Under the luminescent lights of Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, where the echoes of skates on ice intertwine with the roar of an impassioned crowd, Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs’ center extraordinaire, accomplished a herculean task. He netted his 50th goal of the season, an achievement that etched his name into the annals of hockey history as the fastest American-born player to reach this milestone.
Amidst an electrifying power play in the game’s tender minutes, at precisely 5:01 of the first period against the Arizona Coyotes—his hometown team—Matthews’ wrist shot from the right face-off circle sliced through the air, a harbinger of his record-setting moment. It was more than just a goal; it was a 2-0 lead, a declaration that the night would belong to him.
But Matthews wasn’t content with just one. His 51st goal, unleashed at 16:07 of the second period, fortified Toronto’s dominance with a 4-2 advantage. In doing so, Matthews shattered his previous best—50 goals in 62 games—a record held jointly with the celebrated Kevin Stevens from the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins epoch.
Yet, it wasn’t just his past self or Stevens that Matthews surpassed. He outpaced the present, outshining the well-regarded Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who established a brisk pace with 61 games last season. Even amidst the hallowed echoes of Wayne Gretzky’s record-setting sprint to 50 goals in 39 games during the 1981-82 season, Matthews’ feat stood prominent.
For the Scottsdale, Arizona, native who grew up breathing the desert air just a stone’s throw from the arena, this marked the second ascent to a 50-goal summit in three seasons, expanding his legend after a 60-goal bounty in 2021-22. His speed to this peak—over the past 35 seasons—is outmatched by only eight, and he stands proudly among the four active players with more than one 50-goal season claim, a testament to his enduring prowess and the skill of those he joins: Alex Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl, and Steven Stamkos.
In a post-period interview, Matthews shared his achievement as an inspiration for young Arizonan hockey players, proclaiming his ethos that fervent dreams, combined with relentless work, carve the pathway to reality. As the Maple Leafs’ beacon, his gratitude is profound, and his commitment to elevate his game is unwavering.
Brian Matthews, Auston’s father, sharing in the triumph of the moment with Sportsnet, knew the sweat and dedication behind his son’s electric performance. “It’s an amazing feeling,” he said, a sentiment shared by the family aware of the summers of toil that fostered such success.
Since being chosen first in the 2016 NHL Draft, Matthews’ goal-scoring prowess averages at 0.65 per game, with 350 goals across 535 games. His sharpshooting excellence has remained a consistent force, with his tally never slipping below 34 goals each season for the Leafs.
Now 26, Matthews not only leads the league in goals since his NHL commencement but also strides confidently toward a projected 70-goal season—a rarefied air breathed only 14 times in NHL history, the last inhalation taken by Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93. His recent performances, which include a plethora of goals spanning the previous four games—a hat trick against the Flyers and another in the demolition of the Ducks—fortify his ceaseless hunt for greatness.
Clutching two Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies and boasting six hat tricks this season—chasing Gretzky’s record of 10—he continues to carve his legacy—one that dances on the precipice of history, tempting the fates with each thunderous shot.
