TORONTO — This is Auston Matthews’ hockey team, for better or worse.
And the way Matthews stomped through his return from a one-game foot injury, things have never looked better this troubled season for the superstar or the logo he represents.
“He carried us to the win tonight,” Bobby McMann said, as the Toronto Maple Leafs rang in the new year with a wildly entertaining 6-5 comeback barnburner over what’s left of the Winnipeg Jets.
It was 4-1.
For the other guys.
Matthews had scored Toronto’s only goal of the first 30 minutes, a net-driving tip off a Max Domi feed.
Leafs starter Joseph Woll had gotten the yank, in favour of relief specialist Dennis Hildeby, after surrendering four on 17 shots — a move coach Craig Berube would characterize as a ploy to shift momentum.
But these reinvigorated Maple Leafs, more trusting of their teamwork and special teams, didn’t panic or sulk.
“Belief” is how scrappy defenceman Troy Stecher described the bench vibes down by a field goal at halftime. “It never felt like the game was out of reach. And that’s not to discredit them. I think that’s to credit us as a group. And understanding that you put your nose to the grindstone and you continue to work, and good things are going to happen.”
Oliver Ekman-Larsson found twine. Then Matthews followed with his second of the night, on the red-hot power-play, a slick snipe with just two seconds remaining in Period 2.
“Kinda gives you life and momentum going into the third,” Matthews said. “Never know what can happen.”
A hair-on-fire third frame was capped by Matthews’ unassisted game-winner in the 56th minute.
As Scotiabank Arena’s cleanup crew collected the littered hats doffed in celebration of Matthews’ first three-goal (and four-point) effort of his beleaguered campaign, game ops smartly blasted Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa.” Nice. (Alternate suggestion: Jay-Z’s “Hey Papi.”)
On this night, Matthews (233) surpassed legend Darryl Sittler (231) for the most goals scored at home in franchise history.
As early as Saturday, Matthews (419) will match — or surpass — Mats Sundin (420) for most goals by a Maple Leaf.
“It’s special just to be in the same sentence as him,” the 28-year-old said. “Try not to think about it. It’s hard when you guys bring it up every day, but I just try to take it day by day. And when that moment comes, it’ll be really cool. But it's just very, very humbling.”
That the Maple Leafs and their captain’s greatest offensive explosions this season are happening simultaneously is no coincidence.
That Matthews threw down such a dominant performance after jamming a sore foot into his boot, when a “pretty worrisome” shot block had made it too swollen to play Tuesday, was impressive stuff.
Toronto is averaging five goals per game over its past five.
Matthews has ripped a team-high 19 shots and posted eight points over his past three.
“He’s our captain for a reason. He’s our leader,” Stecher said. “A heckuva performance by him. It’s kind of weird. You expect that every night, but it's hard to score three goals in a game, so the boys are pumped for Tone.”
Stecher explains that Matthews’ positioning in the D-zone and smart stickwork give Toronto’s defencemen comfort, knowing that they can grab a tighter gap because Matthews will be in the right position.
“It’s a trickle-down effect. His details are incredible,” Stecher said. “Defensively, it helps him create offence, because he gets to strip pucks and then go on the rush.”
Be it defensive nuance, pep on the puck, or jump in the stride, this is easily the captain’s best stretch of hockey in 2025-26.
Did a German doctor slide down Matthews’ chimney on Christmas Eve?
“Taking pucks in the middle of the ice more and attacking, taking people one-on-one and winning all those battles,” Berube noted. “Just his attack mentality around the net. Looks like he’s ripping the puck a little bit quick. Just more oomph on the shot.”
We’re sure poor Eric Comrie — the poor Jets backup goalie who led his troubled and tired team into the second half of a back-to-back, both regulation losses — would concur.
Trust is growing within the Maple Leafs’ room, and so is the point streak (now up to five games runnin’).
But the Matthews-esque play of Auston Matthews might be the most encouraging sign as Toronto rings in 2026 on a winning note.
“That’s a big one,” Matthews smiled. “It’s an exciting game.”
Fox’s Fast Five
• The Jets and Maple Leafs won their respective divisions in April. They entered January last in their respective divisions.
Here are their odds of making the playoffs this April, according to MoneyPuck.com.
Winnipeg: 20 per cent.
Toronto: 14.1 per cent.
• Jets coach Scott Arniel on his conversation with Mark Scheifele about missing out on Team Canada:
“It was a tough one. I thought he had a real good chance of being on the team. I know there’s really tough decisions out there, a lot of great players. I just thought he was so close last year (to make 4 Nations), having a fantastic season, great start.
“I really felt he would be a big bonus for Canada.”
With a pair of goals and a buttery cross-ice assist on Thursday’s opening strike, Scheifele (48 points) ranks fourth among all Canadians in scoring. Only Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini have more.
He’s also a plus-7 player on a club with a minus-9 goal differential.
“I obviously wish I was picked,” Scheifele said. “But God’s got a plan, and I’ve just got to trust it.”
• William Nylander (lower body) missed his third consecutive game and seventh overall this season.
This already marks the most games Nylander has missed in any season due to health concerns; he sat 28 games in 2018-19 due to a contract dispute.
Nylander took the ice for some tentative solo work Thursday morning but is “doubtful” to participate in the team’s Friday practice, per Berube.
Don’t bank on Nylander playing Saturday on Long Island.
• The Jets scratching fan favourite Luke Schenn in their lone trip to Toronto is a small shame. (We get it; they’re on a back-to-back.)
The rugged right shot is in the final year of his contract and could well be headed to the trade block.
Who knows how many seasons Schenn, who turns 37 in November, has left?
• Team USA announces its Olympic roster Friday morning.
Will Matthew Knies join Matthews on a flight to Milan?
Among U.S.-born skaters, only Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor (34) has put up more even-strength points than Knies (32) this season.
“Very anxious to see that (roster),” Matthews said. “He’s played great this year, and he’s a great young and up-and-coming player. There’s going to be guys that get left off that made a good case to be on it.
“But selfishly, I’d love to see him be on the team.”
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