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Sheldon Keefe raves about Auston Matthews, on the verge of Leafs’ goal record
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Arun Srinivasan
Dec 30, 2025, 14:35 ESTUpdated: Dec 30, 2025, 14:32 EST
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Sheldon Keefe will be behind the opponents’ bench Tuesday, but he still holds his former colleagues in high esteem.
Keefe and the New Jersey Devils will be squaring off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, to close out the calendar year. And while it’s no longer novel to see how Keefe feels about his former club, it’s clear that he still keeps tabs about what’s going on.
Auston Matthews is inching closer towards breaking Mats Sundin’s franchise record for goals, and Keefe raved about the Maple Leafs’ captain prior to Tuesday’s game.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Auston and the way he can not only score but also defend and do so many things really well. When it comes, it will be a tremendous honour for him, and certainly well deserved because of the work he puts in.”
Matthews trails Mats Sundin by five goals, and should break his record through the opening weeks of January. Toronto’s captain is a game-time decision for Tuesday’s contest, after blocking a shot from Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin during Sunday’s game. And while it’s unclear if Matthews will play Tuesday, Keefe was certainly cognizant of his place in franchise history.
“It is his rightful place. Auston has certainly earned it,” Keefe said of Matthews. “The evidence is there. He works extremely hard and puts in a lot of time. It is a great story, too. You have a kid from Scottsdale, Arizona who comes into the Toronto Maple Leafs, of all places, and has such an achievement. It is tremendous.
Keefe has always spoke glowingly of Matthews, and after getting dismissed by the Maple Leafs in April 2024, thanked the organization for his tenure with the club. When the puck drops, all friendships will be put on hold, but it’s clear that Matthews has the respect and admiration of his former head coach.

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