If head-to-head competition determined the best rookie of 2016-17, Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine would have won the Calder Trophy instead of Auston Matthews.
The second pick in the 2016 NHL draft scored five times in two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, including a hat trick in a 5-4 comeback victory in Winnipeg last October, but finished four goals and five points behind the top overall selection for the NHL rookie scoring lead.
Nearly a year later, the two franchise cornerstones met in the 2017-18 regular season opener and this time around Matthews prevailed, scoring a goal and two assists in a 7-2 Toronto victory over the Jets at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old center assisted on linemate William Nylander’s first period goal and set up veteran Patrick Marleau for a tally in his Leafs debut. Matthews saw just over 15 minutes of ice time, while Laine played over 18 minutes and was held to two shots on goal and an assist, in spite of being the trigger man on eight Winnipeg power plays and seeing 8:17 in time-on-ice with the man advantage.
Watch: Marleau scores first goals with Maple Leafs
“Our penalty kill came up huge for us. They’ve obviously got some shooters, some guys who can put the puck in the net and we definitely limited some of their chances and obviously Freddy (Andersen) came up just huge sometimes.” Matthews said following the game.
Toronto goaltender Frederik Andersen made 35 saves for his first victory of the season and held Winnipeg at bay, preventing the Jets from taking an early lead by stopping 17 shots in the opening 20 minutes, before the Leafs offense got on track. Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk and Nylander scored within a span of 2:38 at the end of the first period."This was just embarrassing. I'm ashamed" -Patrik Laine
— Sami Hoffrén (@shoffren) October 5, 2017
“We took so many penalties, I think the shots were 18-17 at 5-on-5, but we took so many penalties (Andersen) had to be so good early.” Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the win. “You know how hockey is, if they score on one of those early ones, they get confidence and we probably lose some and who knows, the game could be different.”
Marleau, who scored 508 goals over 19 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, beat goaltender Steve Mason for his first goal as a Leaf in the middle frame and chased the former Flyers netminder from the game with his second goal early in the third period.
Toronto will take on the New York Rangers in their home opener at Air Canada Centre on Saturday.