Since entering the league, there is no question that Auston Matthews has become one of the most prolific goal-scorers the league has ever seen. Matthews has already started his climb up the active goals leaders in the NHL, and there is a chance that he can enter the top 10, or at least come very close to it as soon as this coming season.
Since the NHL’s lockout in 2004-05, there hasn’t been much of an argument against Alexander Ovechkin as the top goal-scorer. Still, over the last number of years, with the combination of Ovechkin aging and Matthews just hitting full stride, the title has been passed over. If Matthews can enter the top 10 in league scoring among active players this season, he will further add to his resume as one of the greatest scorers in history.
Matthews’ Historic Run To 350 Goals
In the 2023-24 season, Matthews recorded 69 goals, which brought him to a total of 368 in just 562 games. With those 69 goals, he passed the 350 mark, and he did so in just his 535th career game. That ranks as the sixth-fastest player to reach that mark, trailing just Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull, Mike Bossy, and Jari Kurri.
Not only did Matthews join elite company by reaching this mark so quickly, but he hit 350 goals faster than some very notable names, including Ovechkin, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, and others who all rank in the top 10 all-time for goals.
Matthews still has a ways to go before challenging for some of the top spots in the NHL’s active player list, but closing in on the top 10 this season could be a very realistic thing.
Matthews Closes In On Top 10 In Goals Among Active Players
The current list of the top 10 players in goals has some pretty elite names. Prior to the 2024-25 season starting, here is how the list looks:
- Alexander Ovechkin (853)
- Sidney Crosby (592)
- Steven Stamkos (555)
- Evgeni Malkin (498)
- Patrick Kane (471)
- John Tavares (456)
- Corey Perry (429)
- Anze Kopitar (419)
- Phil Kessel* (413)
- Brad Marchand (401)
- Jamie Benn (383)
- Jonathan Toews* (372)
- Auston Matthews (368)
There is an argument to be had that Matthews is already the 11th-ranked player on this list as both Phil Kessel and Jonathan Toews are inactive in the NHL, but have not announced their retirement. With Eric Staal, Joe Pavelski, and Zach Parise announcing their retirement, Matthews has already moved up three spots this offseason.
Matthews has scored 60+ goals twice in his career now, and it is realistic to think he could do it again. He currently sits 33 goals behind Brad Marchand for the 10th spot on the list, meaning he needs to score at least 34 more goals than him this season to pass him on this list.
Related: 7 Cool Things About Auston Matthews
Over the last three seasons combined, Matthews has scored 169 goals, and Marchand has scored 82. With Matthews scoring an average of 29 more goals than Marchand, including 40 more goals last season, it is certainly within the realm of possibility for him to pass Marchand on the list.
How High Can Matthews Get On The List?
Even if Matthews can’t score 33 more goals than Marchand, there is a path to him entering the top 10 list this season. At this point, it doesn’t seem like Kessel will play, therefore will not score any more goals, so a 45-goal season from Matthews would see him pass Kessel on the list, bringing him into the list as well.
As for catching Anze Kopitar or Corey Perry, it is extremely unlikely, but then again, so was the idea of Matthews scoring 69 goals at one point.
Since he has done it twice in the past three years, let’s assume Matthews scores 60 goals on the dot this season. If he does that, it will bring his total to 428, which puts him at eighth. Kopitar will certainly score more than 10 goals this season, bumping Matthews to ninth, Kessel doesn’t project to score any, keeping Matthews at ninth, and Marchand would need to score less than 27 goals, which has been right around his average over the last five seasons.
Even if Marchand does score his 27 or more goals, Matthews will certainly pass Toews and Jamie Benn, planting him in the 10th spot on the active goal-scoring list. Matthews, who just turned 27 years old, is at least six years younger than anybody else on this. He is cementing a legacy as one of, if not the best goal-scorer in history.
