There is a significant difference when you watch the play of Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews in 2026 compared to 2025. David Alter investigates.
In 10 games played in 2026, Matthews has recorded nine goals and four assists. He is scoring goals the way he did when he netted 60 or more in two separate seasons in Toronto. He is faking out opponents with toe drags, firing deadly shots from the slot, and acting as a lethal weapon once again.
While he was plagued by an upper-body issue last season, those excuses disappeared earlier this year, yet the player still looked off. He seemed to lack his usual aura. However, late in December, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube noted signs that Matthews was returning to his deadly form. He began holding the puck longer and appearing more “confident”.
What I’ve noticed about Matthews is that he appears to be having fun again. While he may not admit he wasn’t enjoying himself before, his actions speak louder than words. His goal celebrations as of late have been nothing short of emphatic. All you have to do is look back to January 1, when Matthews recorded his first hat trick in nearly two years. While it was a chaotic play that resulted in Eric Comrie turning the puck over, the ensuing celebration showed Matthews flashing a big smile, clearly overcome with emotion.
In other instances this season, Matthews has continued to show emotion, such as putting his hand to his ear as he skated off the ice in Winnipeg after his team scored the winning goal on January 17. In Winnipeg, Matthews was asked about the boos he heard from the crowd every time he touched the puck. He remarked, “I think they’re not booing for no reason, so I kind of just take it as it is and just have fun with it because, I mean, a lot of times it’s fun, especially when you’re out on the right side of it like tonight”.
The reality is that Matthews is full of confidence in his game right now, which clearly was not the case at the beginning of the season. It has been quite a flip in the standings: the Leafs were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference on December 22, 2025, but are now on the bubble of a final playoff spot. On that date, The Athletic explored theories regarding what was plaguing Matthews, and one of those theories looked at the player’s lack of speed.
They noted that Matthews’ speed bursts (20–22 miles per hour) were down to roughly 0.76 per game, which put him in the 50th percentile or below in the league—a drop from 1.13 in 2024–25 and 1.41 in 2023–24. Since that time, Matthews has improved his overall speed boost number to 1.1, putting him back up to the 54th percentile.
He has definitely been faster over the last month, and there has been a concerted effort to let Matthews play to his strengths, even if it means a slight adjustment to Berube’s system. This means Matthews is transporting the puck with speed into the zone more often than relying on the “dump and chase”.
The Leafs are 8-1-3 in their last 12 games as of this writing. The early hole created by their previous lack of results means it is going to be a dogfight for the Maple Leafs to earn a postseason berth. But if Matthews can continue to drive their play, then they should be alright. They could be a much better team if they make it, and that is all Leafs fans can ask for at this point.