Matthews touches on Wayne Simmonds being recalled from the Marlies

Simmonds is a team-first player and wherever he goes, he is beloved by his teammates. His rough-and-tough style of hockey not only reverberates well with the fan base but also the guys in the locker room.

Before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020-21, Simmonds enjoyed 6-year stretch with the Philadelphia Flyers that had him labelled as one of the premier power-forwards in the game as well as one of the best power-play goal scorers - always at the top of the list alongside Alex Ovechkin and Joe Pavelski.

Injuries took a toll on Simmonds and he flip-flopped between teams before finding a consistent home in Toronto. His numbers aren't anywhere close to what they were in his prime years and his role has severely declined. However he is a team-first guy and everyone in the locker room looks to Wayne when they need a spark - Auston Matthews included. This morning, Matthews was asked about the return of Simmonds and what it meant to the team. Matthews' response was clear and concise as he said "It's awesome. He's like family."