Auston Matthews named NHL Player of the Month for February `

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews of San Ramon, California has been named the National Hockey League First Star of the Month for February on Saturday according to Caleb Kerney of The Hockey News. Matthews had 13 goals and seven assists for 20 points in 12 games. Matthews’s 13 goals led the NHL in the second month of 2024.

Matthews’s Statistics In Depth

Matthews was a +8 with zero penalty minutes, eight power-play points, two game-winning goals, 50 shots on goal, 14 hits, 12 blocked shots, and 111 faceoff wins. Of Matthews’s 13 goals were two game-winning goals. They came in two Maple Leafs’s wins over the Arizona Coyotes. The first was in a 6-3 Maple Leafs win on February 21 at Arizona’s Mullett Arena. Matthews scored from Mitch Marner of Markham, Ontario at 16:07 of the second period. Matthews scored his 51st goal of the season at the time and put the Maple Leafs up 4-2. Matthews’s second game-winning goal in February came at 13:12 of the second period from Matthew Knies of Phoenix, Arizona and William Nylander on February 29 in a 4-2 Toronto win. At the time, the Maple Leafs went up 3-0. Matthews scored his 53rd goal of the season.

Matthews’s two hat tricks in February

In two games in February, Matthews scored thrice in each. He scored three times on February 15 in a 4-3 Toronto win over the Philadelphia Flyers, and then scored three again in a 9-2 Maple Leafs win over the Anaheim Ducks on February 17. Matthews’s hat trick against the Ducks was part of a five-point game as he had two assists.

Matthews in 2023-24

Matthews scored a season-high 53 goals in 2023-24. In 59 games, he had 26 assists and 79 points. Matthews also is a +21 with four penalty minutes, a NHL-high 38 even strength goals, 24 power-play points, seven game-winning goals, one shorthanded point, 252 shots on goal, 529 faceoff wins, 70 blocked shots, 64 hits, 64 takeaways, and 38 giveaways. Matthews’s shorthanded point came on a goal by Nylander in a 4-1 Maple Leafs win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 23.

 Maple Leafs in 2023-24

Toronto is in third place in the Atlantic Division. They have a record of 35 wins, 17 regulation losses and eight losses in extra time for 78 points.