“At the start, I looked after him a bit. I don’t look after him anymore.” — Mike Babcock
TORONTO – Can you recall a rookie with such a sense for the moment?
In his NHL debut, Auston Matthews scored four goals. No one had done that since 1917. Ten days ago, in his return home to the desert, the Toronto Maple Leafs super rookie set up the opening goal — and the stage for a homecoming victory — in his second shift.
So it seemed appropriate that Matthews’ coach, Mike Babcock, sent the teenager out for the opening face-off against the Detroit Red Wings’ top line, led by captain Henrik Zetterberg and the red-hot Anthony Mantha, for the Centennial Classic.
This in front of 40,000-plus toqued-up fans, outside, in the first game of the NHL’s 100th year, with fireworks and fighter jet flybys and hockey royalty aplenty.
The largest crowd the kid has ever played before, and an unscientific survey says his surname was the one most frequently splashed across the backs of their sweaters.
Before the game, Matthews spoke about the growth in his game, how he’s improved defensively and in the face-off circle. How he’s learning where to go without the puck, how he feels comfortable playing against anybody in a league — the world’s best — he’s known for all of 35 games.
Then Mantha double pump-faked the rookie, who prematurely dropped to a knee to block a shot that didn’t come, and ripped a laser glove-high on Frederik Andersen. One-zip Detroit with 20 minutes left to play.
A switch flipped in the third period, however. With victory’s taste on his lips, Babcock could later joke that the young Leafs may have mistakenly hopped into the Timbits game being waged by tykes on the sidelines. Instead, they showed up on the big ice, in spades.
Mitch Marner scored. Connor Brown scored. Zach Hyman was integral. The local boys done good. Matthews sniped a beauty. Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” rang out through the soccer pitch, and the locals all sang along like it’s the unofficial new Leafs anthem.
Yet even when the Wings responded from a 4-1 deficit to tie the Classic with a second on the clock, even when Matthews’ line had been on the ice for three of those goals and couldn’t clear the dang puck out of their zone, Babcock laid his bet on his future.
“If you’re Naz [Kadri] and you’re Leo [Komarov] and you’re sitting on the bench and the coach is playing those other guys instead of you, at that time you’re saying, ‘What’s he doing?’” Babcock said. “I’m giving them the opportunity. They got two goals in the third. I’m giving them a chance to shut out the game. They gotta learn.”
He’s stopped protecting Matthews.
And that’s OK because the top pick only rises to occasions. So Matthews drop-passes to Jake Gardiner in overtime, bolts to the net, and backhands one to glory, surpassing Patrik Laine in the rookie goal race with his 20th in 36 games. Double fist pump. Game over.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in this room that’s surprised by it,” said Morgan Rielly. “He’s got a skill-set that allows him to do things that other people can’t do. He’s got a good brain, he works hard, and he’s been playing with good teammates. It’s all unfolding for him in a good way. We have lots of faith that it’s going to continue to roll the way it is.”
The way it’s rolling is this: goals in three straight, points in six straight, three multi-goal games, eight multi-point games, and 14 goals in 17 games since his 13-game drought. His grip on the Calder is tightening by the day.
“Auston being Auston,” Matt Martin said of the game winner.
We ask the veteran, who played junior with Steven Stamkos and had a front-row seat for John Tavares’ recent playoff heroics, to put the youngest Leaf’s talent in context.
“They’re all different. Stammer has so much speed and a hell of a shot. Johnny’s so good offensively, and he’s gotten good defensively as well. He’s worked hard on his skating,” says Martin.
“Matthews—you look at him, he’s 6-foot-3, 220 pounds. My size. And he moves around just as well as anyone else. He’s big, he’s strong, and he’s so dynamic in so many ways. Not only shooting the puck but passing, and he’s responsible in his own zone. At 19 years old or whatever he is, I can only imagine what he’s gonna be as his career progresses.”
On an eve like this, with a blue-and-white crowd alive and happy and drunk and hungover all at once, Babcock’s imagination is busy with what lies ahead.
“They’re going to grow up here together,” Babcock said of his keen students. “A guy like [Rielly], you arrive here and everybody’s leaving all the time. These guys aren’t leaving. They’re staying, and they’re staying for a long time.”
In the meantime, Toronto hockey fans were given this night, with their new favourite struggling but persevering and delivering when they needed it most. Maybe 4-1 leads can be safe.
“You don’t want to call it a storybook,” said Rielly, with a smirk, “but you might as well.”
