It seems like a lifetime ago, but it was only five years since the Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the worst teams in the NHL. During the 2015-16 season, the Maple Leafs capped off a decade of mediocrity by finishing last in the league. That no longer is the case.
Over the past five seasons, the present iteration of the Maple Leafs has set numerous franchise records. The 2015-16 team also set a record. It was one of the few Maple Leafs’ teams ever to finish last overall in the NHL since the league expanded beyond six teams in 1968.
The Coming of Auston Matthews
However, that 2015-16 Maple Leafs’ team, along with the luck of the draw, played a crucial role in the present success of the team. Finishing last gave them the best odds in the 2016 draft lottery, which they won. They used that lottery win to make Auston Matthews the first overall pick.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Picking Matthews was the right choice. We recently wrote about the…
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