TORONTO — Everywhere he goes in this town, Auston Matthews knows eyeballs, feet and microphones will follow.
He is the Toronto Maple Leafs' first No. 1 overall NHL draft pick since Wendel Clark went No. 1 in 1985. The Maple Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, and Matthews knows he's projected by some to be the savior, to be the American from Scottsdale who finally brings the Cup back to a more proper, northern home.
If this is all supposed to faze him, he's done a remarkable job during this World Cup of Hockey of not letting it show. Reporters surround him and hurl questions at him, but Matthews calmly addresses each one, like the veteran city council member ready with an answer for any citizen's question.
And yet, while interest in Matthews is certainly big in these tournament games, it can't accurately be termed "Matthews Mania" here just yet.
That figures to come soon, when the Maple Leafs can start officially selling his jersey, when Matthews actually picks out a number (expected to be his usual No. 34, but for now it's not official) and when Matthews actually takes th ...
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Article written by Adrian Dater