The Toronto Maple Leafs just got the news they needed to hear the most this summer. A recent video depicting team captain Auston Matthews has given plenty of cause for optimism this upcoming season.
A video posted by the Arizona State University hockey team shows Matthews skating in drills with other NHLers and members of the university team.
The images show Matthews skating fluidly without any seeming limitations. That’s great news for the Maple Leafs, particularly when considering the significant offseason surgery the former 60-goal scorer underwent.
Auston Matthews sustained an MCL tear, effectively cutting his season short. After going under the knife, it seems he’s back to full strength. And that’s something crucial for the Leafs as they look to get back into the playoff hunt this season.
Here’s a look at the moves Matthews put on the ice.
The former first-overall pick from 2016 had his worst statistical season of his career. His 27 goals and 53 points were all career lows. Even in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Auston Matthews managed to score 41 goals in 52 games.
Unfortunately, the 2025-26 season was the second year in a row that the Maple Leafs superstar has been slowed down by injuries. That’s why there is hope that some additional time off has helped Matthews get back to his former Rocket Richard form.
Maple Leafs Need Matthews Back at His Best
The Maple Leafs don’t necessarily need Auston Matthews to score 60 goals again. But they do need something much closer to the player who routinely made scoring 50 goals look almost ordinary.
That’s what makes these images so encouraging.
Matthews doesn’t have to carry the entire Maple Leafs offense on his back, particularly after the changes Toronto made to its forward group. But there’s a massive difference between having a healthy Matthews capable of driving a line and having one who is simply trying to manage his way through another season.
The 27 goals he scored last season aren’t necessarily a sign that his best days are behind him. Considering the MCL injury and the issues that preceded it, it’s probably more reasonable to view 2025-26 as an outlier.
If Matthews really is entering the season healthy, the Maple Leafs could be getting a player who is capable of making a much bigger impact than his recent numbers suggest.
And frankly, they need him to.
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A Healthy Auston Matthews Changes Everything
There’s another reason the Maple Leafs should be encouraged by what they’re seeing from Matthews.
A healthy Auston Matthews doesn’t just mean more goals. It changes the way opponents have to defend Toronto.
When Matthews is playing at his best, teams have to account for his shooting ability every time he enters the offensive zone. That creates opportunities for the players around him, opens up space and makes the Maple Leafs considerably more difficult to defend.
That’s something Toronto desperately needs after failing to live up to expectations over the past two seasons.
The Maple Leafs can make changes around Matthews. They can add players, shuffle the lines and hope some of their younger players take another step.
But none of those things will matter quite as much as getting their captain back to full health.
Maybe that’s why a relatively meaningless summer skate has generated so much excitement.
For the Maple Leafs, seeing Matthews move like himself again could be the most important development of the entire offseason.
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