Auston Matthews Reveals his Mindset amidst recent cold streak
PUBLICATION
Tom Banks
March 12, 2024 (8:39 PM)
Auston Matthews has been the NHL's best goal scorer for a number of seasons now, but even in the best year of his career, he's going through a major cold streak.
Auston Matthews reveals his mindset while on a goal scoring drought
If the NHL season ended today, AM34 would finish with 54 goals, which for most players is a career year, but after his hot start to the year, the Maple Leafs star is targeting history.
At one point, he was on pace for over 80 goals on the year, and while he remains on pace for 69, he's got just one goal in his past five games, and he recently opened up on those recent struggles.
"I mean, stuff like that happens sometimes," he said. "The puck's not just going to go in all the time. I thought there were some good things. Obviously, I want to produce. I want to help the team and do my part."
When targeting over 80 goals a season, that means a player needs to score practically every single game, and while Matthews did that earlier in the year, things just haven't gone his way as of late.
Sheldon Keefe was asked about his struggles to put the puck in the net in recent times, and his attitude was very similar to Matthews, with very few concerns about his play as of late.
"He had at least two, maybe three, but certainly two, fairly clean chances where he was basically in alone on the goalie in Boston and those didn't fall for him," Matthews said. "Obviously, things have fallen a lot for him this season and they will again. Somewhat of a historic type of pace that he was on is historic for a reason, because it's difficult to maintain."
Even with those recent struggles, Matthews is on pace for a career year, and potentially the best mark in the NHL since prime Alexander Ovechkin, so don't expect this goal scoring drought to last too long.
As Read on Hockey Feed - Auston Matthews sounds off on his sudden cold streak
POLL |
MARS 12 | 1137 ANSWERS Auston Matthews Reveals his Mindset amidst recent cold streak Will Auston Matthews tally 70 goals in 2023-24? |
Yes | 533 | 46.9 % |
No | 604 | 53.1 % |
List of polls |
|
3 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Anthony Stolarz's Return Timeline to the Toronto Maple Leafs Revealed, per Darren Dreger |
|
7 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Colorado Avalanche Trade Star Mikko Rantanen, per Source |
|
7 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Chicago Blackhawks Trade Former First Overall Pick Taylor Hall, per Source |
|
8 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Toronto Maple Leafs Reveal Jani Hakanpaa's Injury Recovery Plan |
|
9 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Standout Forward Promoted to Top Line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner |
|
11 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Forward Set To Play In First NHL Game Against the Ottawa Senators |
|
12 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Toronto Maple Leafs Face Key Challenge as Trade Deadline Looms, Putting Brad Treliving in Tough Spot |
|
14 hours ago | By Chris Gerics Matthew Knies' Actions at Practice Confirm His Fate for the Battle of Ontario |
Previously on HockeyPatrol