Auston Matthews facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Auston Matthews
Matthews with the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 2022
Born	(1997-09-17) September 17, 1997 (age 27) San Ramon, California, U.S.
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Center
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Toronto Maple Leafs ZSC Lions
National team	United States
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2016 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	2015–present

Auston Taylour Matthews (born September 17, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey player. He plays as a center and is the captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League (NHL). Many people think Auston is one of the best hockey players in the world. He scores goals very often, like famous players such as Alexander Ovechkin.

Auston was born in San Ramon, California. His family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona when he was a baby. He played both baseball and hockey when he was young. He became very interested in hockey after watching the local Phoenix Coyotes team play.

Auston played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He then played for the ZSC Lions in Switzerland before joining the NHL. In 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs chose him as the very first player in the draft. He also won a Swiss Cup title that same year.

Auston made history by scoring four goals in his very first NHL game. In his first season (2016–17), he scored 40 goals. This was a new record for a Maple Leafs rookie. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. In 2020–21, he won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals in the league. He won this award again in 2021–22 and 2023–24.

In 2021–22, Auston set new records for goals scored by an American player and a Maple Leaf in one season. He scored 60 goals that year. He also won the Ted Lindsay Award (best player voted by other players) and the Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player). He has been chosen to play in the NHL All-Star Game six times. In 2024, he scored 69 goals, which was the most goals in the NHL's salary cap era.

Auston has also played for the United States in many international tournaments. He was named captain of Team USA for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Early Life and First Skates

Auston Taylour Matthews was born in San Ramon, California, on September 17, 1997. His father, Brian, is from California, and his mother, Ema, is from Mexico. When Auston was two months old, his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. He started going to Phoenix Coyotes games when he was two. He loved watching the Zamboni machine clean the ice.

Auston first wanted to play hockey just after his fifth birthday. He started playing with the Arizona Bobcats. When he was eight, he saw Alexander Ovechkin score a famous goal. Auston later called it "probably one of the best goals ever."

As a child, Auston played both hockey and baseball. His father said baseball was his best sport. But Auston chose hockey because he didn't like how slow baseball was. His main coach when he was young was Boris Dorozhenko. Boris had started Mexico's national ice hockey program.

Becoming a Professional Player

Junior Hockey Journey

The Western Hockey League (WHL) team, the Everett Silvertips, drafted Auston in 2012. But he decided to play for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program instead. This program plays in the United States Hockey League (USHL).

In his second season with the U.S. National U18 Team, Auston scored 116 points. This broke the program's record set by Patrick Kane. He was named the most valuable player at the 2015 World U18 Championships. He was also named to the IIHF All-Star Team.

Playing in Switzerland

Matthews in January 2016. He chose to play professionally for his last year before he was eligible for the 2016 NHL entry draft, signing a one-year contract with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League A.

Auston chose to play professionally in Switzerland before he was old enough for the NHL draft. He signed a one-year contract with the ZSC Lions in the Swiss National League A (NLA). He missed the 2015 NHL draft by just two days because of his birth date.

Lions coach Marc Crawford was very impressed by Auston's skating. He quickly signed Auston to the team. Auston made his NLA debut on September 18, 2015. He scored his first goal in that game. He finished the season as one of the top scorers for the Lions. He also won the NLA Rising Star Award.

Amazing NHL Achievements

Starting Strong with the Maple Leafs

In June 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Auston as the first overall player in the NHL draft. He was the first American player to be picked first since Patrick Kane in 2007. On July 21, Auston signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs.

Auston played his first NHL game on October 12, 2016, against the Ottawa Senators. He scored four goals in that game! This was the first time in modern NHL history that a player scored four goals in their debut. His jersey quickly became the best-selling in the NHL.

In December 2016, Auston scored the winning goal in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings. He was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for December. In March 2017, he scored his 35th goal, breaking a Maple Leafs rookie record. He finished his first year with 40 goals, which was the second-most in the NHL.

His great play helped the Maple Leafs make the playoffs for the first time in a long time. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. He was the first Maple Leafs rookie to win this award in 50 years.

Matthews during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, December 2017

Auston set an unofficial NHL record by having a shot on goal in his first 103 games. In December 2017, he missed some games due to a concussion. Even with missing 20 games, he scored 34 goals that season. The Maple Leafs made the playoffs again but lost to the Boston Bruins.

In October 2018, Auston started the season with five goals and three assists in his first three games. He became the youngest player in NHL history to have five multi-point games to start a season. This broke a record set by Wayne Gretzky. He scored his tenth goal of the season in his sixth game.

In February 2019, Auston signed a new five-year contract with the Maple Leafs. He scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals on February 14. He was one of the fastest Maple Leafs to reach this milestone. He finished the 2018–19 season with a career-high 73 points. The Maple Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs again.

Matthews taking part in the Maple Leafs' outdoor practice, January 2020.

At the start of the 2019–20 season, Auston was named an alternate captain. He scored two goals in the first game, becoming the fourth player in NHL history to score in their first four season openers. He finished the shortened season with a career-high 47 goals. This placed him second in the league. The Maple Leafs lost in the qualifying round of the playoffs.

Becoming a Top Scorer

The 2020–21 season was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maple Leafs played only Canadian teams. Auston had his most successful season yet, scoring 41 goals in 52 games. He became the first Maple Leaf to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for most goals. He was also the first American to win it. He was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) but finished second. The Maple Leafs finished first in their division but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Matthews with the puck being chased down by Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd during a game, February 2022

In August 2021, Auston had wrist surgery and missed the start of the 2021–22 season. After a slow start, he began scoring many goals. His teammate, Michael Bunting, called him "the best player in the league." On March 31, 2022, Auston scored his 50th goal of the season. He was the first Maple Leaf to do this since 1994. He also set a team record for reaching 50 goals in the fewest games.

Days later, he scored his seventh hat-trick and tied the Maple Leafs record for goals in a season (54). On April 7, he broke that record with his 55th goal. He also set a new NHL record for most goals in a season by a United States-born player. He reached 100 points in a season for the first time on April 14. On April 26, he scored his 59th and 60th goals. He was the first Maple Leaf to score 60 goals in a season. This earned him his second straight Rocket Richard Trophy.

Auston won both the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award on June 21, 2022. He was the first Maple Leafs player to win the Lindsay Award and the third to win the Hart Trophy in 67 years. Despite his amazing play, the Maple Leafs lost in the first round of the playoffs again.

In January 2023, Auston became the fastest Maple Leafs player to reach 500 career points. He missed three weeks with a knee injury. On March 25, he had 15 shots on goal in a game, tying a team record. The Maple Leafs faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs. Auston scored five goals and four assists. He even had his first career hockey fight! The Maple Leafs won the series, moving past the first round for the first time since 2004. However, they lost in the next round to the Florida Panthers.

Matthews skates in front of Seattle Kraken forward Jaden Schwartz during a game, January 2024

On August 23, 2023, Auston signed a new four-year contract. In October 2023, he started the season with two hat tricks in a row. He was the first player to do this since Alexander Ovechkin in 2017. Auston was chosen as one of the captains for the 2024 All-Star Game in Toronto. His team, with Justin Bieber as a celebrity captain, won the tournament. Auston was named the All-Star Game MVP.

Auston continued to score many goals in the 2023–24 season. By February 2024, he had already scored 51 goals. On March 30, 2024, he scored his 60th goal of the season, making it his second 60-goal season. On April 6, 2024, he reached 100 points for the second time in his career. Three nights later, he scored his 66th goal, breaking Ovechkin's record for goals in the salary cap era. He finished the season with 69 goals, matching Mario Lemieux's accomplishment from 1995–96. He won his third Rocket Richard Trophy. The Maple Leafs lost in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. In the 2025 playoffs, the Maple Leafs won their first-round series but lost in the second round.

Becoming Captain

On August 14, 2024, the Maple Leafs named Auston Matthews their new captain. He is the 26th captain in the team's history and the first American-born captain. On April 15, 2025, Auston scored his 400th career goal. He was the sixth-fastest player to reach this milestone.

Playing for Team USA

Matthews with the United States men's hockey team during the 2016 IIHF World Championships
Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's ice hockey
4 Nations Face-Off
	2025 Canada/United States
IIHF World U20 Championship
Bronze	2016 Finland
IIHF World U18 Championship
Gold	2015 Switzerland
Gold	2014 Finland
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Gold	2014 Canada

Auston helped the United States men's national under-18 ice hockey team win gold medals at the 2014 and 2015 World U18 Championships. In 2015, he was named the MVP of the tournament.

At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships, Auston helped the United States men's national junior ice hockey team win a bronze medal. He scored seven goals in that tournament. Later in 2016, he played for the senior U.S. team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.

Auston was also part of Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He played on the top line with Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid. In January 2025, Auston was named the captain of the United States men's national ice hockey team for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Team USA finished as the runner-up in the tournament.

Auston's Life Off the Ice

Auston comes from a family of athletes. His father played college baseball. His uncle, Wes Matthews, played briefly in the National Football League. Auston's mother is from Mexico, so he can speak some Spanish.

When he moved to Toronto in 2016, he started working out with teammates Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly. Auston's favorite athlete growing up was Kobe Bryant. His favorite sports movie is The Mighty Ducks. He likes players like Jonathan Toews and Anže Kopitar because they play well both offense and defense.

In 2020, Auston tested positive for COVID-19 but had almost no symptoms. During the 2020 lockdown, he lived with teammate Frederik Andersen in Arizona. He also got his dog, a Miniature Bernedoodle named Felix, during that time. Auston was featured on the cover of the video games NHL 20 and NHL 22.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International Play

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014	United States	U17			6	4	4	8	8
2014	United States	WJC18			7	5	2	7	4
2015	United States	WJC18			7	8	7	15	0
2015	United States	WJC	5th		5	1	2	3	4
2016	United States	WJC			7	7	4	11	2
2016	United States	WC	4th		10	6	3	9	2
2016	Team North America	WCH	5th		3	2	1	3	0
Junior totals					32	25	19	44	18
Senior totals					13	8	4	12	2

Awards and Honors

Records

NHL Records

• Most goals scored in an NHL debut in the modern era (four goals).
• Most goals by an American-born rookie (40).
• Most consecutive games with a shot on goal to start a career (103 games).
• Youngest player (age 21) to record multiple points in each of his team's first five games of a season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Records

• Most NHL goals in a season for the Maple Leafs (69 goals in 2023–24).
• Fastest Maple Leafs player to score 25 goals (52 games).
• Most points by a rookie (69).
• Most goals by a rookie (40).
• Most consecutive 30-goal seasons to start a career (nine as of 2024–25).
• Fewest games necessary to score 50 goals in one season (55 games in 2023–24).
• Fastest Maple Leafs player to score 500 points (445 games).