Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) scores while being defended by Philadelphia Flyers … [+] defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Toronto. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)
Associated press
NHL Stanley Cup Contenders Maple Leafs And Golden Knights Face Off In Vegas
Two leading Stanley Cup contenders face off Thursday night in Las Vegas when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights meet for the first time this season. It’s Canada’s hockey hotbed and recent NHL All-Star Game host vs. the Stanley Cup champions in the Entertainment Capital of the World. The teams will play again in Toronto on Feb. 27.
Toronto (31-16-8) has 70 points for fifth best in the Eastern Conference. The Maple Leafs lead the East in scoring with 203 goals led by the NHL’s top goal scorer, Auston Matthews. The American superstar out of Scottsdale picked up his league-high 50th and 51st goals Wednesday night at Arizona in the Maple Leafs 6-3 win over the Coyotes.
Vegas (32-18-6) has lost 3-straight home games with their top goaltender in net. The Golden Knights 70 points are fifth best in the Western Conference. Goalie Adin Hill was having an All-Star season before going down with a lower body injury in late November. He returned Jan. 23 and won his first four starts before losing the last three at home.
Feb. 22 NHL odds: Toronto (+102) at Vegas (-122). Total goals: 6.5.
Odds from FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
Auston Matthews Is Authoring One Of The Greatest Seasons Ever
Matthews is playing his eighth season after being selected No. 1 overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016. He has nine goals in his last four games including a pair of hat tricks (six this season). Along with being a leading Hart Trophy (MVP) candidate, the 26-year-old is also a legitimate Selke Trophy contender (top defensive forward). Matthews MVP odds on FanDuel Sportsbook dipped from +410 to +330 following two more goals Wed. night at Arizona
But his goal scoring this season, adjusted for the context of the era in which he plays – exceeds, among others, Wayne Gretzky (EDM), Mario Lemieux (PIT) and Mike Bossy (NYI). Seven players in NHL history have scored at least 50 goals in their teams first 50 games including Maurice Richard (MON,1944-45), Bossy (1980-81), Lemieux (1988-89), Brett Hull (STL) twice 1990-92 and Gretzky three times 1981-85 hitting 61 goals in 50 games twice including 50 in 39 games in 1981-82.
Four other players scored 50 goals in their first 50 games, but outside of their team’s first 50 games. That included Cam Neely (BOS, 1993-94), Alexander Mogilny (BUF, 1992-93) and Jari Kurri (1984-85) the same season his teammate Gretzky did it a third time. Mario Lemieux also did it twice while averaging a remarkable .754 goals per game over his career. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky scored a NHL record 92 goals in 1981-82 and scored at a .601 clip over his entire career, a half-goal per game average less than Matthews is at in 2024.
My Canadian colleague Sherwood updates game insight and also notes that Matthews is now the fastest 50-goal scorer in the NHL in 28 years, and the fastest American-born player to hit that prestigious plateau.
What to know about Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews
Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore returned last game vs. Nashville after missing 35 games since suffering a lower-body injury Nov. 22. His leadership and 19 points in 21 games provides more offensive upside for a team that has cooled down considerably since a record start of 11-1-1 this season after winning the Stanley Cup.
But Vegas captain Mark Stone left the Nashville game ahead of the third period with an upper body injury. He’ll miss the game versus the Maple Leafs along with All-Star Jack Eichel, who has been out since Jan. 11 and is week-to-week following a lower body surgery. Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Stone is “going to be out of our lineup for a while,” on a Wednesday podcast, and Eichel is “not far off” from rejoining the lineup.
How Las Vegas Became Sports Town , USA
When the 2023-24 season started, the Golden Knights (+1000) and Maple Leafs (+1100) were two of the top-5 teams to win the Stanley Cup. Now Vegas and Toronto are both +1400 at FanDuel Sportsbook with nine teams sporting lower odds to win the Cup with Florida (+800), Colorado (+850) and Edmonton (+850) the current favorites followed by Dallas, Boston and Carolina at +1000. The New York Rangers (+1100), Winnipeg (+1300) and Western Conference leader Vancouver (+1300) are also leading contenders.
The Maple Leafs took out the previous Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in last year’s opening round playoffs. But Toronto was then stunned by the Florida Panthers, losing in 5-games including four as a sizeable favorite. The Golden Knights went on to beat the Panthers in 5-games to win the Stanley Cup.
Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff Push
It’s been 57 years since the Maple Leafs last went to the Stanley Cup Finals. They won it that year in 1967. While parts of their roster is aging, they appear to be aggressive buyers ahead of the March 8 trade deadline with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and William Nylander in their primes. Rielly is the Leafs top defenseman and his 43 points is top-1o in the NHL. Matthews leads the NHL with 51 goals and could shatter his best 60 goal season. Rielly returns to the lineup in Vegas after serving a five game suspension for cross checking. The lineup is top-heavy, and the Maple Leafs could use some depth and defense at the trade deadline.
Not only are the Toronto Maple Leafs the most valuable team in the National Hockey League ($2.8 billion), but Toronto’s road games are often filled with visiting Maple Leafs fans, to an extent unlike any other team generates. You saw it in the highlights of the Arizona game, and it should be a special night Feb. 22 when Maple Leafs fans rally (and bet) at ParkMGM and Toshiba Plaza before entering T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip to support their team and watch another scoring performance from Auston Matthews.
Vegas Golden Knights Playoff Push
The Stanley Cup champs have been without All-Star center Jack Eichel since Jan. 11. His 19 goals and 25 assists in 44 games was leading the team in points before injury and successful lower body surgery. He’s week to week while team captain and leading points scorer Mark Stone (16 goals, 37 assists) is out versus Toronto and now an extended time.
Golden Knights staff writer (The Athletic) Jesse Granger notes Vegas is without a glaring weakness, and deep at center, defense and solid in net. A middle-six winger addition with offensive upside at the trade deadline would be ideal to join top-scoring winger Jonathan Marchessault (28 goals) and veteran William Karlsson (18 goals).
NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
After hosting the Maple Leafs, Vegas hits the road for five games at Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Buffalo and Columbus before returning home to play Western Conference-leading Vancouver on March 7.
Leading contenders odds to win each conference and reach the Stanley Cup.
Eastern Conference Odds
+430: Florida
+460: Carolina
+480: Boson
+500: NY Rangers
+700: Toronto
+1200: Tampa Bay, New Jersey
+1600: Pittsburgh
+2800: Philadelphia
+3000: NY Islanders
+3200: Detroit
Western Conference Odds
+360: Edmonton
+460: Dallas, Colorado
+650: Winnipeg
+700: Vegas, Vancouver
+800: LA Kings
+3700: Nashville
+5000: Seattle, Calgary
+8500: St. Louis
+9500: Minnesota
The Maple Leafs 5-game winning streak includes scoring at least four goals in each contest. Toronto goes from betting favorite to an underdog for just the second time in their last 11 games. But Vegas is shorthanded without Stone and Eichel, which could impact their power play further hitting at just a 19.5% scoring rate. The Maple Leafs light the lamp at a 28.7% rate on the power play – second best in the NHL with Matthews scoring 15 power play goals.
NHL News And Daily Betting Picks
The Maple Leafs play their eighth game this season with zero days rest when they visit Vegas. It’s also Toronto’s fourth game in six nights during their current 5-game winning streak. The over/under total goals is 2-5 (two overs) in Maple Leafs back-to-back games with no rest. Six times they have changed goalies to avoid back-to-back nights for the same goaltender. So Martin Jones may be in net for the Maple Leafs in Vegas, and I anticipate more scoring between the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights in an engaging, entertaining and electric environment in Vegas.
You can bet on it.
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