Auston Matthews’ 69-goal season in 2023-24 wasn’t just historic, it reset the entire scoring bar in the modern NHL. It was the most goals ever scored by a U.S.-born player and the highest total by a Toronto Maple Leaf in the salary-cap era. But since then, injuries, roster changes, and subtle dips in his underlying metrics have pulled him slightly off that pace. So the real question becomes, what does Matthews need to do to get back to that level and stay among the game’s deadliest goal scorers?

https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2025/11/05/ovechkin-washington-capitals-all-time-great-goal-milestone/

Shot Volume and Location are the Foundation of His Game

In 2023-24, Matthews averaged 4.56 shots per game, with more than 30% of those attempts coming from the high-danger “house” area (bet

See Full Page