CONTENTS He Shoots He Scores 4 A Hockey Hero Is Born 6 Fire and Ice 10 Number One Pick 16 Remembering Uncle Billy 24 A Franchise Centerman 28 Timeline 29 Glossary 30 Find Out More 31 Index 32 Words that are defined in the glossary are in bold type the first time they appear in the text
He Shoots He Scores It’s October 14 2017 and the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Montreal Canadiens in their fifth game of the season Auston Matthews is beginning his second season playing center for the Maple Leafs who have lost the last 14 games they’ve played against the Canadiens Needless to say the pressure is on It’s the middle of the first period and the score is tied at 1 1 Leafs center Nazem Kadri takes a blow to the wrist and skates off the ice in pain Auston Matthews jumps from the bench to replace Kadri Auston immediately takes control of the puck moving it from one end of the rink to the other all on his own With quick thinking and precision he whips the puck It passes the defense then the goaltender It’s a goal Auston scored two goals against the Montreal Canadiens helping the Maple Leafs win the game 4 to 3 4
A Shot at Greatness Since his very first game in the National Hockey League NHL number 34 Auston Matthews has brought something special to the ice His name might be new to the NHL world but through his work ethic and natural talent Auston quickly gained the respect of many devoted hockey fans He was drafted into the NHL in 2016 as the first overall pick of rookie players and has been impressing fans teammates coaches and competitors ever since Auston’s hockey skills are as unique as his journey to the NHL His inspiring story has made many people wonder how this young man from the desert state of Arizona became a superstar on the ice However despite the odds he has grown up to join the ranks of his childhood hockey idols Shane Doan and Daniel Brière When Auston Matthews was drafted in 2016 he was the first American to be selected first in the NHL Drafts since Patrick Kane in 2007 5
