What Auston Matthews' offseason biomechanical treatments reveal about his shot release

Auston Matthews' offseason treatments show that the Maple Leafs captain is working hard to get back his once deadly release - which has declined with injuries.

We reported that Auston Matthews had undergone some chiropractic procedures alongside Arizona sports chiropractor Shawn Robek, which didn't necessarily state the type of procedures done nor did it disclose any injury information, but rather that Matthews was taking every precaution possible to keep himself healthy.

The more relevant question is whether Matthews' offseason work can help reestablish him as one of the NHL's most dangerous scorers.

Auston Matthews' shot depends heavily on how his body creates momentum

Matthews' shot has always depended on more than raw strength. His ability to change the puck's angle, keep his hands away from his body and load the stick quickly is what allows him to release the puck before defenders and goaltenders can reset.

The biometrics of a hockey shot cannot be overstated. It's not easy to generate the torque, power, and speed needed while also balancing on razor-thin blades on ice. Matthews generates a lot of his scoring ability from his ability to translate his lower-body and core strength into a wound-up piston ready to strike.

It's very similar to the mechanics of a professional baseball pitcher, who during their windup will often torque their bodies in order to generate more momentum as they follow through. Or think of it as spinning a top - you twist the opposite direction to generate more speed upon release.

The key is how efficiently Matthews can create separation and load his stick without needing extra time or space. When that movement is sharp, he can alter the shooting angle and release the puck in one motion, which is what has made his shot so difficult to read.

Andy O'Brien will be critical is making sure Matthews stays as healthy as possible

For Matthews, generating that rotational torque and having the proper angle to generate that force is going to be instrumental for getting back on track. His back and knees play a lot into that torque generation though, so a clear goal is to strengthen those, something he's at least getting advice on.

Toronto also recently just hired Andy O'Brien as their VP of Sport Performance, and he and his team are going to be key players in keeping Matthews healthy and as strong as possible. Knowing what he needs to do to get back on track, O'Brien's arrival gives Toronto a new performance leader overseeing how players prepare, recover and manage their workloads.

For Matthews, that matters because the Maple Leafs need to maximize both his availability and the movement quality behind his shot after two injury-affected seasons.

O'Brien can't prevent injuries, and there's nothing to guarantee that Matthews won't deal with issues at some point this season. But he can provide him the best course of action to keep himself healthy, while also focusing on stabilizing his weak spots like his knee and back.

There's more to just Matthews than just a good shooter, but it's instead how he's able to do it that's so deadly.

The first real test will come at training camp. If Matthews is again creating the same quick angle changes and releasing the puck without needing extra setup time, Toronto will have a much better indicator that one of the most important parts of his offensive game is returning.

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