Auston Matthews Dominates 2016 NHL Redraft

Auston Matthews was the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, and a decade later, he still tops the list in a redraft.

What made Auston Matthews the top pick?

John Lilley, an amateur scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the time, said Matthews was the top player on their board long before the draft. He saw Matthews play with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and was impressed by his skills.

How did Auston Matthews perform in his draft year?

Matthews played for ZSC in the National League, Switzerland's top professional league, in 2015-16, and scored against veteran players like Maxim Lapierre. He excelled at every level, making it obvious to the Maple Leafs that he was the top pick. Auston Matthews announced himself in the NHL by scoring four goals in his first game, a feat not achieved since 1943-44.

What has Auston Matthews achieved in his NHL career?

He has scored at least 30 goals in each of his first nine seasons, with 69 goals in the 2023-24 season, the most since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in 1995-96. Auston Matthews has won the Rocket Richard Trophy three times and was the second United States-born player to win the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player in 2022. He was also the captain for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, tying for second on the team with seven points in six games. Auston Matthews passed Mats Sundin for the Toronto Maple Leafs' all-time goal-scoring record with his 421st goal on January 3. He continues to be one of the game's top goal-scorers, with 428 goals to his name.