Auston Matthews Is A Goal-Scoring Machine

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There are just over 700 players in the NHL.

Combined, they represent a total of 20 different countries.

With 42% of the league having been born north of the US border, many fans believe Canada is considered the hockey capital of the world.

However, those who believe Canada is still the hockey mecca probably believe:

– The Moon landing was real
– The Earth is round
– There was no government Bigfoot cover-up after the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.

Passionate puck fans know that warm weather markets are quietly taking over as the new hockey hotbeds.

Specifically, Arizona is producing some elite-level talent, and we didn’t even mention the best player to come out of the Grand Canyon State.

Technically, Auston Matthews was born in San Ramon, California, but he moved to Arizona when he was just two months old.

Since arriving in the not-so-warm weather market of Toronto seven years ago, Matthews has established himself as one of the game’s best goal scorers.

Matthews scored 40 goals this year.

It’s the fourth consecutive season the Arizona native has scored at least 40 and the fifth time in his seven-year career.

In 39 career playoff games, Matthews has scored 17 goals. However, those goals are not evenly distributed between home and away games.

If we exclude the Pandemic Playoffs played in a bubble, this is how his home and away goal distribution breaks down.

The good news for Maple Leafs fans and Auston Matthews bettors is that Toronto is hosting Tampa Bay tonight.

Last year, when Tampa beat Toronto in Round 1 of the playoffs, Matthews had three goals in the four games at home.

The American-born superstar had just one goal in their three road games.

Obviously, the bad news for Leafs fans is that they are mired in a 54-year Stanley Cup slump.

– Toronto last won a playoff round in 2004.
– There are currently zero (0) active players in the NHL who have lost to Toronto in a playoff series.

I can’t say that this is the year Toronto snaps their playoff misfortune.

But I am here to tell you I am all in on Auston Matthews +105 to score a goal at home tonight.

Best of luck with all your NHL playoff picks and parlays.