Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews becomes first U.S.-born player with nine straight 30-goal seasons
In the first nine years of his NHL career, Auston Matthews has made a habit of making history. That continued Saturday night when the Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain scored his 30th of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets, becoming the first U.S.-born player to record nine consecutive 30-goal campaigns in his career.
Auston Matthews became the first U.S.-born player in NHL history with nine consecutive 30-goal seasons, breaking a tie with Pat LaFontaine (8 from 1985-86 – 1992-93). #NHLStats: https://t.co/eou5qNjaG0 pic.twitter.com/0GKB6l7ZzO
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 6, 2025
Matthews achieved the feat late in the third period, taking a pass from Mitch Marner and one-timing it past Elvis Merzlikins and giving Toronto a 5-0 lead, which would end up being the final score.
NINE STRAIGHT 30-GOAL SEASONS FOR AUSTON MATTHEWS! 🍁 pic.twitter.com/K3gljyKK3p
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 6, 2025
Matthews became just the seventh player in NHL history to record nine straight 30-goal seasons, joining Alex Ovechkin, Mike Gartner, Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier.
He also became the first Maple Leaf in franchise history to post nine straight 30-goal campaigns, surpassing Darryl Sitter, who recorded eight straight between 1973-74 and 1980-81.
Matthews now has 30 goals and 41 assists for 71 points in 61 games with Toronto in 2024-25. He now has 398 goals and 322 assists for 720 points in 623 career regular-season games. Now in his ninth NHL season, Matthews has been one of the league’s most productive players since entering the league in 2016-17.
Matthews won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in three of the last four seasons, scoring the most goals in the league in 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2023-24. Following his 2021-22 season, where he scored 60 goals and 46 assists for 106 points, Matthews won the Hart Trophy for the league’s most valuable player, the first time a Maple Leaf had won the award since Ted Kennedy in 1954-55.
Meanwhile, Marner, who recorded his 70th assist of the season after assisting on Matthews’ goal, became the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone, joining Doug Gilmour – who did it twice in 1992-93 and 1993-94 – and Darryl Sittler in 1977-78. Marner now has 24 goals and 70 assists for 94 points, leading the team in both assists and points.
The Maple Leafs are now 47-25-4 and 98 points, first in the Atlantic Division. They’re 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, and with six games to go, are on pace to win just their second division title since the 1999-2000 season.