The Toronto Maple Leafs held their final practice of their regular season opener. Fraser Minten and Noah Gregor earn spots in the opening-night lineup. Auston Matthews has a chance to become the first player in NHL history to record a hat trick in three consecutive games when the superstar and the Toronto Maple Leafs host Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks at Scotiabank Arena on Monday. But before that happens, the NHL has recognized his first two hat tricks by naming him the NHL's first start of the week. Matthews scored just 40 goals in the 2022-23 season, one year after the Arizona native became the first player in 10 years to score 60 in a season. When speaking with reporters on Sunday, Matthews admitted he doesn't let his mind think about personal accomplishments. Through two games, Matthews has already accomplished 15 percent of his goal output for all of last season. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpYHV3JVI9Y[/embed] Matthews kicked off the 2023-24 season on October 11 against the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the 10th-fastest player in NHL history and first American-born to reach the 300-goal milestone, achieving it in just 482 games. He also made history by becoming the fourth player to register a hat trick in multiple season-opening games, adding to his remarkable four-goal debut in the 2016-17 season. On October 14, in the game against the Minnesota Wild, Matthews secured his ninth career hat trick, tying him with Reg Noble for the fifth-most hat tricks in Maple Leafs history. The 26-year-old Matthews, a two-time recipient of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2021-22 and 2020-21, has the most career goals in the league with 305 goals since entering the NHL as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2016. In total, he has accumulated 305 goals and 243 assists for a remarkable 548 points in 483 games. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Why Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares Has Welcomed Rookies Fraser Minten and Matthew Knies Into His Home [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/why-maple-leafs-captain-john-tavares-has-welcomed-rookies-fraser-minten-and-matthew-knies-into-his-home] Maple Leafs Tweak Lines as Connor Bedard's Blackhawks Visit Toronto, Where to Watch [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/game-day/maple-leafs-tweak-lines-as-connor-bedards-blackhawks-visit-toronto-where-to-watch] What the Toronto Marlies Learned After Back-to-Back Games on Opening Weekend [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/what-the-toronto-marlies-learned-after-back-to-back-games-on-opening-weekend] News from THN.com Sleepers and Keepers Podcast: Big Fantasy Hockey Questions from Week 1 [https://thehockeynews.com/podcast/sleepers-and-keepers-podcast-big-fantasy-hockey-questions-from-week-1] Canucks' Conor Garland Draws More Interest in the NHL Trade Market [https://thehockeynews.com/news/canucks-conor-garland-draws-more-interest-in-the-nhl-trade-market] NHL Three Stars: Hill, Pettersson and Matthews Shine in Week One [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-three-stars-hill-pettersson-and-matthews-shine-in-week-one]
