Toronto Maple Leafs legend Wendel Clark is among those rooting for Auston Matthews — even though the rookie just broke a franchise record that Clark held for more than three decades.
On Tuesday, Matthews scored his 35th goal of the season in a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, the most of any rookie player in the history of the team. The previous record of 34 was set by Clark in his ’85-’86 debut.
“It’s great. It’s a good sign because that means our team’s doing better,” Clark said Wednesday on the Kelly Cutrara Show on AM640.
“You need good players around you to play well and he’s got a great group of guys and Auston did a great job.”
LISTEN: Wendel Clark on Auston Matthews, playing with Doug Gilmour and more
Clark, who serves as a community representative for the Leafs organization, said he’s encouraged by what he’s seen from the rookie-heavy roster this season.
When prompted by Cutrara, Clark offered some wisdom for the players: “It’s all about team,” he said.
“Individual stuff will come and go, but what’s remembered is how well you do as a team.”
“Just to be in the same sentence as a guy like Wendel Clark is obviously a big honour,” Matthews told reporters following Tuesday’s victory.
It’s not the first record the 19-year-old centre has set in his rookie season. In October, he became the NHL’s first player to score four goals in a debut game.
With files from the Canadian Press