Daily Faceoff boldly predicts Auston Matthews will win Hart Trophy for 2nd time

We’re three days away from the regular season opener, which naturally invites predictions, expectations and proclamations. Our friends at Daily Faceoff believe we will see a genuinely resurgent campaign from Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, where he wins his second Hart Trophy.

This could be viewed as a bold prediction, given that Matthews is coming off a year where he scored 33 goals and 78 points in 67 games, while fighting through a lingering, upper-body injury. Matthews appears to be fully healthy throughout training camp, and Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin provided the following rationale as to why Toronto’s franchise player could be lifting the Hart Trophy next summer:

For any PHWA voter who follows the purist Hart mantra that the award goes to the player judged most valuable to his team, the Matthews narrative could be catnip. Without gifted playmaker Marner on his wing, Matthews might not lead the league in goals and won’t come close in points. But if last season’s mysterious nagging injury doesn’t hold him back again, and he logs 75 games…he could do so with elite play at both ends of the ice. Imagine a season in which Matthews puts up 45 goals and 95 points and plays Selke Trophy-caliber defense on a Toronto team that doesn’t lose too much of a step without Marner. Matthews would be deemed extremely valuable to his team in that scenario. Perhaps the most valuable.

Matthews will take on the greatest workload of his career this season, while he’s affixed to the top line alongside Matthew Knies. Toronto’s captain is expected to feature in all situations, while keeping the Maple Leafs firmly among the contending tier, in what should be a hotly contested Atlantic Division. If he can score 45 goals and play Selke-calibre defence, a second Hart Trophy is firmly in reach, although Matthews will likely have to hit the 50-goal or greater mark to cement his case.

We can certainly envision a return to Hart Trophy form for Matthews. At this stage of his career, Matthews would eschew individual awards in pursuit of the Stanley Cup, and it should be a fascinating year for the 28-year-old, entering his 10th NHL season.