What changed in Auston Matthews game amidst return to form?

The Toronto Maple Leafs captain is finding his groove at a crucial point of the season, and the team is welcoming it.

Auston Matthews had a rough start to the 2025-26 campaign. With an injury hindering his play, he looked far from the player who scored 69 goals a couple of years ago. However, he’s picked up steam over the past few weeks. Starting with a three-point night against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 27, the Arizona native totaled 14 points across nine games, giving fans hope that the “old Matthews” is back.

Matthews leads the team with 22 goals this season, with his 37 points placing him fourth on the roster.

On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, former Leaf Jay Rosehill joined Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton to discuss what has been working for Matthews as of late.

Jay Rosehill: He was playing like garbage. I mean, he had a piano on his back. He was all hunchbacked. He had no jump. He had no pop. His shot wasn’t there. His skating wasn’t there. He was missing the net on things you’re used to seeing him wire at home, inexplicable. Everyone just assumed he’s hurt and then, like the entire team, flips a switch and he is a dog. He is battling. He goes head-to-head with Nathan MacKinnon the other night in Colorado.

He’s a different player. I don’t know what’s going on…Sometimes I just conceive the fact that I don’t understand this generation of Maple Leafs. Sometimes, it makes no sense but sometimes you just sit back and say I don’t care what the reason is. He’s back. He’s a dog. I don’t know what happened. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe it’s just the fact that he’s turned it on and feels better and found confidence. But the stark contrast between the beginning of the year to now, I honestly can’t explain it.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…