Auston Matthews says he is in his best physical shape in years, and the numbers back him up. After a Grade 3 MCL tear ended his 2025-26 season in March, the Toronto Maple Leafs captain has started 2026-27 with 28 points in his first 20 games.
It caps a remarkable 2026: in February he captained the USA to their first men's Olympic hockey gold since 1980. Browse the Auston Matthews collection.
Auston Matthews Fact File
| Full name | Auston Taylour Matthews |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 September 1997 (age 29) |
| Place of birth | San Ramon, California, USA |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Position | Centre |
| Nationality | American |
| Current team | Toronto Maple Leafs (captain) |
| Shirt number | 34 |
| Nickname | Papi |
Career History
| Season | Team | GP | Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 40 | 69 |
| 2017-18 | Toronto | 62 | 34 | 63 |
| 2018-19 | Toronto | 68 | 37 | 73 |
| 2019-20 | Toronto | 70 | 47 | 80 |
| 2020-21 | Toronto | 52 | 41 | 66 |
| 2021-22 | Toronto | 73 | 60 | 106 |
| 2022-23 | Toronto | 74 | 40 | 85 |
| 2023-24 | Toronto | 81 | 69 | 107 |
| 2024-25 | Toronto | 67 | 33 | 78 |
| 2025-26 | Toronto | 60 | 27 | 53 |
Regular-season figures from Hockey-Reference. Including the early 2026-27 season, he has 439 goals and 808 points in 709 games.
Early Years: Hockey in the Desert
Born in California and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Matthews fell for hockey at Coyotes games, a long way from the sport's heartlands. He won two Under-18 world titles with USA, then spent his draft year as a pro with ZSC Lions in Switzerland before Toronto made him the first overall pick in 2016.
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Breakthrough: Four Goals on Debut
On 12 October 2016 in Ottawa, Matthews scored four goals in his NHL debut, something no player in the modern era had done. He finished with 40 goals and the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie.
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Peak: 60, 69 and the Hart Trophy
In 2021-22 he scored 60 goals and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP plus the Ted Lindsay Award. Two seasons later he went even further with 69 goals, his third Rocket Richard Trophy.
Named the 26th captain in Leafs history in August 2024, he became the first American-born player to wear the C in Toronto, and on 3 January 2026 he passed Mats Sundin as the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
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Olympic Gold and Fighting Back
Captaining the USA in Milan, he lifted Olympic gold after a 2-1 overtime win over Canada on 22 February 2026. A knee injury in March cut his season short, but his strong start to 2026-27 shows he is back to his best.
Honours
NHL awards
- Hart Trophy 2022
- Ted Lindsay Award 2022
- Rocket Richard Trophy 2021, 2022, 2024
- Calder Trophy 2017
- NHL All-Star Game MVP 2024
International
- Olympic gold, Milan Cortina 2026 (captain)
- 4 Nations Face-Off runner-up 2025 (captain)
- IIHF U18 gold 2014, 2015
Club records
- Toronto Maple Leafs all-time leading goalscorer
Off the Ice
Matthews' mother is from Hermosillo, Mexico, and his rise from the Arizona desert has inspired a generation of young players in non-traditional hockey markets.
FAQs
How old is Auston Matthews?
Auston Matthews was born on 17 September 1997, so he is 29.
Where was Auston Matthews born?
San Ramon, California, though he grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona.
How tall is Auston Matthews?
He is 6 ft 3 in, around 191 cm.
What teams has Auston Matthews played for?
ZSC Lions in Switzerland and the Toronto Maple Leafs, plus Team USA internationally.
What is Auston Matthews' best goal season?
69 goals in 2023-24, the most in a single NHL season since 1995-96.
Did Auston Matthews win Olympic gold?
Yes. He captained the USA to gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, beating Canada 2-1 in overtime.
Shop the Auston Matthews Collection
Hoodies and tees for Leafs fans, with kids' sizes in the collection too.
See the full Auston Matthews collection, the Toronto Maple Leafs collection and our ice hockey collection. Or design your own with our custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Connor McDavid and Alexander Ovechkin.
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