Auston Matthews

Auston Matthews - Professional Ice Hockey Player

Auston Matthews is an American professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL.

He was selected 1st overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Matthews is widely regarded as one of the best goal scorers in the league.

Early Life and Development

Auston Matthews was born on September 17, 1997, in San Ramon, California, but grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona.

He played for the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) before opting to play professionally in Switzerland for the ZSC Lions in 2015-16.

In his lone season in Switzerland, Matthews led his team in scoring with 46 points in 36 games.

NHL Career

Matthews made his NHL debut on October 12, 2016, scoring four goals in his first game, an NHL record.

In his rookie season, he recorded 40 goals and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

He won the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in the NHL in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

In 2021-22, Matthews became the first Maple Leafs player to score 60 goals in a season.

International Play

Matthews has represented the United States in multiple international tournaments, including the World Junior Championship and the World Cup of Hockey.

He played for Team USA in the 2016 IIHF World Championship, recording six points in ten games.