When Leafs captain Auston Matthews hilariously admitted getting 'more attention' from 'non-moms' as a bachelor

In September 2018, Auston Matthews shared a moment that showed his new side. The current Toronto Maple Leafs captain admitted that being one of the few single players on the team brought him some extra attention.

“I’m one of three or four guys on the team who isn’t in a relationship," Matthews told GQ. "So I get a little bit more attention than some others would.”

When asked if the attention came from “non-moms,” he didn’t deny it. He also shared what he didn’t like when recognized in public. Matthews said he preferred not to talk about hockey in those moments.

"I don't know, talk about hockey," he said. "I talk about it all the time, so it's not something I want to talk about, to be honest."

The interview also gave a better idea of who Matthews is beyond hockey. He grew up in an athletic family, took online courses while starting his career, and admired stars like Kobe Bryant, Jonathan Toews and Anze Kopitar.

Years later, Matthews became the Leafs' captain. The 2024–25 season tested him as injuries kept him out of 15 games, and his numbers dipped from the season before. He still finished with 33 goals and 78 points in 67 games. In the playoffs, he added 11 points in 13 games but slowed down in the later rounds, as Toronto once again fell short of advancing further.

Auston Matthews scored 4 goals in NHL debut

Auston Matthews made his NHL debut on October 12, 2016, for the Maple Leafs at the Canadian Tire Centre. He scored four goals against the Ottawa Senators. Matthews scored two goals in the first period, once in the second and the fourth late in the third.

Matthews' first goal came on a pass by Zach Hyman (now with the Edmonton Oilers). The second goal was unassisted after he stole the puck from Erik Karlsson. Morgan Rielly assisted on Matthews’ third goal, while William Nylander set up the fourth.

That day, Matthews became the first modern player to score four goals in a debut. Despite his effort, Ottawa won the game 5-4 in overtime, but Matthews’ debut was memorable.