Last year, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews had what was considered an underwhelming 2022-23 NHL season. In total, Matthews scored 40 goals and added 45 assists for 85 points in 74 games played.
For the majority of the players in the league, that would be a stellar season, but for the Toronto Maple Leafs star, it was considered to be a disappointment after coming off his Hart Trophy MVP season in 2021-22 when he became the first NHL player to score 60 since Steven Stamkos did it a decade ago in 2011-12.
Added to the fact that the Leafs ended up losing to the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, Matthews vowed to be a man on a mission heading into the 2023-24 NHL season.