Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 predictions for the 2018-19 season
Auston Matthews scores 50 goals
The last time a Leaf scored 50 in a season it was Dave Andreychuk during the 1993-94 season. It has been a tough milestone for the Leafs in their history considering only three players have achieved that mark with the Blue and White.
Rick Vaive and Gary Leeman were the only other players to have 50 goal seasons with the Leafs but Matthews could make a good case to do it this season.
Over the summer, he worked with player development consultant Darryl Belfry to work on his shot by changing it up so that it would be harder for goalies and opposing defenders to identify.
Was going to post this tomorrow in podcast form but @belfryhockey was so good and insightful, especially on the lengths Auston Matthews goes to improve, that I made it a Q & A and posted immediately. Here you go (full audio at the bottom): https://t.co/VYWRSYFIye pic.twitter.com/ww5DjA9APH
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) September 25, 2018
This is what makes Matthews the player he is because while he has one of the more lethal shots in the league, he didn’t have to do a big overhaul but just the small details should make a difference.
With no William Nylander on his line, Matthews could try to take it upon himself to get off on the right foot and it should help to have Patrick Marleau playing on his line.