Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates after scoring the go-ahead goal in the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
With the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs just two days away for the Toronto Maple Leafs, members of the team hit the ice on Friday for an optional skate, gearing up for their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
Speaking with reporters after the skate, general manager Brad Treliving took a moment to highlight the play of the club’s captain, Auston Matthews, whose season, though statistically quieter by his own standards, was as good as he’s ever seen it.
“We talk about a down year because he didn't score 69 goals, right?” Treliving said. “I think he's led our team. We've talked a little bit about the change and tweaks in how we play, I think Auston has been front and center in leading that way. I think he's an elite two-way No. 1 centerman in the league. Just the evolution of Auston, everything gets talked about is goal scoring, and it should. He shoots it in the net as good as anybody, but what he does away from the puck sets the standard for everybody else.”
Matthews’ season was somewhat of a tale of two halves. He battled through the worst part of a lingering upper-body injury from September through December — a stretch Treliving acknowledged as the toughest of the season. The injury limited the Leafs’ captain to just 67 games, missing 15 in total.
He did not put up the same numbers goal-wise as his typical 40-plus goal seasons, yet he still managed to total 33 goals, 45 assists, and 78 points. His offensive numbers, while solid, don’t tell the full story regarding the impact he had on a nightly basis.
“The way he checks. And so the numbers, I know we can say, okay, his goal-scoring may be down. I think his game, his overall game, is as good as I've ever seen
Since mid-March, after the 4 Nations Face-Off, Matthews has looked like a player back in rhythm. He closed the regular season on a tear, registering points in 13 of the final 17 games (10G, 12A). He ended the year riding a three-game goal and point streak, capping off the stretch with four points in his last three outings.
More importantly, he helped lead Toronto to an Atlantic Division title — just the third since 1967. Tuesday's win over the Buffalo Sabres sealed the top spot in the Atlantic, and in that same game, Matthews hit another personal milestone.
The 26-year-old became the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to score 400 goals, reaching the mark in just 628 games. He hit the milestone quicker than Alex Ovechkin (634), trailing only legends like Wayne Gretzky (436), Mike Bossy (506), Mario Lemieux (508), Brett Hull (520), and Jari Kurri (608).
Matthews became just the 110th player in NHL history, and the 10th active, to reach 400 goals, joining some elite company. He’s also only the second player in Leafs’ franchise history to reach the mark, trailing only Mats Sundin’s 420 goals.
While he’s often defined by his goal-scoring prowess, Treliving believes Matthews has taken another step in evolving his overall game during his first year as captain. As the postseason approaches, the Leafs will count on Matthews for the complete game he’s worked hard to refine.
Due to his adjustments, Toronto just might be more ready for the road ahead than ever before.
