Leafs Fans Stunned as Report Claims Auston Matthews Played Last Season at Just 34%
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Maple Leafs fans are shocked to hear that Auston Matthews was operating at less than 50% last season according to a report from Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
The big storyline last season was the health status of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. Missing a good chunk of the year with the same lingering ailment, he still managed to put up a decent season but was a shell of his former self.
Though he seems healthy and everything around him signifies that he's telling the truth, there's still an air of caution around Matthews' true injury status, and we'll only really get to know once he takes the ice on a full-time basis.
Insider Reveals Auston Matthews' Output At 34%; Fans React
But in terms of last year, it might have been much worse than we thought, which makes his 78 points even more impressive.
According to Luke Fox of Sportsnet in a recent article outlining some training camp questions for Toronto, he stunningly revealed that Matthews wasn't even at 50% last year:
One source close to the captain tells us the banged-up Auston Matthews was operating at only «34 per cent» in 2024-25, when his year-over-year goal total dropped by 36, his points by 29, and his games played by 14.
Whispers behind the scenes promise a bounce-back for the three-time Rocket champ, and a bid for his first scoring trophy sans favourite setup man Marner.
Yet it was during 2024's training camp that Matthews suffered his lingering back injury. So, we're curious to see if the No. 1 centre has regained his all-world form. He must.
Whispers behind the scenes promise a bounce-back for the three-time Rocket champ, and a bid for his first scoring trophy sans favourite setup man Marner.
Yet it was during 2024's training camp that Matthews suffered his lingering back injury. So, we're curious to see if the No. 1 centre has regained his all-world form. He must.
Fans were also a bit perplexed at the reasoning, with some debating what Matthews can do at full strength, but that he also should not have been given so much leeway:
A lot of attention was thrown toward the "34%" remark, and while it's clear that it was more a nod to the captain and a relative number to show he wasn't at 100%; fans weren't having it.
How a Fully Healthy Auston Matthews Could Transform Toronto's Season
It's also quite humorous to see that Matthews was at "34%" and not 30% or 40%; it seems that the unnamed source might have tried to have a little bit of fun while they were at it.
But knowing that he was only operating at 1/3 of his capacity is a frightening proposition for everyone else this season.
If we can get Matthews at 75-80% even, because you're never truly healthy during an NHL season, then there's a strong possibility he hits that 50+ goal mark again while also helping guys like Matthew Knies reach impossible heights.
You've got Matthews shouldering a lot of the offense with Mitch Marner gone, and with a ton of people doubting him after last season, the motivation to come out strong is there.
It's no secret that if Matthews starts getting on a roll, the rest of the team follows suit and if he can start to get production from guys like Max Domi, Nick Robertson, and Matias Maccelli either directly or indirectly; it could pay off huge.
We saw him put up 78 points in 67 games (33 goals, 45 assists) and did genuinely improve on his playmaking, so if he's able to get his shot back we could very well see a 50/50 season.
Last season was a disaster for Matthews, and though he managed well it was still way below expectations, and this year is looking to be his comeback; whether at 50%, 75%, or hopefully for everyone's sake: 100% and ready to dominate.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 13 | 790 ANSWERS Leafs Fans Stunned as Report Claims Auston Matthews Played Last Season at Just 34% If Auston Matthews is at 100%, how many goals will he score this season? | ||
| 40 | 136 | 17.2 % |
| 50 | 322 | 40.8 % |
| 60 | 267 | 33.8 % |
| 70+ | 65 | 8.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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