Unfortunately, he has disappointed so far. 61 points in 55 games is fantastic, but his 41-goal pace over a full 82 isn't quite where fans would expect him to be at.
GM Kyle Dubas has now commented on this dip in performance:
As everyone knows, he's played through some injuries and things that have hampered him... If this is a down season for him offensively, that's a really good sign in terms of how great a player he is.
It's easy to forget that Auston Matthews has been dealing with injuries since he is still a point-per-game player, but it does explain his performances.
Hopefully he'll rebound back into the Hart conversation next season!