We knew Auston Matthews was good. Maybe great. Maybe super duper great. But we still had a level of expectation that his greatness would develop over time; not begin to take over the hockey world before it started.

Well, we should probably start adding nitrous oxide to our hype train, because today’s goal just sent things into overdrive.

Thirty seconds into the first period. Stickhandling on his knees. Making the mega-elite Swedish giant Victor Hedman look like he doesn’t know how to play the game. Morgan Rielly even set him up.

October can’t come soon enough.