Coming off the high of a 60-goal season that ended in Auston Matthews winning the Rocket Richard, Ted Lindsay and Hart Trophies, some have said the star forward is having a down year this season. However, ahead of tonight's game against the Colorado Avalanche, Matthews currently has 31 goals and 36 assists, tying him for 27th in the league for points through just 59 games.
During this so-called "down season," Matthews missed three weeks starting at the end of January with a sprained knee. Since returning, he took some time to heat up again but is currently on a streak of three straight games with a goal, which could be extended tonight. Matthews has scored 6 points over this most recent 3-game span. It's a noticeably different season compared to the last for Matthews, but the 25-year-old reveals that he's not overly concerned with personal stats, so long as the team is winning and playing well.
Matthews's defensive game has certainly improved this season. He currently leads all forwards in blocked shots and is amid a career-high season in hits. He's rounded out his game and is still on pace for a 40-goal season, all while playing injured, which isn't bad at all.
At the end of the day, though, as Matthews said, the team should be a priority, and I think he's done an excellent job showing he believes that this season.
