* A number of players can reach season milestones during Tuesday’s 14-game slate, including Auston Matthews (58-41—99 in 67 GP) who sits one point back from becoming the third player in Maple Leafs history to hit the 100-point mark and the first since Doug Gilmour (27-84—111 in 83 GP) in 1993-94.
* Kyle Connor recorded his 49th road point of 2021-22 and moved within four of the Jets/Thrashers benchmark for most in a single season, set by Ilya Kovalchuk in 2005-06.
* Twenty-two-year-old Nick Suzuki posted his team-leading 55th point of the season in his 200th career game. He is on pace to become the second-youngest player in Canadiens history to lead the club in points at the end of a campaign.
28 TEAMS IN ACTION ON THIRD 14-GAME DAY OF 2021-22
Twenty-eight clubs will take to the ice across a 14-game Tuesday which features a number of players closing in on season milestones – including Auston Matthews who is nearing the 60-goal and 100-point mark – as well as the push for the remaining 11 berths in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with less than three weeks remaining in the regular season.
* Matthews (58-41—99 in 67 GP) sits one point shy of his first career 100-point season and the fifth in Maple Leafs history. Only three players in the past 26 years have recorded 60-plus goals and 100-plus points in a single campaign: Alex Ovechkin (65-47—112 in 2007-08 w/ WSH), Jaromir Jagr (62-87—149 in 1995-96 w/ PIT) and Mario Lemieux (69-92—161 in 1995-96 w/ PIT).
* Matthews has also found the back of the net in all but three of his appearances since March 1 (21-10—31 in 17 GP) and now sits two tallies shy of recording the first 60-goal season by a U.S.-born skater in NHL history and the first by any skater since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12 (60-37—97 in 82 GP). Stamkos prophetically predicted a 60-goal campaign was on the horizon for the Maple Leafs forward at the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.
* Johnny Gaudreau (34-65—99 in 72 GP) guides the Pacific Division-leading Flames (44-19-9, 97 points) into a clash with the Kraken and has his sights set on becoming the franchise’s first skater with a 100-point campaign since Theo Fleury (34-66—100 in 1992-93).
* With Oilers teammates Connor McDavid (42-66—108) and Leon Draisaitl (50-51—101) having already hit the mark, the 2021-22 campaign can become the NHL’s first since 1992-93 to see four-plus players on Canadian-based teams each record 100 points in a season. Six did so that year: Teemu Selanne (132 w/ WIN), Doug Gilmour (127 w/ TOR), Mats Sundin (114 w/ QUE), Joe Sakic (105 w/ QUE), Pavel Bure (110 w/ VAN) and Fleury (100 w/ CGY).
* Chris Kreider (49-21—70 in 73 GP) can record his first career 50-goal season when the Rangers (47-20-6, 100 points) clash with the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (47-18-8, 102 points). The 30-year-old forward can become the fourth skater to score 50-plus goals in a single campaign for the Rangers, joining Jaromir Jagr (54 in 2005-06), Adam Graves (52 in 1993-94) and Vic Hadfield (50 in 1971-72).
* The first- and second-overall picks in the 2021 NHL Draft could make their League debuts Tuesday, should Owen Power suit up for the Sabres and Matty Beniers dress for the Kraken. Power posted 3-29—32 in 33 games with the University of Michigan this season en route to claiming the NCAA’s B1G First All-Star Team honors, while teammate Beniers (20-23—43 in 36 GP) led the Wolverines in points.
* Power and Beniers became the first teammates in the modern NHL Draft to be selected 1-2 overall. There had been two previous occurrences in NHL Draft history, both more than 50 years ago. In 1963, the first draft in League history saw teammates Garry Monahan (No. 1 by MTL) and Peter Mahovlich (No. 2 by DET) selected from the St. Michael’s Juveniles. Six years later, in 1969, the top two picks were the Montreal Junior Canadiens duo of Rejean Houle (No. 1 by MTL) and Marc Tardif (No. 2 by MTL).
CONNOR HELPS JETS INCH CLOSER TO WILD CARD POSITION
Kyle Connor (0-1—1) factored on one of his team’s four goals to record a point in his ninth straight road game (8-8—16) as the Jets (35-28-11, 81 points) defeated the Canadiens at Bell Centre to move within five points of the Stars (41-27-4, 86 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Only three players in Jets/Thrashers history have registered at least a point in more consecutive road appearances: Neal Pionk (10 GP in 2020-21), Mark Scheifele (10 GP in 2020-21) and Todd White (10 GP in 2008-09).
* Connor boosted his 2021-22 road totals to 24-25—49 (35 GP). The only players with more road points this season are Auston Matthews (28-26—54 in 36 GP), Connor McDavid (22-32—54 in 36 GP), Leon Draisaitl (28-23—51 in 36 GP) and Roman Josi (11-39—50 in 36 GP).
SUZUKI HITS 200 CAREER GAMES, JOINS ELITE COMPANY IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Monday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates saw Nick Suzuki (22 years, 244 days) collect an assist in his 200th career game and add to his 2021-22 totals (19-36—55 in 73 GP). He is currently on pace to become the second-youngest player in franchise history to lead Montreal in points at the end of a season, behind only John Quilty (20 years, 56 days; 18-16—34 in 1940-41).
* Since making his NHL debut with the Canadiens in 2019-20, Suzuki (47-90—137) leads the club in goals, assists and points.
QUICK CLICKS
* Auston Matthews, John Carlson, Jonathan Huberdeau named NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week
* Patrick Burke, NHL VP of Player Safety, named to SBJ’s Forty Under 40
*Drew Doughty has wrist surgery, out for season for Kings
* Owen Power, first overall pick in 2021 NHL Draft, set to make debut Tuesday
* Evgeni Malkin suspended four games for cross-checking incident
