His assist totals have steadily increased over the seasons. He regularly catches puck carriers from behind to strip them from the puck. He might be known best for his goal-scoring prowess, but he has also developed as a playmaker. As Maple Leafs’ fans, we’ve been front and center in watching him showcase and grow his natural talent.įew people point this out about Matthews, but he has a solid work ethic. From his impressive rookie season with 40 goals to a franchise-record 60-goal performance in 2021-22, Matthews has consistently found the back of the net. He’s displayed a remarkable growing maturity both on and off the ice. In his rookie 2016-17 season, Matthews started strong. Related: Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Is Undergoing a Transformation He has been part of the team’s move to be among the elite teams of the NHL. Since he came to the team, the team’s fortunes have made a 180-degree reversal. ![]() Item Two: If Matthews Goes, We’ll Miss HimĪuston Matthews is the Maple Leafs’ star player. Given these factors, Maple Leafs’ fans should expect to see O’Reilly sign with a team that offers him a higher and that fits him better. Would O’Reilly sign a lower-term and lower-average annual value (AAV) deal just to play in Toronto? He’s not at the same career stage as Mark Giordano. In addition, O’Reilly’s footspeed has become a limitation and might not align with the team’s desire to add speed to the lineup. They would need to make more roster moves to accommodate such a contract. First, as always, it seems the Maple Leafs’ have salary cap constraints. There are two issues with signing O’Reilly. The projected contract for O’Reilly is a four-year term worth $5.5 million per season. Who can blame O’Reilly for his desire to sign as lucrative a contract as he can? It might be the last major deal of his career. Related: NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen? He seems to know his chances of signing with the team are slim. It sounds as if he was looking back before looking forward. ![]() O’Reilly expressed gratitude for his time with the organization and mentioned how much he enjoyed his experience. ![]() Even given his contributions during the playoffs, it appears unlikely he’ll return to Toronto. There’s no doubt he elevated the Maple Leafs’ chances of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, but by himself he wasn’t the difference-maker. However, if anyone thought that O’Reilly’s presence would be the tipping point, it just didn’t happen. He delivered what the team expected in terms of leadership and on-ice play. When the Maple Leafs acquired him at the trade deadline, he came to the team with high expectations. Ryan O’Reilly, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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