Ones to Watch in the NHL
October 12, 2016 now marks a historic date for both the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise and their 1st overall pick, Auston Matthews. Matthews kicked off his promising NHL career by netting an amazing 4 goals in just his first match. The nineteen-year-old had a debut most youngsters could only dream of. Matthews is now the first player of the modern era of the NHL to score 4 goals in his debut. When interviewed post-game about his performance Matthews commented, “It’s not something you can write up. It was pretty special having my parents here for them to share the moment with me.” Despite his outstanding game, Matthews couldn’t lead his team to victory as they lost 5-4 to the Sens.
Auston Matthews wasn’t the only rookie with a great start to the NHL as 2nd overall pick Patrik Laine picked up 5 points in his first 4 career games. 3 of those points were a result of Laine’s hatty against Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 5-4 Jets win. It seems like these two future superstars could create one of the greatest rivalries yet. Patrik Laine has been dubbed by many the next Teemu Selanne, but the Finnish right-winger hopes to create his own legacy. With exceptional performances by these young prospects, who knows what’s in store for them next?