On Tuesday night in Buffalo, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews cemented his place among the NHL’s elite, scoring his 400th career goal in a 4–0 victory over the Sabres. The empty-net goal not only secured Toronto’s first Atlantic Division title but also made Matthews the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach the milestone, achieving it in just 628 games. Now just 20 goals shy of franchise leader Mats Sundin, the 27-year-old phenom continues to rewrite the record books.
Reflecting on the achievement, Matthews credited his teammates, saying, “It means a lot. (Marner) definitely set up quite a few of those, so it’s a team accomplishment. I’m just fortunate it’s come off my stick a couple of times.”
With nine straight 30-goal seasons and the highest goals-per-game average (0.64) among active players—even surpassing Alex Ovechkin—Matthews has already secured three Rocket Richard Trophies and leads the NHL in total goals since his 2016 debut.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) erupted with praise and playful banter:
– “He’s a hall of famer.”
– “27 years old and already has 400 goals? Legend stuff.”– @g_tarion
– “Best goal scorer OAT.”– @CarterVerswaghe
– “All he needs is a Stanley Cup.”– @CTPhDinSports
– “He will break Ovi’s record.”
While some jokingly called him an “empty-net merchant,” the overwhelming sentiment was admiration for one of hockey’s brightest stars—now chasing even greater milestones.
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