Auston Matthews Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Auston Matthews scores 60 goals again, joins rare club

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 3/30/24

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has become the best goal-scorer in the NHL, and on Saturday night, he joined a very exclusive club.

With his goal late in the third period against the Buffalo Sabres, Matthews reached the 60-goal mark for the second time in his NHL career.

He becomes the only active player to have at least two 60-goal seasons and one of only four to have at least one, joining Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos.

Matthews is also only the ninth player in league history to record at least two 60-goal seasons, joining a list that includes only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, Phil Esposito, Brett Hull, Pavel Bure, Steve Yzerman and Jari Kurri.

Here is a look at the goal that gave him 60 this season.

60

Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/YlALc6i3nh
— NHL (@NHL) March 31, 2024

Matthews also scored 60 goals during the 2021-22 season.

The question now is whether or not he has enough games to become the first player in over 30 years to reach the 70-goal mark.

Most of the 60-goal seasons that have happened in NHL history occurred during the 1980s and early 1990s when goal-scoring reached all-time highs. But throughout the late 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, goal-scoring reached all-time lows and it was rare for players to reach the 40- or 50-goal mark, let alone 60.

But over the past few years, the league has started to trend back more toward a skilled, offensive game and goal numbers are back on the rise. Right now, nobody is scoring more goals than Matthews.

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