Former Maple Leafs forward raises a worrying question about Auston Matthews

Jay Rosehill has never been shy about sharing his opinion on the Maple Leafs, and his latest comments on Auston Matthews are going to sting for Leafs fans.

The former Toronto forward turned podcast host used his platform on Leafs Morning Take to question whether the version of Matthews everyone remembers is simply gone for good.

It is a bold claim considering what Matthews has already accomplished in this league.

He put up a salary cap era record 69 goals and 107 points just two seasons ago, numbers that made him a unanimous Hart Trophy winner and arguably the best goal scorer on the planet.

But last season told a very different story, with Matthews limited to 60 games due to injury and finishing with a career low 27 goals and 53 points.

Rosehill pointed to the fact that fans simply have not seen that dominant version of Matthews in two full years now, and that raises real questions heading into this season.

There is a new voice behind the bench in Jim Hiller, who actually coached Matthews as an assistant early in his career, and the roster around him looks different too.

Still, doubt like this tends to follow star players who go through a rough stretch, fair or not.

Matthews enters this year with something to prove, fresh off representing Team USA at the Olympics as captain.

He is still just 28 years old and remains under contract in Toronto through the 2027-28 season at 13.25 million dollars per year, so the Leafs are banking on the real Auston Matthews showing back up sooner than later.

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