on pace for 67 goals in 82 games. This is a 1 year only unique situation and not the standard this prediction should be based on.

When we return to normalcy next year and AM plays against the full NHL again his goal production pace would be expected to go DOWN and not UP as the QofC increases. IMO

Yes, in theory. Except it doesn't take into consideration his own improvement, which was noticeable to me, nor the improvement of the team.

A deeper team creates challenges for the opposition. Does the opposition save their best D pairing for only his line or does the situation (close game, late game situation, other hot line that they need to defend against) dictate the best pairings are out against another line from time to time?

This is what makes McDavids numbers so impressive. Oilers aren't as deep.

Right now Leafs are getting balanced contributions. If it continues, other teams are going to have major playoff headaches.

Matthews is as fast a shooter as I have seen. He also hit the most posts this year, half of those go in and we are talking historic numbers.

 

[Mugzy97]

I don't need it explained to me, Binky. I understand how "peak years" works. And I agree that Matthews is just entering his, and the next 4-5 seasons should be great.

But that STILL doesn't mean we should expect 70 goals from him.

Who’s expecting 70?

 

[Doublerum1975]

Nope hopefully yes please prove me wrong pretty please with a cherry on top!

 

[Leafsfan74]

Who’s expecting 70?

Yeah, expect is a strong word. Nobody expected Selanne to get 76 in his rookie year. I wouldn't expect 70 from anyone.

I remember Selannes rookie card blowing up (what a waste of an investment hah) he never came close to that again. Though he did eventually get his Cup.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Players with 70 or more in a season

Gretzky 92,87,73,71
Hull 86,72,70
Lemieux 85,70
Mogilny 76
Esposito 76
Selanne 76
Kurri 71
Nicholls 70
Matthews ???

 

[Le Cobra]

let the man reach 50 first before we even talk about this.

 

[hockeyes]

I could see him hitting 70 IF the Leafs created a (successful) powerplay around him getting shots like Washington with Ovechkin or like Tampa has done with Stamkos/Kuch. He is pacing 65 goals as is, so getting an extra 10 on the power play over a season could push him above 70.

 

[nuck]

Maybe. I guess I tend to look at this season as a potential one-off. McDavid's current ppg is the best since Mario and Wayne were young and strong yet he couldn't outscore Draisaitl last year and wasn't a whole lot better the year before. CM is the greatest offensive force of the 2000s but this is like an expansion year where some feast and others somehow starve. He is for real but he likely isn't 2ppg for real.

These are easily the two best players in the league IMO but as to their peak production, we need to see a full season from both in a normal year. 70 goals takes us all the way back to the run and gun seasons of the early 90s. Remember Ovi's peak scoring season was age 22 and he never came close to that again. AM is already 23 and this is not a porous league. Multiple Rocket Richard trophies sure, but the modern game probably doesn't allow 70 goals. There needs to be some more expansions and loosening of the rules. I don't think Brett Hull scores near 70 today, even beside a prime Adam Oates who was comparable to Gretzky and Lemieux as a playmaker.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Highly doubt it. A lot has to go right for that to happen. Even 60 would be tough, but doable.

 

[cesareborgia]

He should go for the elusive 82 in 82

 

[MSZ]

Yeah, expect is a strong word. Nobody expected Selanne to get 76 in his rookie year. I wouldn't expect 70 from anyone.

I remember Selannes rookie card blowing up (what a waste of an investment hah) he never came close to that again. Though he did eventually get his Cup.

Still a special player in my book. He had a 80 pt season when he was 40 years old, and 66 pts in his next season.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Queue the 70 or bust thread on the main board

 

[Toronto makebeleifs]

There are, I believe, 4 players EVER that have scored 70 in a season. It is insanely difficult to achieve. 60 range is doable, but the number of things to go right to hit 70 in todays game makes it (almost) undoable. To be wrong on this would be a thing of beauty though.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Who’s expecting 70?

LOL. You thread title is "Will Matthews hit 70 goals in a season in his career".

Then you followed that up with comments like "Matthews has the consistency to his game to do it." and "You'd have to think a 70 goal season would require the same consistency and no missed games or cold streaks."

So..............YOU.

 

[Griffin76]

I'll say 62-65 I think he could reach 70 if he plays 82 games but he'll probably miss 5-10 games every season.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

I think it's definitely possible... but still not likely. Hasn't happened in 30 years. Would be pretty nuts.

 

[Morbo]

yeah I think it actually is within the realm of the possible, only because Matthews is the top goalscorer in the league.

but is it likely? probably not, that is a huge ask.

 

[Leafsfan74]

There are, I believe, 4 players EVER that have scored 70 in a season. It is insanely difficult to achieve. 60 range is doable, but the number of things to go right to hit 70 in todays game makes it (almost) undoable. To be wrong on this would be a thing of beauty though.

Without question. A few hit posts deflect in instead if wide. Two goal games become hat tricks, additional team PPs, a couple of empty net goals.

All can make a big difference in total goals.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

70 is pretty unrealistic.

A lot has to go right over the course of an 82-game season including an increase in his minutes. Just the grind of those games without breaks can do a number on your body.

I do think he's a legitimate threat for 55-60 every season in his prime though.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

He is the best goal scorer in the league. Better than current form Ovi. There, I said it.



Health is his biggest challenge.

 

[Madap]

It’s so hard to say. I do think there is some truth to this season being an anomaly in terms of goal scoring (and a short season), but at the same time, Matthews has dealt with an injury, has zero empty netters and our pp is underperforming.

Overall I think all of that cancels out and he’ll be what he is now. 65 goals or so will be his best. Not quite 70.

 

[Mess]

Since 2000 or the last 2 decades there have on been 2 players that reached 60 goals and that was Stamkos with 60 in 2011-12 and Ov with 65 in 2007-08.

70 goals in 82 games in the modern era not very likely by anyone.

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

I dont know where it is or how to find it but there was an article written a year or two ago with a bunch of advanced stats in it. In this article it outlined Matthews advanced goal scoring stats showing that his goal production is actually below his advanced expected goal production. The article stated that Matthews should be scoring north of 70, even 80 goals a year.

 

[socko]