THE LEAFS ALL-TIME GOALS LEADER IS AUSTON MATTHEWS!!!!!!! 📽️: Sportsnet | NHL
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Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews breaks Mats Sundin’s franchise record for goals
Photo credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Jan 3, 2026, 20:27 ESTUpdated: Jan 4, 2026, 08:10 EST
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews broke Mats Sundin’s franchise record for all-time goals. Matthews scored twice during the second period, recording his 420th and 421st career goals to pass Sundin for 1st on the Leafs’ list.
Here is Matthews’ record-setting goal:
Matthews scored the game-tying goal off an individual rush:
MATTHEWS IS TIED WITH SUNDIN!!!!! 📽️: Sportsnet | NHL
“It’s special just to be in the same sentence as (Sundin),” Matthews said following a January 1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, where he recorded a hat-trick. “Obviously, guys like him and a number of others that came before us paved the way. I’ve worn the jersey and I think we all take a lot of pride in wearing the jersey and realize how special it is. So it definitely means a lot.”
There’s mutual admiration between both franchise legends, and Sundin has always welcomed Matthews with open arms.
“There’s a lot of pressure, being the first overall draft pick and coming to Toronto, which I’ve always said is the center of the hockey universe,” Sundin said recently via NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. “He’s handled it with class. They are the best fans in the world, and he’s given them so many reasons to cheer, all while wearing that jersey with pride.”
“I couldn’t be prouder to see him break my record.”
Matthews often deflects attention from individual accolades and lightly teased the press for bringing up Sundin’s record on a daily basis, but it clearly matters to him, while staying focused on larger team goals.
“I think that stuff definitely crosses your mind,” Matthews told Zeisberger. “It’s kind of hard not to. I mean, for me, all that stuff is great, it’s kind of just icing on the cake. But the ultimate goal is to obviously win and to do that as a team and to accomplish that goal and climb that mountain.
“It’s really nice to be mentioned with a guy like Mats Sundin. But again, the ultimate goal is to win, and that’s much more difficult to do. At the same time, it’s truly satisfying to accomplish.”
Matthews is midway through his career, and he’s been a prolific goal-scorer since his first game with the Maple Leafs. It’s a tremendous accomplishment for Matthews, who will continue to stamp his way through the Leafs’ record books.
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