Down the stretch of the most interesting Hart Trophy race in recent memory, Auston Mathews and the Toronto Maple Leafs will host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada’s primetime slot. Both teams are coming off blowout victories as the Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 7–3 in their last outing, and the Oilers took down the Buffalo Sabres 8–3. Expect more offense in this game, as the Oilers and Leafs have averaged seven goals per game over their last five matchups head-to-head. The Oilers will look to win in Toronto for the first time since the 2021 season when these two teams were division rivals.
McDavid vs. Matthews Hart Trophy Race
The race for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s most valuable player, is likely down to four. Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, McDavid, and Matthews still have a realistic shot at winning the NHL’s most coveted individual award (aside from the Conn Smythe Trophy, maybe). Both McDavid and Matthews have been heating up the last few games. McDavid is coming off a four-assist game against the Sabres, and he has 12 points in his previous five games. On the other hand, Matthews picked up five points in his last game and has nine points in his previous five contests.
Both players are nearing major personal milestones. Matthews is three goals shy of tying his career high for goals in a season with 60. McDavid is three assists shy of tying his career-high of 89 in a season. They also have opportunities to accomplish feats that haven’t been done in over 30 years. If Matthews scores 70 goals this season, he would be the first player since Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne in 1992-93 to do it, and McDavid could be the first player to record 100 assists since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91.
There’s no doubt that McDavid is the NHL’s best playmaker, and Matthews is the best goal-scorer. It’s always entertaining when the two face off. Here are their numbers in games against one another:
| McDavid | Matthews | |
| Wins | 6 | 11 |
| Goals | 8 | 12 |
| Assists | 18 | 6 |
| Points | 26 | 18 |
| +/- | +2 | +1 |
Unsurprisingly, Matthews has more goals, but McDavid has higher assists and point totals. McDavid and the Oilers beat Toronto 4-2 in January, so Matthews and the Leafs will try to get one back on home ice. They will need a big performance from Matthews, as Mitch Marner is still recovering from a lower-body injury suffered on March 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Hyman Has Opportunity to Hit 50 Goals Against Former Team
Eight years ago, Zach Hyman was called up to make his NHL debut at age 23 after registering 37 points in 59 games with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. He played six seasons with the Leafs before they let him walk in free agency. He signed with the Oilers and enjoyed back-to-back career highs in points in his first two seasons with Edmonton.
Related: Oilers’ Hyman Deserves Much More Attention for Amazing Season
In his third season with the Oilers, Hyman has 48 goals and counting. He never even had a 48-point season as a member of the Maple Leafs. He’s about to score 50 for the first time in his NHL career, and wouldn’t it be poetic if he could do it against his former team in his old stomping grounds? Hyman hasn’t been particularly successful against the Leafs head-to-head in his career. He has two points in four games against Toronto, and he’s still looking for his first point at Scotiabank Arena as a visiting team member. Though with a huge milestone within reach, one would have to think Hyman will have plenty of motivation to pick up a pair of goals. It doesn’t hurt when he has McDavid to try to set him up throughout the game.
Kane Will Look to Snap Scoring Slump
Evander Kane’s goal-scoring slump has become a growing narrative in Edmonton. It’s his longest streak without a goal as a member of the Oilers. Kane’s finishing ability hasn’t been the same since the freak wrist injury he suffered last season. However, he had a terrific month in November, during which he was one of the team’s most productive players.
Kane struggled against the Sabres on McDavid’s wing but had a decent third period after head coach Kris Knoblauch moved him onto a line with Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod. The Oilers will continue trying to find the best fit for him down the stretch. Kane has had three goals in his last three games against the Maple Leafs, and this game would be a great time to break out of the dry spell.
Both Teams’ Skill Should Make for a Must-Watch Game
Much like their matchup against the Colorado Avalanche last week, the Oilers will face a group with some of the league’s highest-end skill. Both teams are in the top four in the NHL in goals per game, and with milestones for several star players within striking distance and two Hart Trophy hopefuls going head-to-head, this should be a must-watch.
