Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable
Former Maple Leafs Alex Kerfoot and Luke Schenn Have High Praise for Star Forward Auston Matthews
Matthews was nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, the only NHL award voted on by the players – after setting the record in 2023-24 for the most goals scored since the salary cap era with 69.
Though no longer members of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Alex Kerfoot and Luke Schenn have an immense amount of praise and respect for star forward Auston Matthews.
In an article posted by Chris Lomon of the NHLPA Wednesday, the two former Leafs seemingly have nothing but good things to say about the three-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner, gushing over his work ethic and consistency that continuously sets him apart from the rest of the competition.
“Every day, Auston is working on his game, working on every part of his game,” said Kerfoot, who spent three seasons with the Leafs. “Players like Auston don’t ever seem to take days off. But the thing with him and other elite guys is that everything they do is done for the success of the team.”
“Auston is extremely competitive and always prepared. He has that ability to take over a game in a split second. If the team needs a boost, he can provide it," Kerfoot commended.
Kerfoot is not alone in these feelings. A teammate in 2022-23, Schenn, was just as enthusiastic and impressed with Matthews upon his arrival from the Vancouver Canucks to Toronto before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, mentioning, “The first practice I had with Auston was in Vancouver, right after I got traded to Toronto,” said Schenn, “Watching him, how quick his hands are and how he sees the game he’s one step ahead. The size and skill combo that he brings is impressive to watch.”
“Night in and night out, guys like Auston are getting the toughest matchups, the team’s top defensive forwards and the team’s best defensemen and yet they still find ways to produce every night.”
After setting the record in 2023-24 for the most goals scored since the salary cap era with 69, Matthews certainly found a way to produce every night, despite his opponents' attempt to slow him down. In his eighth season in the NHL, Matthews recorded career highs in goals (69), points (107) and faceoff wins (705), while becoming only the eighth player in NHL history to reach 51 even-strength goals in a season.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zio5jHdLmHM[/embed]
Thanks to his stellar play, Matthews was nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, the Frank J. Selke Trophy, and the Lady Byng Trophy. The Ted Lindsay Award, an accolade he has already won once in 2022-23, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player. Not a surprise to Kerfoot and Schenn, his consistency and MVP-caliber play are what put Matthews in a category of his own.
“It’s that consistency which is just amazing. The way he does what he does every night knowing that the other team has planned for him shows you what type of elite player he is,” said Kerfoot. “It’s incredibly impressive to see someone like Auston consistently push himself to raise the bar. That makes guys like him the best of the best.”
But, as Schenn notes, the points are not the factor that makes Matthews stand out. Instead, it’s his ability to make others around him better while honing in on his craft on a nightly basis.
“These are the guys who are the MVPs of their team and of the league, so a lot of things flow through them. The more success they have, the more success the team will have, they understand that,” Schenn explained. “But it doesn’t matter how many points they have, they continue to put in the work to try and be the best and ultimately win as a team. That’s why guys like him are elite.”
The testimonials from his former teammates highlight not just his skill and consistency, but also his dedication to the team's success. Matthews' record-breaking 2023-24 season, culminating in 69 goals and multiple award nominations, including the prestigious Ted Lindsay Award, further cements his status as one of the elite players in the NHL.
Related
News from THN.com