Maple Leafs feel 'the sky's the limit' for Matthews heading into playoffs

BOSTON -- There was little Auston Matthews did not accomplish this season. 

Sixty-nine goals. One hundred and seven points. The Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s goal-scoring leader. A trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

But that’s not nearly enough for the 26-year-old center, who is set up to extend his remarkable regular season into the postseason when his Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round, opening at TD Garden on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TBS, NESN, SN, TVAS, CBC).

“The sky’s the limit. He’s shown that,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He’s playing well, feeling good. If anything, the fact that it’s a quick turnaround, right into the playoffs here, should benefit someone like Auston, who’s been (in) such a great groove and feeling good. 

“Obviously, it’s a different time of the year and he’s going to be a focal point of the opposition no doubt, so it’ll be exciting to watch him play.”

Though Matthews didn’t quite get to 70 goals -- he was denied in the regular season finale at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, despite 12 shots on goal and 16 shot attempts -- he set a new NHL career and Toronto record for goals. He would have been the first player to reach 70 goals in the League in 31 years.

“He’s ready to go,” forward Max Domi said Friday. “He was lighting it up today. He’s such a big body, a big part of this team. He’s hungry as everyone. We’re a hungry group, so it’s going to be fun.”

And the Bruins will have to be on alert, doing anything they can to slow him down. 

“You see obviously the way that he’s able to release that shot in tight areas,” Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo said. “The best thing that we can do is ultimately have good gaps and try not to allow them to have those rush opportunities. So I think our forwards will be a big component of that. 

“But overall, defensively, we want to have good gaps and try and close them off before they even get over the red line so that you don’t really have to worry that much about him shooting. But yeah, the way that he can release that puck is pretty special, and he’s obviously got some linemates there that can feed him pretty well.”

Still, even if Matthews is a definite, the Maple Leafs do go into Game 1 with a few question marks. Forwards William Nylander and Bobby McMann each was absent from the team’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday. 

“Just kept them off the ice today,” Keefe said. “Both he and Bobby McMann both stayed off the ice today. Both are possibilities for tomorrow.”

The Maple Leafs had Calle Jarnkrok skating in Nylander’s place on the top power-play unit. The forward has not played since injuring his hand March 14, but could return for Game 1.

“'Jarny' does a lot of things for us,” Keefe said. “He’s a guy that’s very versatile, helps us in lots of different ways. Gives us an additional right-handed shot as well. Good to see him progressing towards a return.”

Despite being out since the middle of last month, Jarnkrok has still been able to watch Matthews weave his magic. 

“He’s been great every year,” Jarnkrok said. “This year, obviously a little special, almost scoring 70. But he is a great player, he’s good defensively, he’s good everywhere, so he’s pretty impressive to watch.”

And that can give a team confidence. 

“If he wants to score a goal, he’s going to go in there and score a goal,” Jarnkrok said. “It’s great. I love to have him on our team. I would hate to play against him. So I’m happy on the right side.”

Matthews has been able to find the back of the net against the Bruins, as he has against most teams in the NHL this season. Only five teams were able to keep him from scoring and only one of them faced him more than twice, the Carolina Hurricanes, who he saw three times. 

Matthews had three goals and an assist in four games against Boston, but even as he was able to be individually productive against the team the Maple Leafs will face in the first round, Toronto wasn't able to do the same. 

Which was why, when asked what the Maple Leafs have learned from those regular-season results against the Bruins, when they lost all four games, Keefe said simply, “We’ve learned what doesn’t work.”