Matthews owns highest scoring pace of any modern Maple Leafs rookie
Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports
Auston Matthews is doing things no Toronto Maple Leafs rookie has done before.
But you knew that.
More specifically, after Thursday's contest, he's the first Maple Leafs rookie to score 18 goals in his first 35 games, according to NHL Public Relations.
Per @EliasSports: Auston Matthews is first @MapleLeafs player in modern era (since 1943-44) to score 18 goals in first 35 career NHL games. pic.twitter.com/PsOfys2mmO
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 30, 2016
He's pulled ahead of the historical field, but Matthews is still one goal behind Patrik Laine in the rookie race. That said, with 12 goals over his last 16 games, he's actually now producing at a fractionally greater rate by virtue of games in hand.