Matthews turning back clock for Maple Leafs

TORONTO -- There's something different about Auston Matthews these days.

His coach sees it. His teammates can feel it. And Toronto Maple Leafs fans are quickly realizing it.

Six months ago, there were so many questions lingering over and around the Maple Leafs captain.

How would he physically respond following surgery March 19 after suffering a grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion in his left leg in a knee-on-knee collision with then-Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in a 6-4 win against at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on March 12?

At the same time, how invested was he in his future with a franchise that finished last in the Atlantic Division (32-36-14) in 2025-26 and was looking for a new general manager and direction after firing GM Brad Treliving?

Just over a week into the new season, Matthews seems to have positively answered those queries, fueling optimism among all concerned.

Just ask Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller, who was blown away by the veteran center's four-point performance (one goal, three assists) capped off by his overtime winner in Toronto's dramatic 5-4 overtime victory against the Nashville Predators Tuesday. It was, in the end, a reminder of a time when Matthews was one of the most dominant players in the NHL.

"Yeah, it really was for me," Hiller said afterward. "I thought he's been really good all the whole camp. He's working on every puck. But tonight, for me, just a little bit different tonight. And from just a pure hockey perspective, to appreciate his game tonight was really a special night for him. I know he scored the overtime winner. I'm not talking about that. Just his game start to finish."

It would not be the only time Hiller would use the word "special" to describe Matthews.

"What I really felt was, you know, there's lots of players that played really well, but I really felt something special from Auston tonight," he said. "If you go back and watch that game, just go shift by shift on his game, you'll see all the great things that have been said about him."

In other words, he was dominant in the type of way he was on so many nights in the three-year span from 2021-24 when he averaged just over 56 goals per season, including a team-record 69 in 2023-24.

Unfortunately, Matthews seemed like a different player the past two seasons, averaging 30 goals per and missing a total of 37 games with a variety of ailments. In November 2024, he flew to a clinic in Germany to receive treatment for an upper-body injury, igniting speculation that he might never be at that same elite level again.

He certainly wasn't in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

But the flashes he's shown early on in 2026-27 indicate that he's trending upwards again, backing up GM John Chayka's claim last month that he's pretty much 100 percent healthy again.

It certainly looked that way to teammate William Nylander Tuesday.

"He was humming all over the puck, you know, winning battles, and creating a lot of offense," Nylander said. "So he was cooking."

Like he so often was during his glory years.

For Chayka, Hiller and senior advisor Mats Sundin, just as important as Matthews' production on the ice is his buy-in off it, in terms of the direction the team's brain trust wants the franchise to go in.

Compare that to the vibe of uncertainty surrounding him during the Maple Leafs exit meetings in April when there was no GM and, at the time, no apparent blueprint. Did he want to stay with the Maple Leafs with two seasons remaining on the four-year, $53 million contract ($13.25 million average annual value) he signed on Aug. 25, 2023?

"I can't predict the future," he told reporters on April 16. "There are steps that have to take place. They've got to hire new leadership in management. I don't really know. I can't really predict the future."

Half a year later, the narrative around Matthews has significantly changed for the positive. Chayka, Sundin and, subsequently, Hiller, were hired; the roster has gone through a significant upheaval featuring additions like forwards Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul and Kirill Marchenko, defenseman Darren Raddysh, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky; and the Maple Leafs won the Draft Lottery, which eventually netted them No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna.

"With John here now, I really like what he's done this summer," Matthews said during the opening of training camp last month. "I think he's made some great changes, brought in some great people, some great players, great outside hires as well, and it's been great so far meeting everybody.

"It's been super positive. Great energy at the rink."

And away from it, thanks in part to Matthews who appears to be embracing his captaincy like never before.

In the days leading up to the regular season, he hosted players and management at his home during a team-bonding trip to Arizona. He, like teammate John Tavares, has taken McKenna under his wing, including having the rookie over for a "sleepover" Sunday to watch football and have sandwiches. Earlier that same day, it was Matthews who led his teammates on the ice in what was supposed to be an optional practice.

All the while, he seems more relaxed, more upbeat and certainly more available to reporters. In summation: he seems to be more comfortable in his own skin.

Hiller was an assistant on then-coach Mike Babcock's staff from 2015-19 and had the chance to work with Matthews after the Maple Leafs selected him No. 1 in the 2016 NHL Draft. A decade later, he's impressed how Matthews' leadership has grown and said he's fully worthy of wearing the "C" for the Maple Leafs.

"It's everything I could've hoped for," Hiller said. "Spent three years with him when he was a young guy and I felt I could just see someday him being the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and leading and playing the game the right way."

Yes, four games does not a season make. It's a short body of work, to be sure. Whether this version of Matthews is sustainable remains to be seen, beginning with a difficult three-game road trip that features matchups against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN4), Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

"Four games in, we want to continue to find (chemistry)," Matthews said of the 2-2-0 start. "I think it's a great opportunity to get away here, enjoy ourselves, spend time with one another, and play some very good teams.

"It's going to be a reality test for us."

For Matthews as well as the team.