NHL analyst urges Auston Matthews to follow Sidney Crosby blueprint and help 'elevate' Maple Leafs offense

Auston Matthews is expected to take on more responsibility for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He became team captain in the 2024–25 season, and his role has grown. With Mitch Marner traded to Vegas, Matthews will likely get a new winger on his line.

Matthews had a quieter regular season this year. He missed 15 games because of two separate injuries. He went scoreless in four of the last five games and struggled to create offense late in the series.

NHL analyst Matthew Cauz said it's Matthews’ job to help that winger improve. He spoke about this on Monday's episode of "First Up." Cauz said Matthews should follow Sidney Crosby’s example in Pittsburgh.

"So it’s up to Auston Matthews to take whoever the wingers are and elevate them like Crosby did with Bryan Rust," Cauz said.

Bryan Rust is a good example of how playing with Crosby helped. Rust started as a depth winger but slowly turned into a reliable scorer on the Penguins’ top line. In 2024–25, he scored a career-high 31 goals.

Crosby's strong puck control, smart passing and clear communication made things easier for Rust. Over time, Rust became more confident and played better at both ends of the ice.

Cauz compared Matthews’ situation to that of NFL quarterbacks who are paid like stars and expected to carry their teams.

“It’s a little bit unfair to Matthews what I’m going to do, but it’s 50 or 60% there," Cauz said. "Patrick Mahomes gets paid. Josh Allen gets paid… Tyreek Hill’s in Miami. Stefon Diggs is gone bye, bye. They’re gone."

He continued by explaining how the Leafs might approach their roster this offseason.

"This is about okay. We think we could trade a third and a second for Michael Bunting," Cauz added. "Matthews, you got all the money, make Michael Bunting better. That's your job.”

Auston Matthews looking to start next season with 100% health

After the Toronto Maple Leafs' second-round playoff exit, Auston Matthews said he plans to be fully healthy for the 2025–26 NHL season. He revealed he played through an injury since training camp. The injury affected his performance during parts of the season.

Matthews said he does not need surgery, but with treatment, he feels confident he will be ready for next season.

"A tough year physically," Matthews said in May via NHL.com. "I'm confident with some time off ... going through my own process and treatment ... I'm really confident I'll be back 100 percent next season. ... nothing for me to worry about."

Matthews believes the time off will help him recover, as he will enter his second season as the Leafs' captain.