Auston Matthews etched his name into Toronto Maple Leafs history on Tuesday by reaching 400 career goals in the NHL. The 27-year-old forward reached the milestone with an empty-net goal at 18:08 of the third period, helping seal a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. With this achievement, he becomes the 110th player in NHL history—and the 10th active player—to hit the 400-goal mark or higher.
This season, Matthews has once again proven his consistent goalscoring ability, registering 32 goals in 66 games. Earlier this month, on April 5, he scored his 30th goal in a 5-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, joining an exclusive group of just seven players in NHL history who have opened their careers with nine consecutive seasons of 30 or more goals.
Last season, Matthews achieved a career high with an extraordinary 69 goals in 81 games, earning him his third Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in four years. Since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, he has tallied 400 goals in 628 games—more than any other player in that span since his debut on October 12, 2016.
“It means a lot. … In the end, it’s a team accomplishment, I think. It’s a team sport. There’s a lot that goes into it,” Matthews said, according to ESPN. “And just fortunate that it’s come off my stick a couple times.”
He added: “I feel really confident in this group. We put in a lot of work over the season. Earning the division was a big step for us, but we just want to continue to push forward.”
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Matthews’ goalscoring in context
Matthews holds the highest goals-per-game average among active players (0.64) and, according to NHL Stats, ranks fifth all-time in NHL history (minimum 200 goals) in that category. These numbers underscore his elite finishing skills and place him among the most prolific scorers the league has ever seen.
Matthews on the all-time Record
When asked about the possibility of chasing the all-time NHL goal record—which was recently broken by Alex Ovechkin and now stands at 896—Matthews responded with humility and perspective. “That’s such a long way away or such a long way to go,” he said, as reported by NHL.com.
His response reflects a grounded mentality, as Matthews remains focused on present objectives rather than long-term records. Still, his pace and consistency continue to fuel speculation about his future place among the sport’s greatest.
