Auston Matthews' production has declined significantly, scoring just 33 goals during the 2024-25 season and 27 goals during the 2025-26 season.
What happened to Auston Matthews' production?
The Toronto Maple Leafs' new head coach Jim Hiller has a theory on why Auston Matthews' production has dipped.
Hiller previously served as an assistant coach for the Leafs from 2015 until 2019 and is familiar with Matthews.
Matthews was drafted by the Leafs No. 1 overall in the 2016 NHL Draft and spent his first three seasons playing under Hiller.
Why the power play unit matters for Auston Matthews
Hiller attributes the decline to the Leafs' power play unit, which has not been as dangerous recently.
The Leafs ranked near the top of the league in power-play percentage from the 2021-22 season until the 2024-25 season, posting above 23.0% in each of those years.
However, that efficiency dipped entirely last season, ranking in the middle-of-the-pack at 15th with a 21.32% rate.
Auston Matthews has emerged as one of the best offensive players in the NHL, winning the Hart Trophy and the Rocket Richard Trophy on three different occasions.
But after scoring a career-high 69 goals during the 2023-24 season, Matthews' production has dipped drastically.
Hiller hopes to get the Leafs' power play going again, which will help boost Matthews' goal count.
What comes next for the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have gone through a massive organizational overhaul after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade this past year.
They've hired a new general manager in John Chayka and brought back a franchise great in Mats Sundin in an executive role.
Hiller is emphasizing the improvement of the Leafs' power play as he enters his first season back in Toronto.
The Leafs are only a year removed from pushing the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers to seven games.
The new era with the Toronto Maple Leafs brings optimism, and Hiller's focus on the power play unit could be the key to unlocking Auston Matthews' full potential.
Hiller worked on the power play when he was an assistant coach for the Leafs under Mike Babcock.
As the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings over the past two seasons, they never ranked above 27th in power-play percentage.
But during the 2023-24 season, Hiller's first as head coach, they ranked 12th in power-play percentage.
Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, and a strong power play unit could be the difference-maker.