NHL's Quarter-Century Team Sparks Big Debate Among Maple Leafs Fans
Photo credit: Hockey Patrol
The NHL released their Quarter-Century team dating back to the year 2000, and with Auston Matthews absent from the list, Maple Leafs fans are wondering exactly why.
Over the last 25 years, the NHL has seen some pretty incredible players come and go, and it's really hard to narrow down exactly who is the best, as arguments can be made for several players to be included however the league has decided they have their men.
On August 15, the NHL Network released their Quarter-Century Team that showcases a star-studded roster starting from the year 2000 and going up until this season, snd there are some clearly obvious names:
Why Maple Leafs Stars Were Missing From the NHL's Quarter-Century Team
Names like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin and Pavel Datsyuk all adorn the star-studded list and rightfully so, as some of the greatest to ever do it.
There's also some very notable omissions including Nicklas Lidstrom, Jonathan Toews, Erik Karlsson, and Marc-Andre Fleury and this is strictly opinion for those at the NHL Network, and it leaves a lot up to debate.
However, there was a distinct lack of Maple Leafs representation with a big snub towards captain Auston Matthews, who is arguably the best goal-scorer over the last decade and is on pace to break Ovechkin's record and it's leaving some puzzled.
It can certainly be argued that Matthews should earn a place over Draisaitl and while the German superstar has been incredible in his time, the Leafs captain deserved a look given his historic output since arriving in the league.
However, the list itself has so many flaws and is highly opinionated so there's a lot of changes to be made but it does make you wonder how Toronto is viewed in the eyes of the league.
Auston Matthews' Case
We're just going to break down a quick summary of his personal accomplishments and why he should at least have been given a fair look:
Goals (401)
Assists (326)
Points (727)
Plus/Minus (+151)
2021-2022 Hart Trophy
3x Rocket Richard Winner (2023-24, 2021-22, 2020-2021)
2016-17 Calder Trophy
2021-2022 Lester B. Pearson Award
Assists (326)
Points (727)
Plus/Minus (+151)
2021-2022 Hart Trophy
3x Rocket Richard Winner (2023-24, 2021-22, 2020-2021)
2016-17 Calder Trophy
2021-2022 Lester B. Pearson Award
For as good as Draisaitl is for Edmonton, look at how dominant Matthews has been since arriving, plus he's also missed a lot due to injury so his numbers should be even better.
He's only got room to grow and earn even more accolades, but it might be only until he adds Lord Stanley will he get the recognition he deserves.
What This Debate Reveals About Toronto's Place in the Modern NHL
One of the Original Six teams in the league, the Maple Leafs are often the laughingstock of the NHL due to their lack of success which includes a 50+ year Stanley Cup drought, and often on the outside looking in.
At one time they were a powerhouse to be reckoned with, and even in the early 90's to the mid-2000's were a consistent threat to appear in a Conference Finals; but as of lately that's not the case.
It feels like Toronto is the easy target a lot of the time, and granted the media doesn't do a stellar job at times of shrinking that bullseye. But for what it's worth, it also feels like the league has swayed away from tradition and going towards a focus on newer, flashier teams.
The team is always going to compete unless they somehow fall off a cliff, and have superstars locked up for the foreseeable future; though they are going to need to earn the respect of their peers and that can only happen if they do the unthinkable:
Win the Stanley Cup.
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