Since the beginning of Auston Matthews' career, he has been known for one thing, and that is goal scoring. Ever since his debut in Ottawa, where he scored four goals, everyone knew he had a special scoring touch and would easily establish himself as one of the lethal scores in the NHL. Matthews did not disappoint, winning multiple Rocket Richard Trophies, a Hart Trophy, the Calder Memorial Trophy, multiple 60-goal seasons, and a new franchise record. Matthews has always had the scoring touch, but since Craig Berube took over the Maple Leafs bench, we have seen a new dynamic form in Matthews game.
A far more complete player
Under Craig Berube, Matthews has been asked to be a more complete player. Since day one of the Berube era, the Maple Leafs were forced to play a more balanced style of hockey, the kind that will win you playoff series. The Leafs have played a heavier and more defensive style of hockey. The Leafs were now winning tight, checking low-event hockey games. Many of the Maple Leafs players saw declines in offensive numbers, but as a result, the Leafs won their first Atlantic Division title in decades. There was a very clear change, stars like Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares were playing a different style of hockey, pounce on your opportunities but know when to defend and shut your opponents down.
While Matthews has become a more complete player, many believe that he is not the player he used to be. Fans will refer to Matthews now as a "third-line checking forward." While this would be fine if the Maple Leafs were seeing success like they did last season, they have not. In the early stages of the season, the Leafs were playing some of the worst hockey we have seen in the Matthews era. Losing games and being well outside of a playoff spot. This narrative has switched quickly as the Maple Leafs are one of the hottest teams in the NHL as of late, and they can owe their successes to Auston Matthews.
The scoring touch is coming back
Over this past stretch of Maple Leafs hockey, Matthews has dominated. Over his past six games, Matthews has produced 11 points, including seven goals. Matthews has done all of this while playing a strong defensive game. The Leafs, as of late, have limited their opponents' chances while driving the play. This structure has taken time for Matthews to learn. After eight seasons of playing a different style of hockey, it is understandable for this to take some time. Now that Matthews has figured out how to balance defence and offence, we could see a far more well-rounded, dangerous Auston Matthews.
What the Leafs need out of him moving forwrd
The Maple Leafs don't need Matthews to score a million goals to win games. The Leafs need their former first overall pick to be more balanced and score at a high rate while being reliable defensively. They need Matthews to control the ice in all three zones, especially when the game matters most. This evolution suggests Matthews is trending toward exactly that. The goals will always be there. What’s being built now is something bigger. And if this version of Auston Matthews continues to grow, the best hockey of his career may still be ahead of him.