Ex-Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas makes his feelings known about captain Auston Matthews

Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manger Kyle Dubas spoke about Auston Matthews on Monday. Dubas, who is now the Pittsburgh Penguins GM, praised Matthews’ growth as a player and leader.

Dubas noted the center's defensive improvements in addition to his goal-scoring skills. He also highlighted Matthews being named Team USA's captioned in the 4 Nations Face-off tournament.

“You’ve seen the evolution as a leader and the evolution on the defensive side as well," Dubas said (2:28:27 ), via "The Cam & Strick Podcast." "Of course, everyone knows about the goalscoring, but to see him named captain there, captain of Team USA, he puts a lot into his craft."

Matthews is signed with the Maple Leafs through the 2027-28 season. His contract is four years for $53 million, with a $13.25 million cap hit per year. With that big contract comes a lot of pressure on him, especially since last season, when he was named the Leafs' captain.

Dubas said Matthews handles pressure mostly internally and focuses on being his best.

"I don’t think any of the stuff that people talk about , the pressure, the market, his pressure is probably internal and trying to be at his absolute best, and you saw different steps that he took throughout his career," Dubas said.

Matthews recorded 33 goals and 78 points in 2024-25, down from 69 goals in the previous season. He played 67 games and missed 15 due to an injury, and he had to consult a doctor in Germany.

Dubas commended Matthews for accepting constructive criticism as he reached his mid-20s.

"He took constructive criticism well," Dubas said. "especially as he got into his mid-20s, so it’s been great to see him continue to evolve, and I hope that he gets back to 100 percent,"

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Auston Matthews wants to return to 100 percent health in 2025-26 season

After the Maple Leafs' playoff exit in May, Auston Matthews said he played through an injury since training camp. He added that the injury affected how he played, but he didn't need surgery.

"I'm really confident I'll be back 100 percent next season, and it's nothing for me to worry about," Matthews said, via NHL.com.

In the playoffs, Toronto lost a seven-game second-round series to the Florida Panthers. Matthews had three goals and eight assists in 13 games.

Despite the challenges, Matthews remains the team’s main offensive player, especially after Mitch Marner moved to Vegas.