It’s a question tossed around Leafland recently: When was the last time Auston Matthews made you say “Wow”?

From the moment he scored four goals in his NHL debut back in 2016 , Matthews frequently displayed a gift for creating jaw-dropping moments of next-level mastery. Curl-and-drag snipes. Forehand/backhand tucks. Watching the only active player with more than one 60-goal season has been, for the bulk of his career, a bankable thrill ride. Even watching him in practice has often left lifelong observers of the sport shaking their heads in awe.

Not so much in the early stages of his 10th NHL season. Never mind that Matthews has scored all of four goals in his most recent 18 playoff games. His failure to produce in the post-season is at the root of the explanation for why this Mapl

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