Auston Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 30-goal sniper, is set to play a significant role as a captain of the Eastern Conference squad during the upcoming All-Star festivities in Toronto from Feb. 1-3. Matthews was among the first names selected on Thursday night as the NHL unveiled one member of each Eastern Conference team.
Matthews, leading the NHL in goals, was chosen as the Maple Leafs’ representative for the All-Star weekend and is the obvious choice from the roster, perhaps the easiest decision in the Eastern Conference. He’s on pace for 70 goals this season and he’s one of the league’s biggest stars. Not having him selected immediately would have been met with widespread criticism.
Related: NHL News & Rumors: Canadiens, Oilers, Flames, Penguins, Devils
Of course, his selection also now leaves other deserving players off the list, namely William Nylander. Nylander will need help from fans who can begin voting the final 12 names in. A notable omission despite ranking fifth overall in league scoring, he’ll have his work cut out for him as the Eastern Conference team only has one defenseman selected. Nylander will also have to battle it out with other top-five league scorers like Artemi Panarin and icon Alex Ovechkin.
Matthews Will Help Select the Teams For the New All-Star Format
The traditional divisional format has been replaced, and the captains will now draft their teams for the 3-on-3 tournament, with the draft televised to kick off the weekend. While the formal announcement of captains is expected later, Matthews and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers have reportedly agreed to lead two of the teams, reports Chris Johnston.
Matthews, who scored his 30th goal of the season recently, expressed the significance of representing the Leafs in his hometown. He was not only deserving of his spot, but the All-Star Game would have felt incredibly odd without him.
