The Maple Leafs are much better without Auston Matthews

Dose
Crédit: TORONTO, ON - APRIL 13: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his 69th goal of the season with his team mates during the second period of the NHL regular season game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 13, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In the last playoffs, the Maple Leafs were again eliminated in the first round. Rumors of some sort of core reshuffle raged, but the only thing that changed was the head coach.

Many were hoping for the departure of playoff-bound Mitch Marner. Others thought that William Nylander could have made an excellent return in a trade.

Few pointed the finger at Auston Matthews, except that playing without Matthews could be the solution for the Maple Leafs.

The Leafs’ captain has been out of the lineup since the November 3 game, hampered by an upper-body injury. Toronto has played seven games since his absence.

The Maple Leafs have won six of those seven games.

That’s pretty crazy, considering Toronto had won so many games in their first 13 games of the season with Matthews in the lineup.

But this is not a new trend in Toronto. Here’s the Maple Leafs’ record without Matthews versus with Matthews, since the start of his career.

(Credit: Stat Muse)
(Credit: Stat Muse)

When you do the math, you realize that the Maple Leafs have a .640 win rate when he’s not playing, versus a .568 rate when he is.

That’s pretty crazy, considering we’re talking about a player who approached the 70-goal plateau last season and is almost always among the contenders for the Maurice-Richard Trophy.

The Leafs’ solution to playoff success could be to get rid of Matthews. He could also bring a huge return in a trade to help the team become more balanced.

Matthews’ absence also benefits Marner’s record. The latter has 76 points in 61 NHL games when Matthews isn’t playing.

According to the latest news from Dave McCarthy of NHL.com, Matthews could be back in uniform as early as next week. The Maple Leafs will have to prove that their captain isn’t a burden to them.

Overtime

– Datsyuk officially retires as a member of the Red Wings.

– Very interesting!

– The final touch on Ohtani’s dream season.

– Landeskog is still no closer to a return to action.