On this day in 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs opened their season against the Ottawa Senators in a game that doubled as the NHL debut of a notable rookie.
Months earlier, the Maple Leafs won the draft lottery and used the first overall pick on an elite shooting forward from the Zurich Lions in Auston Matthews.
The Arizona native would go on to usher in a new era of hockey in Toronto, and he did it under the brightest lights possible, in a grudge match against the Leafs' bitter rival in the Battle of Ontario.
Being dropped into that rivalry in his first NHL game was no easy task, but Matthews quickly made it one of the most memorable editions in the history of the two franchises. He opened the scoring with a netfront goal off a feed from Zach Hyman, shocking Leafs fans in the building and around the world. His mother, Ema, provided the most memorable reaction of all.
Matthews later tied the game after picking the pocket of Norris trophy winning defenseman Erik Karlsson for his second goal of the night. He scored his third off a feed from Morgan Rielly, wide open in the slot, and finished off the second period with his fourth goal on a cross-crease pass from William Nylander.
Despite the historic four-goal performance, Matthews could not carry the Leafs to a win. Kyle Turris scored the overtime winner for the Senators.
10 years of highs, with some recent lows
Since then, Matthews' star has burned as bright as any in the league, with the now 29-year-old experiencing his share of highs and lows in Toronto. After scoring 40 goals as a rookie, he was arguably the best goal scorer on the planet from 2016 through the 2023-24 season, when he scored 69 goals in a single year.
In that span, he recorded 368 goals and 281 assists for 649 points in 562 games, finishing 40 goals ahead of the next closest player, NHL all-time goals leader Alex Ovechkin.
Some believed that, at his pace, Matthews might one day catch Ovechkin. But the consistent superstar was eventually hit by the injury bug as he got older. In 2024-25, he was still a force, posting 78 points in 67 games, but this past season an injury noticeably affected him.
Coupled with fatigue from the Olympics, where he captained Team USA to a gold medal, he returned to the Maple Leafs, played a few games and was shut down for the season. He finished with 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points in 60 games, the first time since his rookie year that he did not average a point per game.
Matthews is back to superstar form
Now, a decade later, many believe Matthews is fully healthy and back to the level he played at ten years ago. He has looked noticeably different this season, and the numbers back it up with four goals and six assists for ten points through the first six games, including a pair of four-point outings.
Matthews still carries the star power that made him an instant household name a decade ago, and he will look to keep leading Toronto into the future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google