Leading the NHL in Goals This Season, Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Among First 32 Players Named to 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto

Matthews scored his league-leading 30th goal in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

Auston Matthews is going back to the NHL All-Star Game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward was among the first 32 players announced by the NHL on Thursday that will take part in the showcase event. 

The 26-year-old star forward has been either named or voted to the event in every season he's been in the league in each year the event has taken place.

"It’s always an honour to get chosen and represent the team and go to these events," Matthews said on Wednesday.

The Scottsdale, Arizona native has been on a scoring rampage this season and picked up his NHL-leading 30th goal in a 2-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

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The All-Star weekend is set to take place in Toronto Feb. 1 -4. It is the first time the event will be held in Toronto since 2000.

The NHL named one player per team on Thursday. There was debate whether it would be Matthews or teammate William Nylander getting the initial nod. Nylander leads the Leafs in points with 51 (19 goals and 32 assists) and sits in a tie for fourth in league scoring through games played on Jan. 3.

An additional 12 players will be voted into the spot where it would be surprising to not see Nylander join Matthews. Mitch Marner would also be a candidate to join after being named to the first group of 32 players last season.

"It’s a special event so you definitely don’t take it for granted," Matthews added. "I’m sure we’ve got a lot of guys deserving to go throughout the league."

Matthews has 30 goals and 15 assists in 35 games this season and is on track to shatter his previous high of 60 goals set in the 2021-22 season. In that year, Matthews won his first Hart Trophy, handed out annually to the NHL's most valuable player.

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