Three Leafs make noise across the hockey world this week, earn honours

Photo Credit: Christian Bonin/TSGPhoto.com

It’s a good week to be a member of the Leafs organization. Three points in four games and a seminal night in team history are a great start, but to go with that, three players have been recognized by their leagues as standouts.

Well, I don’t think anybody is too surprised about this one. Auston took the world by storm this week with his four-goal NHL debut on Wednesday, and while he was kept off the scoresheet on Saturday, he was still plenty composed. It wasn’t enough to get him above Connor McDavid, who looked about two or three steps ahead of the entire rest of the sport in his first two games, but it instantaneously made Matthews a household name across the league.

Kapanen better make some room on his shelf, because he’s got himself some etched crystal to hang up soon. Many have said that this needs to be a big year for the youngster, who has never really dominated a league before. With that said, it looks pretty good for him so far, as the 20-year-old picked up a goal and four assists this weekend, tying fellow Marlies forward Brendan Leipsic for the team and league scoring lead after two games.

His goal, which was technically more of an own goal, was the standout, as he used his lightning quick acceleration to drive to the net from the other side of the ice, overwhelming even Jordan Subban along the way.

The good times were rolling even in junior. Toronto’s 2015 second-round pick wasted no time running away with control of the league’s box scores, scoring 17 points in his first 6 games, 13 of which game in his last four appearances this week. Bracco, who joined the OHL midway through last season, has points in every game that he’s played in so far.