Insider reveals brand new information on Gavin McKenna that has Toronto's fanbase losing their minds
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Speaking on TSN 1050's First Up, Colaiacovo picked Gavin McKenna to win the Calder Trophy over Matthews finishing top five in goals.
Carlo Colaiacovo set a 45-goal bar for Auston Matthews. Nobody checked whether Jim Hiller's system can actually produce it.
He also called McKenna a generational talent while conceding the Toronto Maple Leafs captain has ground to make up.
"I do. Yes," Colaiacovo said, when pressed on whether he actually believes McKenna projects as a generational player.
"I've always told you that I think he's a game-changer. I've seen him play. I think he had game-breaking abilities.
Whether he becomes a generational player, it's up for debate. I do believe he's got generational talent.
Every player is allowed to have a down year or two, but this is a big year for Matthews.
He has to re-establish himself and there are no excuses," Colaiacovo said of Matthews heading into this season.
"I've always told you that I think he's a game-changer. I've seen him play. I think he had game-breaking abilities.
Whether he becomes a generational player, it's up for debate. I do believe he's got generational talent.
Every player is allowed to have a down year or two, but this is a big year for Matthews.
He has to re-establish himself and there are no excuses," Colaiacovo said of Matthews heading into this season.
Colaiacovo did name the variable, saying it depends on the system Jim Hiller implements. He then moved on, and so did everyone else.
The number nobody ran
Hiller was fired by the Los Angeles Kings on March 1, and NHL.com noted the Kings sat 29th in goals per game and 27th on the power play at the time.
That is the coach now inheriting a captain who needs roughly 45 goals to crack the league's top five.
Matthews scored 69 goals in 2023-24 for a Maple Leafs team that produced 303. Last season Toronto managed 253, and Matthews finished with 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games before MCL surgery.
Why Toronto is fine with this
The Leafs allowed 299 goals and ranked 31st in goals against per game. John Chayka's summer answered that, adding Sergei Bobrovsky, Nick Paul, Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger.
None of those moves raise Matthews' goal ceiling. All of them raise Toronto's win total.
The captain's individual bar and the team's actual plan are pulling in opposite directions.
Matthews may look better and still finish nowhere near 45, and Toronto may reach the playoffs anyway.
That would not be another down year.
That would be a different job description.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Edmonton Oilers linked to former player in free agency reunion
Edmonton Oilers linked to former player in free agency reunion