The hyperbole surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Auston Matthews is going to be enoromous after his amazing debut on opening night. So let’s stick to the facts, as hyperbolic as they are:
On Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators, Auston Matthews had the GREATEST DEBUT GAME IN NHL HISTORY.
Seriously.
Matthews scored four goals his first two periods of play, including a natural hat trick, as the Toronto Maple Leafs center rewrote the record book.
His three goals – on his first three shots! – tied three other players who posted hat tricks in their NHL debuts (since 1943-44, a.k.a. the “modern era). Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers (2010), Fabian Brunstrom of the Dallas Stars (2008, and wow whatever happened to that guy?) and Real Cloutier in 1979 for the Quebec Nordiques were the others.
Watch the goals here: https://sports.yahoo.com/news/auston-matthews-breaks-nhl-scoring-record-in-debut-earns-celebrity-love-012809118.html