Auston Matthews is in his own company now. Entering Saturday's game against the New York Islanders, the 28-year-old was inching towards the finish line of the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs]' franchise goal record, set by Mats Sundin in 2008. Walking into UBS Arena, Matthews needed one to tie the record of 420 goals, and two to break it. Funny enough, the Toronto captain was coming off a hat-trick performance two nights earlier against the Winnipeg Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/auston-matthews-looks-like-himself-again-as-maple-leafs-captain-s-hat-trick-drives-comeback-win-over-jets] inside Scotiabank Arena. So it wouldn't be all that surprising to see him eclipse Sundin's record on Saturday. And indeed, he did just that in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders [https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/nyi-vs-tor/2026/01/03/2025020651/summary]. Matthews' record-tying goal came on a mad dash in the second period, where the forward used his speed (which we haven't seen in a while) to get around Scott Mayfield before stylishly beating David Rittich to tie the game at one. After seeing the puck cross the goal line, Matthews got down on one knee and punched the air in elation, an emotion we haven't seen too much out of the Maple Leafs' captain over the last year and a half. Less than 10 minutes later, he got to celebrate in a similar fashion. This time, it was a great passing play by Max Domi and Bobby McMann to find Matthews for his patented one-timer from the right side of the ice. Once the puck hit the back of the net, Matthews knew it: he had just shattered Sundin's goal record, the most historic individual feat in Maple Leafs history. He turned and punched his fist, again. This time there was a little extra zhuzh to it. "It means a lot," said Matthews on Saturday night [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKjifn5QwA]. Once a kid from the heat-bed of Arizona, Matthews is now at the summit of the Maple Leafs' history books. "It's a very historical franchise, and you take a lot of pride in putting on the jersey every day," he continued. "To be in the same sentence as some of the greats that have come before us, it means a lot. It's extremely special. I'm very humbled, and I couldn't do it without the great group of guys around me. It just means a lot." Mere milliseconds after Matthews punched the air in elation for the second time of the night, he turned around and embraced his Maple Leafs teammates, who were all flocking onto the ice to celebrate. VIDEO: Auston Matthews Mobbed By Teammates As Superstar Becomes Maple Leafs All-Time Goals Leader [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7bfa9852-0d00-4c19-81bd-1ad63889eac4.png] VIDEO: Auston Matthews Mobbed By Teammates As Superstar Becomes Maple Leafs All-Time Goals Leader Matthews passed Mats Sundin as the franchise leader in goals with his 421st goal of the season. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/video-auston-matthews-mobbed-by-teammates-as-superstar-becomes-maple-leafs-all-time-goals-leader] It's a moment that doesn't come around very often in the NHL. And skating onto the ice to hug Matthews felt "like you expect," said Nick Robertson [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PPKAERmpQ0&pp=0gcJCU0KAYcqIYzv], a teammate of Matthews' since 2020. "He's a remarkable player to play with. I mean, it's an honor to be his teammate, and he's such a talented player. I'm really, really blessed to be his teammate." Just over two years ago, John Tavares hit 1,000 points in the same building [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-think-im-just-excited-about-whats-ahead-maple-leafs-john-tavares-notches-1000th-nhl-point-in-front-of-dad-and-against-former-team] where Matthews broke the Maple Leafs' goal record. The same celebration occurred that night in Long Island, on Dec. 11, 2023. GOTTA SEE IT: John Tavares Sets Up Game-Tying Goal To Record 1000th Career Point vs. Islanders [https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3Fsn3SKQFLU/maxresdefault.jpg] GOTTA SEE IT: John Tavares Sets Up Game-Tying Goal To Record 1000th Career Point vs. Islanders Watch as Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares helps set up Morgan Rielly's game-tying goal with 6.6 seconds remaining to pick up the 1000th point of his ... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fsn3SKQFLU&pp=ygUTdGF2YXJlcyAxMDAwIHBvaW50cw%3D%3D] When Tavares explained stepping onto the ice to celebrate [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42zNHbwufMc] Matthews' feat, he called it "a special moment" for the team's captain. "Huge credit to him. What he's done here, to be the all-time goal scoring leader, is really special. A club that's got a tremendous history, the tradition, the players that have come before it, and to pass an all-time legend is really special. "So hopefully that doesn't get lost in it with the loss, but an amazing moment for him, and a hell of a player." Only 94 other players in NHL history have scored 421 goals. Though what's most impressive about Matthews' number is how quickly he's done it. Sundin took 981 games to reach the goal record [https://records.nhl.com/tor/records/skater-records/goals/most-goals-career], which has been a historic milestone in Toronto for 17 years. Matthews, however, accomplished the feat in 664 games, which is 317 fewer than Sundin. "A special night for him, obviously, and it didn't take him very long to do it," said Morgan Rielly [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l4BOvlJZBY&pp=0gcJCU0KAYcqIYzv], who's been a teammate of Matthews' ever since the forward entered the NHL in 2016. "It's just extremely impressive, and he plays hard every single night, and obviously tonight, to do it is special." The now-former record holder also had a message for Matthews on the special night, from Stockholm, Sweden. "Auston, congratulations on becoming the all-time goal-scoring leader in Maple Leafs history. What a treat for all Maple Leafs fans around the world to have a player like yourself representing the Toronto Maple Leafs," Sundin said in a video posted by Sportsnet [https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2007637271605064111?s=20]. "Even more importantly, you're a great person and a great leader for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Congrats!" That's it for Matthews and chasing records for now. The next milestone he'll reach is the Maple Leafs' points record, also set by Sundin with 987 [https://records.nhl.com/tor/records/skater-records/points/most-points-career]. It'll take a few more seasons to get there, but before that, Matthews hopes to be carrying home a different piece of hardware: a Stanley Cup. Without a doubt, Sundin wants to see that, too. "It feels good, you're going to enjoy (the record) more once your career is over, but it's a great milestone," added Sundin in a video posted to X by the Maple Leafs [https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2007635471086542993?s=20]. "And good luck chasing the big championship for the Toronto Maple Leafs."
