Auston Matthews Continues to Play Like ... Auston Matthews
Legendary basketball coach and analyst Al McGuire put his stamp on sports culture in many ways.
Dude brought the rock, coaches stalking the sideline, and kick it out to the hoops world. Thanks, coach. Not!
However, McGuire had his moments of poignancy, like when he'd say that by the end of a college season, freshmen weren't freshmen anymore.
Not quite Yogi Berra level, but it made sense.
Virtually everyone who follows hockey knows the Auston Matthews story:
- An Arizona kid who was actually inspired by the Coyotes, a miracle in itself;
- Bagging both college and junior hockey to play pro in Switzerland; and
- Living up to the first-overall pick hype in his first game with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
New chapters keep being written. Like sniping the winner in his first outdoor game, and scoring off a nifty dangle like this against the Detroit Red Wings in a 4-0 triumph tonight:
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This is that time in the NHL season where McGuire's observation has merit.
Rookies in North America's major sports have never played the longer schedules they feature. But Matthews has all the appearances of keeping it going:
Dude won't be outta place at the NHL's All-Star weekend.
And the way he's done more than his bit to lift the Leafs, he won't be outta place in the playoffs this spring, either.