"There has to be a fear": NHL analysts feel Auston Matthews has dropped out of "elite" group of players

Despite a game-tying goal on Tuesday, scrutiny surrounding Mathews' form isn't expected to ease up despite the strong performance. The Leafs captain has 23 points in 27 games this season, and hasn't been anywhere close to his 69-goal scoring campaign in the 2023-24 season.

Even before he peaked with 69 goals, Matthews had scored 60 goals and 106 points two seasons prior that earned him the Hart trophy. He was being considered in the same vein as the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and above the chasing pack led by Leon Draisaitl.

But as discussed by TSN analysts Bryan Hayes, Martin Biron and Frankie Corrado on Thursday, Matthews' recent slump that has continued since last season has dropped him out of that leading category.

"He's not right now," Hayes said. "Like, this is not a five-game slump. This is not a ten-game slump, right? A big goal at the end of a game against a team you should have beat anyway and beat handily does not launch you back into McDavid, MacKinnon territory."

Biron believed that Matthews would come back strong after managing his career-lowest 33 goals and an overall 78 points in a 2024-25 regular season cut short to 67 games due to recurring injuries.

"I thought Matthews is going to have a fantastic year this year," Biron said. "But now more than a quarter of the way in, more than a third of the way into the season, I got to take a step back and say I am not seeing the elite of the elite that Matthews can bring."

According to Corrado, opposing defensemen are scared of Matthews anymore, a feeling that Matthews, MacKinnon and Draisaitl generate.

"In order to really hang with those kinds of guys, when teams are playing against you and game planning for you, there has to be a fear that they feel where it's like, 'Man, if I get my third D pair or if I get my third or fourth line on the ice against Auston Matthews, I am cooked because he's going to make us pay,'" Corrado said.

"Until he takes over games at a more consistent rate, he will remain in a tier lower than the best players in the NHL."

Like Matthews, the Edmonton Oilers too had a slow start to the season that was characteristic of their superstar players struggling. But the team and McDavid (56 points) and Draisaitl (47 points) have rebounded with the pair ranking 2nd and 4th in total points scored, a list led by MacKinnon with 58 points.

Martin Biron feels Auston Matthews lucked out after controversial gesture

Aside from Auston Matthews' production, his on-ice conduct also came under the scanner during the game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. After the third period power play goal, Matthews made a hand-on-ear gesture in front of the Toronto crowd in the Scotiabank Arena, who rained down boos on the team after they fell two goals behind.

During the discussion, Biron felt that Matthews dodged a bullet as the Leafs were able to win from behind against the Blackhawks.

"I think that he lucked out by doing the gesture and the Leafs coming back and winning this," Biron stated. "If they had lost to the Chicago Blackhawks the way that they played, we would be saying a whole different thing this morning and in the next few days."

The Leafs came out with a 2-1-2 record in their five-game homestand. Matthews will now have to prove himself as the Toronto plays two contenders within the next three games in the Washington Nationals and the Dallas Stars on the road.