Ahead of Tuesday's game against Florida, Sundin presented Matthews with a frame of the Maple Leafs' goal record. Later in the evening, Sundin spoke to the media about the 28-year-old breaking his record.
Auston Matthews isn't taking any of this for granted.
Tuesday night was a special evening for the Toronto Maple Leafs captain, who, just three days earlier, tied and broke the team's all-time goals record with his 420th and 421st goals against the New York Islanders.
Mats Sundin wasn't watching the game live, but awoke to the news in Sweden the next morning.
Once his record was officially broken, Sundin and the Maple Leafs arranged for the 54-year-old to cross the pond to Toronto and celebrate the accomplishment, which Sundin joked was a few years early.
"I thought it was going to take a few more years," Sundin laughed, standing in the middle of a crowd full of media on Tuesday night in the Foster Hewitt Media Gondola inside Scotiabank Arena.
Really, he had an inkling quite early on Matthews was going to break his record eventually.
"I think right from the start, when he got drafted here, the first year he came into the league, he showed right away," Sundin said. "He has that quality, that a superstar has, you know, the (Connor) McDavids, the (Nathan) MacKinnons, the really top, top talent in the league. And then he has the size and the shot. So I knew it was a matter of time before he was going to break my record."
Moments earlier, Sundin and the Maple Leafs gave Matthews his flowers.
Toronto rolled out the blue carpet before their 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers. Sundin presented Matthews with a frame featuring the two pucks (his 420th and 421st goals), a photo celebrating with his teammates, and the game sheet from Saturday's game against the Islanders.
The crowd erupted as Sundin stepped onto the ice. But the volume went up a notch when Matthews joined him to receive the honor. Within all of that, though, were two captains of one of the biggest hockey teams in the world, sharing a moment.
"I think it's important [to be there] when there's history being made and records being broken, and being a Maple Leaf, it's so special for me," Sundin added, when asked why it was important to return to Toronto.
"I think I can relate to where Auston Matthews is in his career, at this point. You know, it's kind of exciting to try to get it over with. Because he's got more important things to think about, winning hockey games for the Leafs. But it was important, I felt, that I wanted to be here for that."
After Sundin and Matthews posed for photos with the frame, Matthews skated back to the Maple Leafs bench. At that moment, it felt like the crowd erupted even more. The 28-year-old then raised his hand high, thanking the fans for the moment that was, and all the ones that came before it in his NHL career.
"Yeah, it means a lot. All of it means a lot. It's special," Matthews said after Tuesday's game.
"It's special to wear this jersey. It's an absolute honour. And to have Mats come in, to have so many players before us that have paved the way and worn this jersey, it's very, very special, and I'm very, very appreciative."
'It Didn't Take Him Very Long To Do It': Maple Leafs React To Auston Matthews Breaking Mats Sundin's Franchise Goal Record
Auston Matthews is in his own company now.
Both Matthews and Matthew Knies grew up playing hockey in Arizona. If you had told Matthews 10 years ago that this would be happening, he'd likely say: Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Knies, who wouldn't have even been on any NHL teams' radar yet, probably wouldn't even believe this would occur.
Nevertheless, two players from Arizona get to share a pretty cool moment. Knies even assisted on Matthews' 422nd career goal, against the Panthers.
"Just to be a part of that kind of accomplishment is pretty surreal," Knies said on Tuesday night. "I think when we're older, we're all going to look back and think that's pretty cool that we all got to witness it. I'm just really grateful that I get to play with him and get to be a part of it."
Easton Cowan didn't grow up in the heat of Arizona. He grew up just outside of London, Ontario, cheering on the Maple Leafs as a kid. Still, this will likely be a massive moment he looks back on, like Knies said he would.
"It was so cool to be a part of Auston's (record-breaking moment). I mean, he's been such a great role model for me, and he's done so much for me," Cowan said. "Just being able to be in that game and see him break it meant a lot and just shows that hard work pays off, and how he goes about his day is really professional, and you learn from that stuff for sure."
'As Long As I Get An Invitation, For Sure, I'll Be Here': Mats Sundin Ready to Pass Maple Leafs Goal Record Torch to Auston Matthews
Sundin is also releasing a memoir called 'Home and Away', which is set to come out on Oct. 22.
There'll no doubt be more goals in Matthews' future. How many is still up for question, and we likely won't know for some time. Who knows — maybe Matthews scores enough goals to make it almost impossible for the next generation of Leafs to catch him.
But if someone does — and it happens in our lifetime — Matthews will certainly show up just like Sundin did on Tuesday night.
"Records are made to be broken, and what a treat for the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base to have a superstar like Auston," Sundin said.
"One of the league's absolute premier players, and an even better person. He's a great leader. The way he handles the hardest hockey market in Toronto, and representing the Maple Leafs, he does it with grace. And I'm very glad for him."