The NHL announced Monday that Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is the Third Star of the Week.

Matthews overtook Mats Sundin as Toronto’s all-time leading goal-scorer, sharing the League lead with five tallies in two games (5-1—6) as the Maple Leafs (19-15-7, 45 points) posted a 2-0-1 week.

He missed a 4-0 victory against the New Jersey Devils Dec. 30, but returned with 3-1—4 (including his 14th career hat trick, the most ever by a U.S.-born player, as well as his 66th career game-winning goal) in a 6-5 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets Jan. 1. Matthews then scored his 420th and 421st career goals (all w/ TOR) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders Jan. 3 to surpass Sundin on Toronto’s all-time goals list and reach the 20-goal milestone for the 10th time in as many NHL campaigns.

The 28-year-old Scottsdale native and Arizona Bobcats alum, a three-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner, is one of 23 players with at least 20 goals this season (20-13—33 in 35 GP) and leads the league with his 421 career tallies (23 more than the next-closest player) since making his debut in 2016-17.

— NHL Staff

(January 5, 2026)