ZURICH — When Auston Matthews was asked to consider the most substantial challenge he faced as an 18-year-old prodigy from Arizona spending a year playing professional hockey in Switzerland, one particular obstacle came to mind quickly.
It was not the speed of the Swiss league (though that is significant), nor was it the expectations that come with being a top N.H.L. draft pick in waiting (though those are considerable). Rather, the complication that Matthews was thinking of was something that requires concentration, diligence and on-the-fly thinking, not to mention some measure of tactile dexterity.
“This might seem a little weird,” he said during a recent interview, “but the recycling here is intense.