As captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, star forward Auston Matthews faces a great deal of pressure. Pressure that one of the best hockey players in the NHL has embraced. He has only been captain for a year, but his impact on the team cannot be understated.
While not a member of the Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has played with Matthews many times. He’s known Matthews since he was a young teenager, in addition to playing with him at the 4 Nations Faceoff last year.
Tkachuk made an appearance on the Leafs Morning Take podcast and had some things to share about Matthews. He summed up what kind of captain he is in two words.
Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk
Being a captain in a hockey-crazed Canadian market is something that Tkachuk and Matthews share. But the one thing that stands out for Tkachuk is how “dialed in” Matthews is.
“I was just super impressed with just how dialed in he was, and how even keel he was,” Tkachuk said on the August 12th episode of the Leafs Morning Take podcast. “It almost felt like nothing bothers him. He was just going to go out there and lead by example with his work ethic. And I think a lot of the things he does goes under-the-radar.”
Tkachuk added that the way Matthews carries himself is “so professional.” He also expressed his gratitude for the time spent with him, which helped him become a better captain.
“I was very lucky to be able to learn from him.”
Auston Matthews is One of the Best Players in the NHL
Tkachuk reveals that he’s known the Maple Leafs captain since he was a young teenager.
“I’ve known Auston since I was 14 or 15,” Tkachuk revealed to the podcast hosts. “He’s so funny and a great guy to be around, and it was pretty awesome for me to be able to learn from him as a captain, and what makes him, himself.”
“Of course, he’s one of the best players in the NHL.”
Since entering the NHL in the 2016-17 season, no one has scored more goals than Matthews. His 401 goals put him ahead of Leon Draisaitl (378), Alex Ovechkin (372), David Pastrnak (366), and Connor McDavid (345).
Additionally, he’s got some impressive hardware in his closet. He won the Calder Trophy as the best rookie in the NHL, the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, and the Ted Lindsay as the best player. Not to mention the three Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies he’s collected by being the top goal-scorer during those three seasons.
The only thing he (seemingly) doesn’t have is a Stanley Cup.
Not only does Matthews score goals like one of the best players in the NHL, he’s paid like one of the best players. Heading into the 2025-26, Matthews will be the second-highest paid player behind the Edmonton Oilers‘ Draisaitl. Matthews is in the second year of a four-year $13.25-million contract. Draisaitl is entering the first year of his eight-year, $14-million committment to Edmonton.
To score at the rate that Matthews does, and be paid like he is, he can’t be anything other than “dialed in.” And the bonus for Maple Leafs fans? He wants to be around for the long-haul.
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