LAS VEGAS – For Mike Babcock, it’s about confidence earned.
Seeing Auston Matthews called to the stage at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night promises to be a significant moment for the entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization. There’s an historical element at play – incredibly, he’s expected to become the team’s first player to win the Calder Trophy since Britt Selby in 1966 – but there’s also a personal one.
Being honoured as the NHL’s rookie of the year should provide the 19-year-old from Scottsdale, Ariz., with another reminder that he’s on the right track.
“I’m pulling for Auston big time,” Babcock said Tuesday night. “To me, he’s the best rookie in the league bar none and it’s not even close in my opinion. We’re lucky to have him, we know that.”
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What a difference a year makes.
There was some hope around the Leafs last off-season, but there were also a lot of question marks. They pulled off the deal to acquire Frederik Andersen at the outset of the awards week last June and the Danish goalie spoke with reporters about how tough it would be to qualify for the playoffs right away.
Now the Leafs have a competitive six-game series with Washington under their belts, and a 40-goal rookie on their roster. They also have budding stars in William Nylander and Mitch Marner – remember that Nylander was named MVP at the recent world championship, where Marner also performed well – and they are starting to accumulate these markers of how far they’ve climbed.
In Babcock’s parlance, they are earning the right to feel good about themselves.
“When you look at all these guys, Willy might be the guy who came the farthest,” said Babcock, who is nominated for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. “Willy had a great year. We’re excited for Willy because he’s that good of player, and that good of talent, but also because he’s really dug in. I thought he really dug in at the worlds and he was excited to win (gold).
“I think that might have been the best thing. What they understand is how important it is to win. That’s where all the fun is and they’re starting to figure it out.”
We are only a week removed from seeing Sidney Crosby lift the Stanley Cup for the third time and yet it feels like we’re on the precipice of a sea change in the NHL.
Connor McDavid is the favourite to win the Hart Trophy at Wednesday night’s awards show and he will have done it in his first full season with the Edmonton Oilers. Asked if taking the next step towards Cup contention is the toughest test yet for the organization, Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli quipped, “Not with him in the lineup,” while motioning towards McDavid.
The Leafs feel similarly about Matthews.
While his four-goal debut will become the stuff of legend, Babcock looks back over the year and points to all of the times when the Leafs needed a big play and got one from the rookie centre.
“As much as you think these players are real good, until they arrive and until they do it every day how do you know for sure?” said Babcock. “He’s an impressive guy. He wants to be good. He’s going to be better next year. We all understand that.”
This has been an important off-season for Matthews. He was completely out of gas when the first round ended and has been able to recharge his batteries over the last six weeks.
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He’s spent time with friends and family in Arizona and gotten a chance to work on his golf game. Most importantly, he took a month off from skating and is now back into serious training ahead of his sophomore season.
Here in Vegas he’s been hanging out with fellow Calder nominee and close friend Zach Werenski, who has already conceded the award to him. Werenski, the Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman, has jokingly offered to help Matthews write his acceptance speech.
“I was with him all day today and that’s all he was talking about,” said Matthews. “And he didn’t help one bit. I told him I’m pulling for him, I hope he wins, because he told me he hasn’t written a speech. He hasn’t thought about writing a speech.
“Just a free trip to Vegas.”
Should Matthews manage to build on his rookie season, there should be more of those in the future. He’s a player unlike any the Leafs organization has had in a generation – if not two – and claiming these sort of individual recognitions further cements that standing.
Babcock has coached Crosby with Team Canada and rejects the notion that he’s now working with the “Next One,” but does see some similarities between the game’s best player and its best rookie.
“We want Auston to be Auston and the best Auston he can possibly be,” said Babcock. “I think the leadership skills and the determination are definitely there and obviously the talent and the package is there too.”
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