#auston-matthews

#auston-matthews

It was an off year. There were things behind the scenes that we all sort of know about. He wasn't a fully healthy player, but he fought through it. I thought he played extremely well for what he was going through. He doesn't just score goals. He does a lot of things. He penalty kills. He goes up against top lines. He is a great defensive player. And there is his work ethic.

With Kaprizov's contract, you're obviously projecting for him to have much bigger stats and to take a major leap, but Matthews has the hardware to prove that he deserves to be a top paid player, right behind Connor McDavid. As it currently stands, Matthews also has a Calder Trophy, but has one Hart Trophy and three Maurice "Rocket" Richard's to go with it. Not only that, but he's scored 60 goals twice in his career, including a 69-goal season.

It's hard to imagine a better start to the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp. Auston Matthews, the team's franchise centerpiece, put any lingering concerns about his health to rest by saying he's "feeling really good" as the new season begins. Meanwhile, general manager Brad Treliving delivered more encouraging news, expressing confidence that the club "can find something that'll work" to get a new deal done with goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

The 27-year-old has all the requisite hardware needed for the Hall of Fame (except a Stanley Cup) and has consistently shown his improvement across the board. He's blossomed into a reliable, two-way center and the captain of Team USA. So, why would Matthews fall in this year's NHL Network rankings for centers? In an August 24 appearance on NHL Network, analyst Mike Rupp unveiled his list of the NHL's top-10 centers. Topping the list are Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Leon Draisaitl.

After scoring 69 goals and having the historic campaign he did, Matthews lost a chunk of his season due to injury and when he was on the ice, it wasn't at 100 percent. A trip to Germany in November to see a specialist in the middle of his absence really highlighted the fact that both the Leafs and Matthews were desperate to find a solution to first get him on the ice, but like we said, he wasn't the same.

Matthews is being pegged to finish below his career averages across multiple key statistical categories, including goals and total points. It seems oddsmakers are suggesting that Matthews will miss his former teammate and winger, all-star Mitch Marner, now with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs' star center is coming off an injury-plagued season where he scored only thirty-three goals, far below his franchise-best sixty-nine that he achieved during the 2023-2024 season.

What stands out about matching up against someone of Auston Matthews' goal-scoring talent? Maurice: You would be better off talking to a goaltender or a goalie coach about that, but one theme for all of the elite goal-scorers is that it is hard to pick it up once it comes off his stick.