The new Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, made a statement about what it represents to play with Auston Matthews that speaks volumes.
Bobrovsky appeared before the media during media availability this Monday, Sept. 14, on the occasion of the Leafs & Legends Charity Golf Classic.
The 37-year-old goalie did not hide his happiness about now playing with Matthews instead of playing against him.
“What’s it been like getting to know Auston a bit, and how happy are you to be on his side and not have him shooting on you?” Bobrovsky was asked.
He said, “Yeah, you’re exactly right. I’m so happy that I’m not gonna play against him. He’s an unbelievably skilled player, you know. He’s got everything on him: shot, size, you know, vision, everything. So to see him in practice and to be around him, it’s an honor, you know, and I’m excited to play with him.”
Clearly, Bobrovsky’s words reflect the elite status that the Russian has, and also the class when speaking about a colleague who is at Matthews’ level.
Bobrovsky signed a three-year contract with Toronto, extending through the end of the 2028-29 season, with a $7 million cap hit and a total value of $21 million.
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And it is clear he’s not the only one who thinks well of Matthews. In a recent edition of TSN’s “Overdrive,” Brian Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan talked about the expectations surrounding the Leafs’ captain for this upcoming season. Their take was clear and concrete: as long as he stays healthy, he could reach 50 goals or more.
“He’s got to stay healthy. Like, you’re not chasing 50 if you play 60 games. You know, it’s not going to happen. In order for him to get to 50, he’s got to play 80 games, for sure,” Hayes said.
“You’re going to miss maybe a couple games here or there, but he’s got to play 80 games. And maybe that’s a better question. You know, what’s the percentage that he’s going to play a full season? Because he’s been injury-prone the last two years, and that is what has to happen first.”
“In order for him to get rocking again, got to be healthy. And it’s not healthy day one of camp. It’s healthy through the grind of the season, where you’re playing a lot of games, you have a target on your back every single night, and you’ve got to fight through it. And like when he was at his best, the guy was playing every night.”
What Sergei Bobrovsky Said About Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Speaks Volumes