Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has only three games left to hit a new record that only eight other NHL legends have achieved before.
The centre is on the verge of being the ninth player in NHL history to hit the 70-goal mark in a season with only two goals left, and he has three games to do so.
The 26-year-old scored two goals in yesterday’s 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
Toronto’s final home game is on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, and two road games are to follow against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning to end off the season.
There have been 14 70-goal seasons in league history, with four of them belonging to Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull having three and two for Mario Lemieux, according to TSN.
“I think there’s no question about it, we are seeing something truly special, so just appreciate it every night and, as a team, we want to do a good job with our game as a whole to maximize when you have a player like that who can put the puck in the net as frequently as he can,” Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares told reporters after Thursday’s game.
In addition to the looming record, Matthews has already scored the most goals in any Maple Leafs season since Lemieux posted 69 in 1995-96, TSN reports.
Hockey fans online are buzzing with Auston Matthews fever.
“Auston Matthews is one of the greatest generational talents in the league right now he’s on pace to set a record in leafs history that may never be broken,” one X user said.
I’m not saying anything on how the future will unfold because no one ever knows, but Auston Matthews is already 41% of the way to Gretzky’s goal record. He’s 26,” another X user said.
“Best goalscorer of all time,” another user chimed in.
The Leafs are facing the Red Wings Saturday at Scotiabank Arena at 7 p.m.
