"The three-time Rocket Richard winner knows how good he is and he loves to show that to the fans. Whether it was his "you can't hear me reference" to the Leafs crowd or his mean-mug he gave to the Colorado Avalanche fans who were flipping him off, there's been this new demenour about him that we hadn't seen for the first 30 games."
"Although the team has denied it, it's very clear that Matthews has been injured, or something has been nagging him over the past year. You don't go from 69 goals to 33 goals without something affecting you, but over the three weeks, he's back to his regular self. Maybe the 28-year-old got something for Christmas that fixed his issues, because since December 23rd, the former No. 1 overall pick has been on fire."
Auston Matthews has regained Hart Trophy-level form, showing marked confidence and a cocky on-ice demeanour that energizes fans and frustrates opponents. The three-time Rocket Richard winner has scored nine goals in his last ten games and is approaching the scoring pace seen during his 2021–2024 stretch (169 goals in 228 games). A lingering injury or nagging issue appears to have reduced his totals earlier in the season, but recent play indicates a strong recovery. Matthews' resurgence has coincided with Toronto earning points in 11 of 12 games, helping push the team toward the playoff mix. Prioritizing health and steady improvement outweighs single-season awards.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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