Jay Rosehill isn’t optimistic about Auston Matthews after his career low season last year.
Rosehill spent a few years as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, appearing in 72 games between the 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons. The 41-year-old is now retired but he keeps tabs on what’s going on in the hockey world as a co-host of “Leafs Morning Take.”
During some of his most recent comments, Rosehill took aim at Matthews, the Maple Leafs’ captain and star player. The 28-year-old Matthews is coming off of the worst season of his career, producing a career low 27 goals and 53 total points. Just two years prior, Matthews racked up a salary cap era record 69 goals along with 107 points. During the 2024-25 season, Matthews produced just 33 goals and 45 assists.
Matthews will have some added help this time around with the additions of two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, star defenseman Darren Raddysh and No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna. Despite those moves, Rosehill doesn’t believe Matthews is in line for a bounce-back season.
“I get this feeling that this is kind of the new Auston,” Rosehill said on his podcast. “We know what he’s capable of, but we just haven’t really seen any sign of that in two years,” Rosehill said. “I feel like we’re gonna get more of the same from Auston Matthews potentially this year, and I don’t love saying it.”
Auston Matthews Limited to Just 60 Games Last Season
Matthews’ points per game production was obviously down, but it’s worth noting that he was limited to just 60 games after suffering a season-ending MCL injury. It was the second-lowest amount of games he’s appeared in during a season.
The Maple Leafs went through a complete overhaul in the offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in the Matthews era. Toronto finished with just 78 points, the second-lowest point total in the Eastern Conference.
Former Stanley Cup Champ Predicts Bounce Back Year for Auston Matthews
While Rosehill doesn’t have confidence that Matthews will bounce back from his recent struggles, there are others who believe otherwise. Former New Jersey Devils veteran and Stanley Cup champ Mike Rupp took to the airwaves to echo confidence in Matthews, predicting it’s an “automatic over” for the Leafs star to go over 40 goals.
“I think this is an automatic over,” said Rupp. “I think it’s an automatic over just because he has always kind of been that big year, maybe in his realm of what you expect from Auston Matthews, a subpar year, but still 30-some goals or wherever that’s at. The next year will have a big year,” Rupp said. “The last two years you’re waiting for him to kind of get back. And I think he does get back. I think there’s some new excitement in Toronto. I think he kind of, in some ways, put the organization on watch and maybe himself… He wants to ultimately win a Stanley Cup, too.”
With the Maple Leafs featuring a new head coach in Jim Hiller — he was an assistant coach in Toronto during Matthews’ first few years — and a reloaded lineup, it’s easy to envision Matthews enjoying a rejuvenation this year.
With that being said, there’s obviously going to be a few doubters along the way.
Ex-Maple Leafs Veteran Blasts Auston Matthews After Career Low Season