The NHL regular season is back! With the 4 Nations Face-Off making for a thrilling week, fans were hoping for a thundering return to the NHL, and they haven’t been left hanging. However, for Auston Matthews, the action couldn’t have returned sooner. Unlike most of his teammates, the Toronto Maple Leafs center didn’t have the best of times at the 4 Nations tournament.

After the championship match last Thursday, Matthews was subjected to harsh criticism for how he left Connor McDavid wide open, which ultimately led to Canada’s winning goal. But thankfully, it looks like redemption isn’t too far away.

Leafslatest shared Matthews’ latest milestone on X on February 22 after Toronto’s incredible 6-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the Scotiabank Arena. According to the post, thanks to his goal in the first NHL game after the 4 Nations, Auston stands on the brink of franchise history. “Auston Matthews reaches 389 goals, tying for 2nd with Darryl Sittler. He is now 31 goals away from tying and 32 from breaking Sundin’s record to hold the most goals in franchise history,” the X post announced with a sonorous tone.

Sittler played for the Leafs for 12 seasons, from 1970 to ’82, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. The retired Canadian star was also the first Toronto player to reach the 100-point mark in 1975-1976 season, the same season Sittler was named the captain of the squad. Mats Sundin, on the other hand, played for the Leafs for 13 seasons after coming over from Quebec, 11 of which he served as the captain. The Swede played in the NHL All-Star game eight times.

Naturally, being seated in the same row as these Leafs legends is an honor that should make Matthews smile. However, while Matthews revels in his latest milestone, it would be difficult to forget how Team USA squandered a chance to win their first best-on-best trophy since 1996. That being said, Matthews is a veteran who is not new to the ups and downs of the sport.

Auston Matthews won’t let the setback bog him down

As a Leafs player, Auston had always been a part of the enemy camp at TD Garden. Maybe that’s why he was eager to be a part of the home team last Thursday. “We’ve had a lot of battles in this building, and it’ll be nice to be on the other side of that, getting home support. The atmosphere is going to be great. These are the games you dream of,” Matthews said before the 4 Nations championship game.

Indeed, Matthew was having a dream game, assisting both of the USA’s goals at TD Garden. He could have even won the match for his team had Jordan Binnington not gotten in his way during overtime. The night, however, ended in disappointment for him as he missed a deflection that sent the puck on the way to Connor McDavid who didn’t miss the chance to bring home the trophy.

And yet, Matthews wants to look ahead. “It’s tough. It means a lot to wear that jersey and have the opportunity. You never know how many chances you get at representing your country and playing in a tournament like that. Definitely still stings. But you have flip the page.” Auston said. But will that optimistic outlook reflect when the Leafs take on Blackhawks next? What do you think about Toronto’s playoff hopes this season? Tell us!