The NHL has announced that Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has been named the First Star for the month of December.

Matthews found the scoresheet in all seven of his December appearances, sharing the league lead with 10 goals while averaging 2.00 points per game (10-4—14) to guide the Maple Leafs (21-8-2, 44 points) to a 4-2-1 month.

He registered five multi-point performances, including a trio of multi-goal outings: Dec. 1 vs. Colorado (3-0—3; his fourth career hat trick), Dec. 7 vs. Columbus (2-1—3; GWG) and Dec. 14 at Edmonton (2-0—2).

Matthews also placed first in the NHL with four goals and eight points on the power play (4-4—8), raising Toronto’s efficiency on the man-advantage to 29.7 percent for the season – second in the NHL after the Edmonton Oilers (31.2%).

The 24-year-old Scottsdale native and reigning Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner has played in 28 total games in 2021-22, ranking among the league leaders in goals (3rd; 20), power-play goals (3rd; 8), shots on goal (3rd; 124), power-play points (4th; 15) and points (13th; 33).

During his youth hockey career, Matthews played for the Arizona Bobcats.

(January 3, 2022)