PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 08: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in action during the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been dominant since the start of the season. He is showcasing a level of play not seen since his 2023-24 campaign. As a result, he is sending shockwaves throughout the NHL.
Matthews was named the NHL’s 1st star of the week on Monday. This came after he tallied three goals and six assists for nine points over a three-game span. Matthews’ best performance came during Saturday’s victory over the Colorado Avalanche. During Saturday’s game, the Scottsdale native scored four points, including two goals in their 6-3 victory.
NHL First Star of the Week
The Olympic gold medalist was also front and center in the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 overtime thriller on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators, where he registered another four-point performance, including the overtime winner.
“I thought he’s been really good the whole camp. You guys remember practice, he’s working on every puck, but tonight again for me, it’s just a little bit different,” Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller said of Matthews, following Tuesday’s win. “Just from a pure hockey perspective, to appreciate his game tonight, it’s a really special night for me.”
Many were not sure what to expect from Auston Matthews heading into the 2026-27 season, as he hasn’t looked like himself over the course of the past two seasons. After scoring 69 goals and finishing with 107 points during the 2023-24 campaign, Matthews took a major step back, scoring only 33 goals and finishing with 78 points; this continued to get worse as he failed to score 30 goals for the first time in his career.
Many have speculated that Matthews has dealt with a bundle of injuries throughout the past couple seasons, most notably being at the end of the 2025-26 season. Matthews had suffered a grade 3 MCL tear and quadriceps contusion on March 12th against the Anaheim Ducks as a result of a dirty hit from defenceman Radko Gudas. The Maple Leafs captain was forced to undergo knee surgery, leaving him with a 12-week recovery period.
Strongest Matthews Has Looked In Years
Maple Leafs general manager spoke on Matthews recovery and what he was expecting out of number 34 this season.
“Obviously it was a long summer for him,” Chayka told reporters during training camp. “I thought he looked great coming in. He’s lighter, he’s leaner. I think he worked with some of the best people in the world on his rehab, and I think that just paid dividends for him. All of our internal skating data suggests this is the best he’s skated over the last five years.”
The question will now remain: can Matthews keep up his strong play? If the Maple Leafs have any hope of returning to the postseason in 2026-27, they need Matthews to be sharp in all areas of his game moving forward. With all the help Matthews received in the offseason, he has been put in the position to succeed since the departure of Mitch Marner.
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger was named the NHL’s second star, while New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere was named the third star of the week.
Nicholas Giannone Nicholas Giannone is a sports media and operations professional focused on hockey and baseball coverage, delivering news, analysis, and behind-the-scenes insight. Originally from Toronto, he pairs his Sports Management background at Albion College with hands-on experience in game day operations, broadcasting, and content creation. With aspirations of working in NHL management, Nicholas ultimately aims to become the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. More about Nicholas Giannone
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Auston Matthews Just Received a Major Honour From the NHL
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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been dominant since the start of the season. He is showcasing a level of play not seen since his 2023-24 campaign. As a result, he is sending shockwaves throughout the NHL.Matthews was named the NHL’s 1st star of the week on Monday. This came after he tallied three […]
Auston Matthews Just Received a Major Honour From the NHL