Auston Matthews got off to one of the hottest starts we’ve ever seen as he scored 10 goals through the first seven games of the season and totaled 16 points during that span. However, the 21-year-old has hit a bit of a wall as of late as he hasn’t found the back of the net since January 5, and has just eight goals since December 1.
Despite not having any luck in the goal category as of late, Matthews says he isn’t worried about his recent scoring slump as he’s ‘too good’ for the drought to persist.
“It’s frustrating, of course, the last couple of weeks or so. If the chances aren’t coming that’s when you really get frustrated, but for me I’m getting chances just not getting the bounces. Last night the puck’s laying there on the goal line and doesn’t creep over. Getting goals called back. Hitting posts. I mean, there’s no excuses I’m a guy that wants to score goals and I’m going to do everything I can to put the puck in the net, but sometimes the puck doesn’t bounce your way. For me, I just want to keep going, I just need to put my head down and work hard, work hard every night. Sooner or later, I think I’m too good of a player for these chances to continue to come along and not capitalize on them. For me, it’s obviously frustrating but I’ve just got to keep it going and keep working hard and hopefully they start coming.”
A scoring drought could really get the best of some people’s confidence, but Matthews doesn’t seem to be taking his recent slump to heart as much as everyone might think. After all, he still has 42 points in 33 games even without scoring a goal in eight games and without registering a point in four of his past six games, so it’s easy to see how he’s staying confident during his recent struggles.
Matthews isn’t the only member of the Leafs struggling as of late and he won’t be the last player, either. William Nylander’s return to the NHL hasn’t gone as planned as he has just one goal and three points in 19 games to go with a -9 rating and his confidence appears to have taken a bit of hit from it.
The Maple Leafs have just three wins over their past eight games but still sit in second place in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the entire NHL despite their recent struggles.
