Gavin McKenna let something slip after his first goal
What he and Auston Matthews did has fans in stitches
Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews is an American centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs, born on 17 September 1997 in San Ramon, California and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. Toronto took Matthews first overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, and Matthews scored four goals in a debut against Ottawa on 12 October 2016, the first player in the modern NHL to do that. Toronto named Matthews the 26th captain in franchise history on 14 August 2024, the first American in the job.
| Position | Centre, shoots left |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 September 1997, San Ramon, California, United States |
| Drafted | 2016, first overall, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| NHL teams | Toronto Maple Leafs, from 2016-17 |
| Jersey | No. 34 |
| Milestones | Four goals in his NHL debut on 12 October 2016; 69 goals in 2023-24; 400th NHL goal on 15 April 2025; Maple Leafs all-time goals record on 3 January 2026 |
| Honours | Calder Memorial Trophy 2017; Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award 2022; Rocket Richard Trophy 2021, 2022 and 2024; Olympic gold with the United States in 2026 |
| Known for | A wrist shot released off the rush, and the biggest single-season goal total of the salary-cap era |
Why Auston Matthews wears No. 34
Auston Matthews has worn No. 34 since the first NHL season, and the number was not free of history when Matthews took it. James Reimer had worn 34 in the Maple Leafs net for more than five seasons, and joked in October 2016 that he might slash the rookie in warmups over it. Hockey outlets have traced the choice to the childhood nickname Papi and to the baseball player David Ortiz, who wore 34 for the Boston Red Sox, although Matthews has not set out the story in a single quote of his own. At Toronto's 2016 development camp, before 34 was assigned, Matthews wore 63.
Why did Auston Matthews play in Switzerland?
Auston Matthews was born on 17 September 1997, two days past the cut-off for the 2015 NHL Draft, which left a full season to fill before Matthews was draft eligible. Rather than take the college or Canadian junior route, Matthews signed with the ZSC Lions in the Swiss league and made a professional debut on 18 September 2015. Matthews finished that season with 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games, second in scoring on the Lions and tenth in the league, and was voted the league's youngster of the year. Toronto drafted Matthews first overall the following June.
How many goals has Auston Matthews scored?
The honest way to answer this is by milestone rather than by running total. Auston Matthews scored 69 goals in 2023-24, the highest single-season figure of the salary-cap era, passing the 65 Alexander Ovechkin scored in 2007-08, and that season brought a third Rocket Richard Trophy after 2021 and 2022. Matthews also had a 60-goal season in 2021-22, and led the league with 41 goals in 52 games in the shortened 2020-21 season. The 400th NHL goal came on 15 April 2025, and on 3 January 2026 Matthews passed Mats Sundin as the leading goalscorer in Maple Leafs history.
Auston Matthews as captain of Toronto and of the United States
Toronto named Auston Matthews the 26th captain in Maple Leafs history on 14 August 2024, the first American to hold the title in a franchise founded in 1917. Matthews was then named captain of the United States for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the Americans beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final on 22 February 2026 for a first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980, Jack Hughes scoring the overtime goal. The losing dressing room is covered in Sidney Crosby's first words after that final.
