Auston Matthews goes for 70 goals in Florida

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews will make history tonight if he scores his 70th goal of the season against the Florida Panthers.

The 26-year-old star joined elite company and became the ninth player to reach the 70-goal club. Other players to do so include Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, Phil Esposito, Jary Currie, Mario Lemieux, Bernie Nicholls, Alexander Mogilny and Timu Selanna.

Mogilny and Selanna were the last players to do so in the 1992-93 season. Mogilny finished with 76 goals in 77 games with the Buffalo Sabres, while Selanne had 76 goals in 84 games as a rookie with the Winnipeg Jets.

Gretzky scored more than 70 goals on four separate occasions, including a 92-goal season with the Edmonton Oilers in 1981-82. Hull also scored 70-plus goals three times, including a career-high 86 with the St. Louis Blues in 1990-91.

Matthews becomes the first player in Maple Leafs history to score 70 goals. He finished 2021-22 with 60 goals in 73 games, surpassing Rick Vive (54) for the most goals in a single season by a Maple Leaf.

Oilers star Connor McDavid reached his own milestone on Monday night by joining the 100 assist club. The Oilers captain is the fourth player in NHL history to record 100 assists, following Gretzky (11), Lemieux and Bobby Orr, and the first since 1990-1991.

Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM ET. To clinch first place in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers would have to beat the Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins would have to lose to the Ottawa Senators. If that happens, the Lifters will face the Bruins in the first round of the NHL playoffs.