Auston Matthews Makes History, Breaks Mats Sundin's Maple Leafs All-Time Goals Record

Auston Matthews is the top goalscorer in more than 100 years of Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.

Matthews scored his 421st career goal during Saturday's first period against the New York Islanders to pass Mats Sundin for the all-time franchise record.

Matthews tied Sundin's record with his 420th goal earlier in the period.

Sundin had held the record for the Maple Leafs since he surpassed Darryl Sittler's 389 career goals in 2007. Matthews was 10 years old when Sundin broke the record.

Sundin finished his Maple Leafs career with 420 goals for Toronto between 1995 and 2008.

He still holds the franchise points lead with 987 points in 981 games.

Matthews broke Sundin's goalscoring record while skating in his 664th game and his 10th season in Toronto.

The Leafs captain is now the ninth active player to currently lead his franchise in goalscoring, according to the NHL.

He is the only player, however, to hold the lead with an Original Six franchise.

Matthews, selected by the Maple Leafs at the top of the 2016 draft, has led the NHL in both total goalscoring and even-strength goals since making his league debut.

He already set the Maple Leafs record for goals in a single season with 69-goal campaign back in 2023-24.

The three-time Rocket Richard winner has had a relatively slow start to his 10th season with the franchise, although he's been heating up over the last week.

Matthews had recorded eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past three games for the Leafs, most recently including a hat trick and helper in a New Year's Day comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets.

His latest multi-goal performance helped the Leafs, who went into Saturday three points back of a Wild Card spot, climb out to a 2-1 first-period lead in Elmont.

The Leafs will now hope a surge in productivity from the franchise's all-time leading goalscorer will help push Toronto back into the playoff picture down the stretch.