Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Auston Matthews

How Auston Matthews built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Auston Matthews is a celebrated American professional ice hockey centre, currently serving as captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. He is renowned as one of the premier players globally, particularly noted for his exceptional goal-scoring abilities, often drawing comparisons to Alexander Ovechkin. His skill and impact have solidified his position as a leading figure in contemporary hockey.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1966: Calder Memorial Trophy

In 1966, Auston Matthews was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, with 164 of 167 first-place votes.

1986: Four Consecutive Playoff Games

In 1986, Auston Matthews' four consecutive games with a goal marked the first time since 1986 that a teenager scored in four straight playoff games, when Wendel Clark did it, also with Toronto.

1992: Shots on Goal in All Games

In 1992, Auston Matthews was also the only NHL rookie since the Winnipeg Jets' Teemu Selänne in 1992–93 to record at least one shot on goal in all 82 regular season games.

2004: Rookie season milestone

In 2004, Auston Matthews became the second rookie since the 2004–05 lockout to reach the milestone (along with Alexander Ovechkin).

2004: Playoffs First Time

In 2004, Auston Matthews' play assisted the Maple Leafs in making the playoffs for the first time in a full 82 game season since 2004.

2007: First American picked with top selection

In 2007, Auston Matthews became the first American to be picked with the top selection since Patrick Kane in 2007.

2007: Single-season goal record

In 2007, Auston Matthews surpassed Alexander Ovechkin's 65 single-season goal record.

2012: Drafted by Everett Silvertips

In 2012, Auston Matthews was drafted 57th overall by the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Everett Silvertips in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

2014: IIHF World U18 Championship Gold

In 2014, Auston Matthews helped lead the United States men's national under-18 ice hockey team to gold at the IIHF World U18 Championship.

August 7, 2015: Signs with ZSC Lions

On August 7, 2015, Auston Matthews signed a one-year contract to play in the Swiss National League A (NLA) for ZSC Lions.

September 18, 2015: NLA Debut

On September 18, 2015, Auston Matthews made his NLA debut and scored his first goal against HC Fribourg-Gottéron.

2015: Swiss Cup

In 2015, Matthews recorded two assists in a 4–1 win over Lausanne HC in the 2015–16 Swiss Cup final.

February 3, 2016: Swiss Cup win

On February 3, 2016, Matthews recorded two assists in a 4–1 win over Lausanne HC in the 2015–16 Swiss Cup final.

June 2016: Drafted first overall by Toronto Maple Leafs

In late June 2016, Auston Matthews was selected first overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

October 12, 2016: NHL Debut and Four Goals

On October 12, 2016, Auston Matthews made his NHL debut and scored four goals against the Ottawa Senators.

2016: IIHF World Junior Championships

At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk led the United States men's national junior ice hockey team in scoring with 11 points each. The United States won the bronze medal.

2016: First NHL season

In 2016, Auston Matthews scored 4 goals in his NHL debut and 40 goals in his first season, setting the Maple Leafs rookie record.

2016: World Cup of Hockey

In 2016, Auston Matthews was a member of Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He played on the top line but did not help North America to a medal finish, ending with three points in three games.

2016: Drafted into the NHL

In 2016, Auston Matthews was drafted into the NHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had previously played for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League, winning a Swiss Cup title that same year.

2016: Eligible for NHL draft

In 2016, Matthews was eligible for the NHL entry draft, having missed the 2015 NHL entry draft cutoff date of birth by two days.

January 10, 2017: Selected for NHL All-Star Game

On January 10, 2017, Auston Matthews was the only Leafs player selected to participate in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game.

March 28, 2017: Breaks Leafs' Rookie Goal Record

On March 28, 2017, Auston Matthews scored his 35th goal of the season, surpassing Wendel Clark's previous record for most goals in a season by a Leafs' rookie.

October 2017: Ovechkin's achievement

In October 2017, Ovechkin became the first player to score back-to-back hat tricks at the start of the season.

November 28, 2017: End of Shot Streak

On November 28, 2017, Auston Matthews's 103-game streak of consecutive games with a shot on goal to start his career ended in a 4–1 victory over the Calgary Flames.

2017: Rest Recommendation

Following the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round elimination in the 2017 playoffs, Auston Matthews was advised by the team to forego participating in the 2017 IIHF World Championship and to rest instead.

January 10, 2018: All-Star Selection

On January 10, 2018, Auston Matthews was selected as the sole Maple Leaf to participate in the 2018 NHL All-Star Game.

October 3, 2018: Season Opening Goal and Overtime Winner

On October 3, 2018, Auston Matthews scored the team's first goal along with the overtime-winning goal in a 3–2 win against the Montreal Canadiens.

February 5, 2019: Contract Extension

On February 5, 2019, Auston Matthews signed a new five-year, $58.17 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with an average annual value of $11.634 million, effective from the 2019–20 season.

February 25, 2019: Third Consecutive 30-Goal Season

On February 25, 2019, Auston Matthews reached the 30-goal mark for the third consecutive season after scoring in a 5–3 win over the Buffalo Sabres, becoming the first Maple Leaf to achieve this feat in his first three seasons.

October 3, 2019: Scoring in Fourth Season Opener

On October 3, 2019, Auston Matthews scored two goals in the season opener against the Ottawa Senators, becoming the fourth player in NHL history to score in each of their first four season openers.

2020: Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

In 2020, Auston Matthews won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer with 41 goals in 52 games.

2021: Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

In 2021, Auston Matthews became the first Maple Leaf to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, awarded to the player with the most goals in the regular season.

January 3, 2023: Fastest Leafs Player to 500 Career Points

On January 3, 2023, Auston Matthews became the fastest Toronto Maple Leafs player to register 500 career points in a game against the St. Louis Blues.

August 23, 2023: Matthews Signs Contract Extension

On August 23, 2023, Auston Matthews signed a four-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs with an average annual salary of $13.25 million.

February 2024: All-Star Game MVP

In February 2024, Auston Matthews was elected one of four team captains to draft a team in the 2024 All-Star Game hosted in Toronto. Matthews won the tournament and was awarded the All-Star Game MVP.

February 21, 2024: Fastest American to 50 Goals

By February 21, 2024, Auston Matthews climbed to 51 goals, marking the fastest pace for an American player to reach the 50-goal mark.

March 30, 2024: Multiple 60-Goal Seasons

On March 30, 2024, Auston Matthews became the ninth player in NHL history to have multiple 60-goal seasons.

April 6, 2024: Second 100-Point Season

On April 6, 2024, Auston Matthews recorded his 100th point of the season, marking the second 100-point season of his career.

August 14, 2024: Matthews Named Maple Leafs Captain

On August 14, 2024, Auston Matthews was named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, becoming the 26th captain in franchise history and the franchise’s first American-born captain.

2024: Single-season goal record

In 2024, Auston Matthews set the single-season goal record of the salary cap era with a total of 69 goals.

January 2025: Named Captain of Team USA

In January 2025, Auston Matthews was announced as the captain of the United States men's national ice hockey team in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. He played three games, had three assists, and Team USA was the runner-up after losing to Team Canada.

April 15, 2025: Matthews Scores 400th Career Goal

On April 15, 2025, Auston Matthews scored his 400th career goal in a game against the Buffalo Sabres, becoming the sixth-fastest player to reach the mark.