NHL Rewind: When Auston Matthews set a new record for jersey sales

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Feb 13, 2023 20:48 GMT

Auston Matthews is a 25-year-old forward from San Roman, California, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Before making his professional debut, Auston won the Swiss Cup and established himself as the draft's top prospect. Matthews was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, and he has worn the Leafs jersey with No. 34 on his back ever since.

Auston Matthews' NHL debut is nothing short of a beautiful tale set on another planet. Auston astonished everyone when he scored four goals in his NHL debut, becoming the only player in modern NHL history to accomplish the feat. On Oct.r 12, 2016, his four goals alone guided the Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators.

Matthews' outstanding first-game performance resulted in a significant increase in his fan base. Not only was he hailed by fans for this remarkable accomplishment, but he also garnered applause from league legends and other players.

Auston's jersey went on sale soon after his debut, and his No. 34 jersey quickly became the best-selling jersey of the time. Almost every Leafs fan was excited to get their hands on his jersey.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the few teams in the NHL with a large fan base around the world. Their strong fan base was also the main reason that peaked the sale of Matthews' jersey at the top of the league following his remarkable debut.

Auston Matthews is now ranked fifth in terms of highest NHL jersey sales. In contrast, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins leads the league in jersey sales, followed by Nathan MacKinnon in second place. Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid are third and fourth on the list, respectively.

Auston Matthews' NHL career stats

Auston has been with the Maple Leafs for over seven years. During that time, the 25-year-old star forward has accumulated 510 points with 226 assists and 284 goals in 454 games. In the meantime, he has played in 47 games with the Leafs this season, contributing 53 points on 25 goals and 28 assists.

Auston Matthews has earned the Calder Memorial Trophy, the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (2), the Heart Memorial Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award, and has appeared in six NHL All-Star games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently placed second in the Atlantic Division with 72 points and are among the favorites to lift the 2023 Stanley Cup. Auston Matthews will be hoping to win his first coveted Cup this time and it will be intriguing to see how the 25-year-old will help his side in their quest for the title.