Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is entering the 2025-26 NHL season with a lot of weight on his shoulders. After a 2024-25 campaign that saw him score a career-low 33 goals, a stark contrast to his 69-goal season and a Hart Trophy-winning performance almost four seasons prior, things have been very difficult for the Maple Leafs center.

The season ended in profound disappointment for the Leafs, who were decisively eliminated by the Florida Panthers in a Game 7 of the second round, with a final score of 6-1 that laid bare the team’s playoff struggles.

In a revealing one-on-one interview with The Athletic prior to the new season, Matthews did not shy away from his personal shortcomings. “I know that the level I was at last year wasn’t up to my standard. And whatever the factors are — health, etc. — for myself, I think just the extra motivation (is there) to get back to that level and that standard that I hold myself to. Because I know if I play like that, then the team has success as well. I definitely feel like there’s a little extra motivation, especially in stuff like that,” said the Maple Leafs captain.

This brutal confession underscored a season of frustration for Matthews, who acknowledged that despite a career filled with individual accolades, including three Rocket Richard Trophies, any personal achievement feels “hollow” without the team ultimately capturing the Stanley Cup. He elaborated that falling short of the championship goal leaves him with the same empty feeling, “regardless of if you score a hundred goals or if you score 20.”

Matthews’ determination to return to form is unfolding in a period of transition for the Leafs. The team is navigating the early season without his longtime linemate, Mitch Marner, and his importance to the team has only grown, currently playing the biggest minutes of his career at around 22 minutes per game.

However, the search for chemistry on his line is a work in progress, as head coach Craig Berube has already cycled through several wingers without finding a consistent solution. So, how has the season been for the Maple Leafs’ captain until now?

Auston Matthews has a lot to look forward to

At the start of the 2025-26 season, Auston Matthews has netted 4 goals and added 2 assists in the first seven games. You can see glimpses of his talent, but he hasn’t quite hit that dominant, game-changing level we all know he can reach just yet. Underlying metrics also indicate he has not yet recovered the top skating and shooting speeds that defined his most productive seasons. But the captain of the Maple Leafs has been looking well thus far this season.

Ever since Mitch Marner left the team, Matthews has been hit with a ton of questions during the off-season and even into the pre-season. He once responded to those questions by saying, “I mean, see what happens I guess. You’ve got two more weeks and then we’re done with these questions.” So, it was pretty obvious that the Maple Leafs’ captain was done with those same old questions and was really looking ahead to a new season.

Matthews and the Leafs definitely have a clear path ahead of them. He’s really stepping up and taking responsibility for his performance, and now it’s all tied in with the team’s goals too. The Leafs are counting on their captain’s drive to be the spark that turns their regular-season success into a long playoff run, as he works hard to meet his own high expectations.