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Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 genuine contenders for end of season awards

By Paul Taylor

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 26: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates setting up teammate Igor Ozhiganov #92 for his 1st NHL goal against the Boston Bruins at Scotiabank Arena on November 26, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 26: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates setting up teammate Igor Ozhiganov #92 for his 1st NHL goal against the Boston Bruins at Scotiabank Arena on November 26, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
DALLAS, TX – OCTOBER 09: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center on October 9, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

3) Auston Matthews

Contender for: Hart Memorial Trophy

Previous Leafs winners:

As crazy as this may sound, you can claim that Auston Matthews is the least likely of our four contenders, to win the award he is challenging for. However, before you accuse us of offering a hot take, or trolling, etc, it is for a genuine reason; his health.

To be clear, we’re not agreeing with the claims that Matthews is injury-prone per se. By the same token, you have to at least consider this aspect, given last season and the fact he has already missed 14 of 29 games this season.

However, going on the assumption the 21-year-old doesn’t miss much more playing time in 2018-19, he is definitely a contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy. Some people will make a case for John Tavares instead — and that’s entirely understandable — but Matthews is the one taking his game to a higher stratosphere.

Yes, the Leafs continued to win without their young superstar centre on the team, but you can just see the difference when he’s on the ice. He does things that no one else is capable of — with the exception of Connor McDavid — and puts genuine fear into opposing players; the guy can beat you in so many ways, both mentally and physically.

Given Matthews’ scintillating play up to this point, it is truly regrettable he did get injured. A full season would have had him in with an excellent chance of winning the Art Ross Trophy, as well as breaking the Leafs’ single season points record of 127 (held by Doug Gilmour).

Instead — again assuming he doesn’t miss any more significant playing time — Matthews will have to “settle” for contending for the Hart Memorial Trophy. Regardless of the subjective nature of determining what makes a Most Valuable Player, he is in the running.

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