Hockey fans are mad at TSN for recognizing Auston Matthews' latest feat
Auston Matthews has been on a scorching pace for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, appearing on SportsCentre on TSN on a near-nightly basis.
He’s hit the Leafs’ single-season goal record, is eight goals up on Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the NHL’s goal scoring race, and is currently among the front-runners for Hart Trophy as league MVP.
After Matthews scored twice on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens, TSN recognized that Matthews pulled off a feat no one has in 26 years: scoring 50 goals in 50 games at any point in the season.
Auston Matthews is the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games since Mario Lemieux in the 1995-96 NHL season. pic.twitter.com/nqSP5GEgdZ
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 10, 2022
The vaunted 50 in 50 has long been part of hockey lore, ever since Maurice Richard pulled the feat off for Montreal in the 1944-45 season. With seasons just 50 games back then, the idea was always to see if you could hit 50 goals in as many games from the start of the season.
It’s something that’s very old-school hockey, with a rigid definition that many will swear by.
Just five players: Richard, Mike Bossy, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Brett Hull have pulled off the feat, with Hull being the last to do it in 1992.
Four others: Jari Kurri, Alex Mogilny, Lemieux again, and Cam Neely hit 50 goals in 50 games played at the start of their own seasons, but they didn’t officially count because they missed games played along the way and didn’t make it in their team’s first 50.
TSN acknowledged in their tweet that Matthews’ 50-in-50 was a midseason accomplishment, stating “50 goals in any 50 game span in a single season.”
But boy, did people have opinions on that!
Was this even a thing before a Toronto Maple Leaf did it?
— Scott Weldon (@ScottWeldon2) April 10, 2022
He scored 50 in 62 on April 1…great accomplishment! The standard is from the start of a season, always has been!
— Pat King (@PaddyKing72) April 10, 2022
Ah, participation medal… how many did Gretzky score 50 in 39? How many did he score the prior season in the last, let’s say 5 games. So did he do it in 34? Toronto, Toronto sports teams, and Toronto media never cease to amaze me.
— Tyler Kowalski (@TylerKowalski1) April 10, 2022
USED to be 50 goals in first games.. now it's just any 50 game span. soon you'll be able to celebrate 50 goals in combined seasons lol
— I AM Charlie (@csochyk) April 10, 2022
Next special on TSN: Why Auston Matthews is a better player than Mario Lemieux based on this one season. @TSN_Parody
— Tyson Kehler (@tyson_kehler13) April 10, 2022
Still not part of the 50/50 club. Keep dreaming up accolades….
— Jim Simpson (@JimSimpy) April 10, 2022
There wouldn't be this much salt in the replies if he played for any other team other than the Leafs. You can hate the Leafs and still acknowledge Matthews is an incredibly talented player.
— Holls 🤸♀️ (@Hollysaysrawrr) April 10, 2022
Pick your battles, guys. Matthews is pulling something off that hasn’t been accomplished since Bill Clinton’s first term in office.
And, well, maybe read the tweet in full next time before you get all worked up about it.
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