The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked 2026 off in style on Thursday, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 6-5 in a rollercoaster of a game.
Leading the way for the Leafs to start the new year was Auston Matthews. In his return to the lineup, he had his first hat trick of the season and added an assist to help the team back from a 4-1 deficit in the second period. Speaking postgame, Matthews shared his thoughts on the whole wild affair.
“That was great. It’s always fun to win, but especially given that it was really back-and-forth,” Matthews said. “I thought getting down early, we just stuck with it. I don’t think we were necessarily playing bad, but caught a couple bad breaks, and we just didn’t give up. We just kept pushing shift-by-shift and just kind of clawed our way back into the game.”
Matthews now has four goals and eight points in three games since returning from the holiday break. As he buried the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner late in the third, Matthews was noticeably thrilled, and he spoke about that celebration after the game.
“I think it’s kind of just in the moment,” he said. “Obviously with the situation of the game, the back-and-forth and clawing our way back, it’s an exciting moment. I think it’s nothing that you’re really thinking about or planning, it just kind of happens.”
A HAT TRICK FOR PAPI!!!!!!!
📽️: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/H1y3RBKqSy
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 2, 2026
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With the hat trick, Matthews now has 419 career goals, putting him just one back from tying Mats Sundin as Toronto’s all-time goalscoring leader. It’s a significant moment for the 28-year-old forward, who talked about the honour he feels donning the blue and white sweater nightly.
“It’s special just to be in the same sentence as (Sundin),” Matthews said. “Obviously guys like him and a number of others that came before us paved the way. I’ve worn the jersey and I think we all take a lot of pride in wearing the jersey and realize how special it is. So it definitely means a lot.”
Matthews will next get a shot at tying Sundin’s record on Saturday night, when the Leafs face off against the New York Islanders.