Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Two-point effort Sunday
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Matthews scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Wild.
He got Toronto on the board midway through the first period on a pinball goal, as William Nylander's pass attempt caromed off Joel Eriksson Ek's stick, Jonas Brodin's skate and Marc-Andre Fleury's pad before going right to Matthews in front of the net, and he didn't miss. The performance snapped a brief three-game point drought for the 26-year-old superstar, but Matthews still has an NHL-leading 14 goals (tied with Kyle Connor) and seven assists through 17 games. Five of his tallies and two of his assists have come on the power play.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Adds another two goals Monday
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Matthews contributed two goals and an assist in Toronto's 6-5 overtime victory over Tampa Bay.
Is it too early to start thinking about Matthews scoring 50 goals in the first 50 games of 2023-24? We're just 12 contests in, so it is probably jumping the gun, but to already be at 13 tallies (along with five assists) is something special. Matthews' goals have come in bunches. He opened the campaign with back-to-back hat tricks and after enduring a cold patch, the 26-year-old is on fire again with another six goals over his last three appearances.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Third hattie this season
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Matthews delivered a hat trick in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Sabres.
It's Matthews' third hattie this season, and he now sits on top of the NHL in goals with 11. He did everything in his power to put the listless Leafs on his back and carry them to a win. Matthews is doing what he can to earn his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Another goal from center
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Matthews scored a goal Thursday in a 3-2 shootout loss to Boston.
He wired a one-timer from the left face-off circle over Jeremy Swayman's glove-side shoulder. Matthews has just two goals in his last eight games after putting up six in his first two games. But overall, Matthews has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last five games and 12 points, including eight goals, in 10 games played so far this season.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Showing off playmaking
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Matthews had an assist in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Predators.
He delivered a sweet dish to William Nylander on the power play. Matthews added four shots, and his 10 points (seven goals, three assists) have him sitting third in team scoring.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Pockets helper in win
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Matthews notched an assist and three shots on goal in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Stars.
Matthews fed Mitchell Marner for the go-ahead goal in the second period, which stood as the game-winner. The 26-year-old Matthews has bounced back from a three-game drought with a goal and two helpers over his last two outings. For the season, the superstar center has seven tallies, two assists, 34 shots on net, 12 hits, seven blocked shots and a plus-1 rating through seven appearances.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: March to greatness continues
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Matthews scored a goal and added an assist in Toronto's 4-1 win over Washington on Tuesday.
Matthews got his first assist of the season in the second period when he hit William Nylander with a great stretch pass in the second period, and the winger swung around the Caps' defender and roofed the puck. Then Matthews scored at 15:07 of the second on a one-timer top cheddar from the left circle on the power play. It was the 26-year-old's only shot of the game, and he played just 18:51 (19 shifts) after averaging over 23 minutes a game thus far. It's likely a rest game for the superstar who is quickly cementing his place as the greatest Leaf of all time (GLOAT). Matthews has 140 road goals, which ties him with Dave Keon for fourth in Leafs history. And his 79 power-play goals tie him with Wendel Clark for the fourth most PPG in club history.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Two games, two hatties
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Matthews scored his second hat trick in as many games in a 7-4 win over Minnesota on Saturday.
Matthews is only the fifth player in NHL history to score a hattie in his first two games to start a season. He joins Alex Ovechkin (2017-18), Cy Denneny (1917-18), Joe Malone (1917-18) and Reg Noble (1917-18). Matthews is dialed in and healthy, and that's fantastic news for the Leafs and fantasy managers alike.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Hat trick in opener
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Matthews tallied three goals in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Canadiens.
Matthews tied the game 2-2 with a power-play tally in the second period before scoring twice in the final five minutes of the third to even the score 5-5. It's quite a way to start the year for Matthews, who's scored 40 or more goals in each of his last four seasons. The 26-year-old center finished the 2022-23 campaign with 40 goals and 85 points in 74 games.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Penalty kill time on horizon
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Matthews will see more regular time on the penalty kill this season, reports The Athletic.
Matthews has seen a total of only about 24 minutes on the PK in nearly 500 NHL games, but that's about to change. Matthews is one of the NHL's best 5v5 players and always among the league leaders in takeaways. So, the threat of a steal -- and of Matthews taking off shorthanded with a lot of open ice -- will certainly put extra pressure on opposing PPs. Matthews won't be one of the Leafs' top options on the PK -- those minutes belong to Mitchell Marner, David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok, with Sam Lafferty getting some, too. The only negative? Playing on the PK will likely lead to a slight drop in 5v5 time. That's less than ideal for one of the NHL's best 5v5 players, and for fantasy managers needing that even-strength production, but it won't be enough to affect his draft spot or overall fantasy worth.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Makes four-year commitment to Leafs
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Matthews agreed to a four-year, $53 million contract extension with Toronto on Wednesday.
Matthews has one campaign left on his existing five-year, $58.195 million contract, so he's now committed to the Maple Leafs through 2027-28. His $13.25 million cap hit is set to be the highest in the league in 2024-25, but that's understandable considering he's reached the 40-goal milestone in each of the last four years. In 2021-22, he scored 60 goals and 106 points in 73 outings en route to capturing the Hart Trophy. Still just 25, Matthews should remain an elite forward throughout the duration of his contract extension.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Eight-game, 11-point streak
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Matthews got a power-play assist in a 3-2 loss to Florida on Thursday in Game 2.
He fired six shots and laid four hits. Matthews is doing his part this postseason -- he has delivered points in every playoff game (five goals, six assists; eight games). But the Leafs are down 2-0 heading into Game 3 in Florida. Matthews is a great player, but he and Mitchell Marner (12 points) can't do it all.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Scoring streak reaches seven games
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Matthews registered an assist in Toronto's 4-2 loss to Florida in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Matthews has recorded a point in each of his first seven postseason outings this year and is on an 11-game playoff scoring streak that began during Toronto's 2022 series against Tampa Bay. He has seven goals and 14 points in that span. During the 2023 playoffs specifically, Matthews has contributed five goals and 10 points.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Four-game goal streak
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Matthews scored a goal Saturday in a 2-1 overtime win over Tampa Bay in Game 6. With the win, Toronto took the opening round series 4-2.
Matthews scored his fifth goal of the postseason with a one-timer from the top of the right circle in the second period. He had called for the puck and T.J. Brodie obliged with a perfect pass from the left point. Matthews is riding a four-game, five-goal streak, and he has points (five goals, four assists) in all six of the Leafs games this postseason.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Five-game, eight-point streak
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Matthews scored a goal in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 5.
Matthews put in a rebound at the side of the net at 16:26 of the third with Ilya Samsonov pulled for a 6-on-5 advantage to stretch his goal streak to three games (four goals). He has put up points in all five of the Leafs postseason games (four goals, four assists).
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Sparks Leafs' comeback win
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Matthews netted two goals, including one on the power play, in the Maple Leafs' 5-4 overtime victory over Tampa Bay in Game 4 on Monday.
With Toronto down 4-1 heading into the third period, Matthews took matters into his own hands. The star forward provided back-to-back goals midway through the third period to spark the Leafs' eventual comeback by narrowing the Lightning's lead to 4-3. Matthews is up to three goals and seven points in four playoff games this year. He's also been held off the scoresheet only once over his last seven outings.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Two helpers in Game 1 home loss
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Matthews had two assists -- one on the power play -- in Tuesday's 7-3 Game 1 loss to the Lightning
Matthews remarkably finished the game with a plus-1 rating, but before you absolve him of blame for this blowout loss at home, consider that Matthews also played 4:54 on a Toronto penalty kill that gave up four goals. The first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has 17 goals and 18 assists through 40 playoff games, but he has yet to win a series in his career, and Matthews will need to play better for Toronto to finally get over the hump for the first time since 2004.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Back at it
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Matthews (rest) is expected to draw back into the lineup for Thursday's regular-season finale against the Rangers, David Alter of Sports Illustrated reports.
Matthews was rested against the Lightning on Tuesday, but he'll jump back into the lineup for Thursday's regular-season closer against New York. The 25-year-old pivot has racked up 40 goals and 85 points through 73 contests this season.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Sitting Tuesday
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Matthews (rest) won't play Tuesday versus Tampa Bay, David Alter of Sports Illustrated reports.
Matthews will get to take a breather after scoring his 40th goal of the season in Monday's 2-1 overtime win over Florida. He has amassed 85 points, 324 shots on goal, 91 blocked shots and 78 hits in 73 contests this campaign.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Reaches 40 goals
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Matthews scored his 40th goal of the season in Monday's 2-1 overtime win over the Panthers.
He opened the scoring late in the second period by deflecting home a Mitchell Marner shot from the blue line. While Matthews hasn't been able to replicate last season's incredible 60-goal pace, he's now reached 40 in four straight seasons and for the fifth time in his career. The 25-year-old could hit another milestone before the end of the regular season as well, as his next tally will be the 300th of his career.
