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Auston Matthews is widely regarded as one of the best forwards in the modern NHL. Matthews has consistently performed at the highest level since making his debut in the league in 2016.
Matthews has been scoring 30 goals or more for the Toronto Maple Leafs since 2016 and established himself as the NHL's next big thing. However, the 2022-23 NHL season has seen a slight dip in his ability to score goals.
After being forced to withdraw from two games in January of this year, there was concern and speculation that Matthews was suffering from a problematic injury.
Auston Matthews recently spoke with The Athletic's Jonas Seigel about the hand issues he is dealing with.
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"It was bothering me," Mathews said. "It just felt like something was off. I just felt like I wasn't able to do exactly what I wanted to at times. I think my hand and everything has been feeling a lot better, just stronger."
The 25-year-old Leafs star forward scored 60 goals and won the Hart Memorial Trophy during the 2021-22 season.
This season has been slightly different for Auston Matthews, which can be attributed to the hand issues he is experiencing. Despite this, he has scored over 30 goals for the seventh consecutive campaign in his NHL career.
The 25-year-old forward has scored 31 goals in 60 games with 36 assists for a total of 67 points for the Maple Leafs this season. With 31 goals, Matthews is currently the second-leading goal scorer for the Leafs.
Auston Matthews' NHL stats and accolades
Auston Matthews was the first overall pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL entry draft. He is into the seventh year with the Leafs. During that time, the 25-year-old star forward has accumulated 524 points from 234 assists and 290 goals in 467 games.
Matthews has earned the Calder Memorial Trophy, the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (2), the Hart Memorial Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award. He has appeared in six NHL All-Star games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently second in the Atlantic Division with 89 points and are among the favorites to lift the 2023 Stanley Cup. Matthews will be hoping to win his first title this time and it will be intriguing to see if the 25-year-old can overcome his injury and help his side in their quest.
