Auston Matthews Surpasses Darryl Sittler as Toronto Maple Leafs' Second-Leading Goal Scorer

Image credits: © Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

Auston Matthews continues to make his mark on the Toronto Maple Leafs' history books, recently surpassing Darryl Sittler as the franchise's second-leading goal scorer with his 390th career tally. This achievement was made possible with a goal in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins, allowing Matthews to surpass Sittler in 237 fewer games than the Hall of Famer. The current Maple Leafs captain now sits behind Mats Sundin, who had 420 goals in 981 games with the Maple Leafs, and at 27 years old, Matthews is just 30 goals away from taking the top spot.

Matthews has been one of the NHL's best goal scorers of the 21st century, winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy three times in the last four years. His 69 goals in 2023-24 were the most goals by any player since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in 1995-96. Now in his ninth NHL season, Matthews has 390 goals and 309 assists for 699 points in 607 career regular-season games. His impressive performance has earned him a place in the same sentence as legendary players like Darryl Sittler, and he is well on his way to becoming the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently second in the Atlantic Division with a 37-20-2 record and 76 points. Matthews' achievement is not the only significant milestone reached by the team recently, as Mitch Marner also passed George Armstrong for sole possession of fifth on the Maple Leafs' all-time point list with 714 points. Marner now has a team-leading 75 points through 18 goals and 57 assists, and he continues to be an essential part of the team's offensive strategy. William Nylander also scored in overtime to claim sole possession of 10th place on the franchise's goals list with 252 goals.

Here is the current list of the Toronto Maple Leafs' all-time leading goal scorers:

• Mats Sundin: 420 goals
• Auston Matthews: 390 goals
• Darryl Sittler: 389 goals

Matthews' impressive career statistics include 390 goals and 309 assists for 699 points in 607 career regular-season games. He has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy three times in the last four years and became the first Maple Leafs skater to hit the 60-goal milestone in a single season back in 2021-22. With his consistent performance and dedication to the sport, Matthews is likely to continue making history and breaking records in the world of hockey.

As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to compete in the Atlantic Division, fans can expect to see more exciting performances from Auston Matthews and the rest of the team. With their current record and impressive player statistics, the Maple Leafs are a force to be reckoned with in the NHL. As Matthews closes in on Mats Sundin's record, fans will be eagerly watching to see if he can take the top spot and become the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer.

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