The importance of what the Leafs organization did for Borje Salming this weekend was not lost on Auston Matthews
Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, or really any Original Six team, is an honour that is not lost on the players. For Auston Matthews, he has publicly stated on a number of occasions how much he loves playing in Toronto and how the city has embraced him as one of their own.
This weekend, Matthews had the opportunity to witness how the organization treats its legends, first with Hall of Fame night on Friday prior to the Leafs/Pens game and then Saturday when the Leafs honoured legend Borje Salming with a touching tribute and icing an all-Swedish starting lineup before the Leafs/Canucks game. He spoke to the importance of the team standing behind Salming and honouring him the way they did this weekend and letting him know that the Leafs and Leafs Nation as a whole are behind him during his fight with ALS.
Matthews on witnessing the Salming ceremony first-hand and the fact that the gravity of the situation
I don't think it's a coincidence that Matthews watched the Leafs honour Salming the way that they did and then came out and had arguably his best game of the season and scored a huge goal or the team against the Canucks. Hearing the sincerity in his voice, discussing what he witnessed with Salming, Sittler, Sundin and other Leafs legends, it's very clear that the weekend's festivities had an impact on him.
It wouldn't shock me to see this being a major turning point in Matthews' season. He's a guy who always seems to play hard, but there's something about the passion that he played with on Saturday against the Canucks that really stood out. He only managed about 17 minutes of ice time in the game after playing nearly 24 minutes on Friday against Pittsburgh, but he played with purpose this weekend and I'd anticipate a hungrier, more dialed-in Auston Matthews from here on out.
The other important factor here is that having witnessed something like this could be a major boost in the team's pursuit of signing Matthews to a lengthy contract extension as early as this summer. Matthews is a player who wants to be great - someone who wants to have success at the highest level. To do that in Toronto and to be able to potentially become a hockey icon in arguably the biggest hockey market in the league - I think that resonates with him on a personal level. I think he wants to be "the guy" and to be "the guy" in the biggest hockey market and to one day be celebrated the way that the Leafs honoured and celebrated Salming.. I think that's something Matthews will want in a huge way.
Salming gave 16 years of his life to the Leafs and to Leafs Nation and he'll forever be remembered for it and for the trail that he blazed. We can only hope that Matthews can go on to have a legendary career in Toronto and one that spans the better part of two decades and perhaps, one day, that he'll be honoured in the same way after a Hall of Fame career. He's well on his way.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 14 | 586 ANSWERS The importance of what the Leafs organization did for Borje Salming this weekend was not lost on Auston Matthews Will Matthews retire as a Leaf? | ||
| Yes | 237 | 40.4 % |
| No | 142 | 24.2 % |
| Maybe not retire, but he'll be here a long time | 207 | 35.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
