It didn’t take Auston Matthews very long to become a fan favourite in Toronto.
In his NHL debut, the 2016 first overall draft pick notched four goals on six shots and finished with a plus-three rating. That was just the beginning of something special, as Matthews ended up finishing with 40 goals and 69 points in 82 games and added another four goals and one assist in six playoff games.
The 2017 Calder Memorial Trophy winner turned 20 on Sunday and he celebrated his birthday with a day full of hockey and media appearances.
Although the Maple Leafs have made quite a few changes over the past year and a half, one thing they plan on keeping the same this season is rolling all season long without an official team captain. Young captains used to be a rare thing in the NHL, but now it’s becoming a lot more normal.
Of course, even though the team says they won’t name someone the captain this year, it’s very possible they change their mind. Here’s the latest BarDown Toonz from the one and only Pengellyink, which portrays Auston Matthews with his sights set on the ‘C’.
Do you think Matthews will be rocking the ‘C’ on his sweater before he turns 21, or is someone else going to be named team captain when the time comes?
