A couple of years ago, the Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid matchups were something that every hockey fan looked forward to. They are two superstars who are often near the top of the scoring, playing for historic NHL franchises. From being teammates on Team North America to being opponents in the championship game of the four Nations: Face-Off, these two players have always had the hype follow them. Unfortunately, over the past year or two, the anticipation between these two players has really waned. Let’s take a look at what has occurred between these two NHL superstars.
Recent statistics
For starters, let’s take a look at the statistics from both players. Matthews and McDavid have both had phenomenal moments in the NHL, but the Oilers have really taken over any hopes of the Leafs being Canada’s team. At one point, Matthews was certainly on the same level as McDavid production-wise, but what caused such a tailspin in his offensive output?
Matthews stats
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PPG | PPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 74 | 40 | 45 | 85 | 13 | 28 |
| 2023-24 | 81 | 69 | 38 | 107 | 18 | 29 |
| 2024-25 | 67 | 33 | 45 | 78 | 10 | 35 |
| 2025-26 | 26 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 2 | 3 |
Matthews has had some awesome years, scoring-wise. His near 70-goal season in 2023–24 was historic in the modern NHL. He also had a 60-goal season in 2021–22, which resulted in him winning the Hart, Rocket Richard, and Ted Lindsay Trophies. These three awards demonstrated how much Matthews was dominating the NHL. He won another Rocket Richard Trophy in the 2023–24 season, but has been extremely silent since. The playoff woes for Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs are certainly a reason why the McDavid vs Matthews rivalry has fallen off. With the Oilers having back-to-back runs at the Stanley Cup Final, the Leafs are simply a joke in comparison.
McDavid stats
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PPG | PPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 82 | 64 | 89 | 153 | 21 | 71 |
| 2023-24 | 76 | 32 | 100 | 132 | 7 | 44 |
| 2024-25 | 67 | 26 | 74 | 100 | 9 | 39 |
| 2025-26 | 32 | 18 | 33 | 51 | 5 | 19 |
McDavid is obviously the top point getter in the league. His ability to create high-danger scoring chances at such a high level is unlike anyone else in the league. This has won him countless NHL awards, including the most famous Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. McDavid is one of the rare players to win the trophy on the losing team. His performance alone during that playoff run proved why he is the best in hockey. However, at one point, there was serious talk of how Matthews was a better goal scorer than McDavid. Is that still true? Matthews has outscored McDavid in three of the last four seasons and has undoubtedly been on the weaker team.
Head-to-head
When these guys go head-to-head, they often show up on the score sheet. Both players have the ability to strike fast and rack up the points. Luckily, as fans, we have seen that in many recent performances. Let’s take a look at how these two have fared against each other over the past few years.
So far this season, Matthews and McDavid have only faced off once. Saturday night marked the first meeting between the Oilers and the Leafs. The game started out even, with both teams exchanging goals. McDavid scored a highlight-reel goal that ignited the Oilers’ offence for the remainder of the night. He then scored his second of the night with a big thank you to Leafs defenceman Troy Stecher, who ripped the puck in his own net. McDavid finished the night with two goals and one assist, while Matthews was held scoreless with only two shots on net.
Over the previous two seasons, the Leafs and the Oilers have met four times. In these four meetings, McDavid played in all four, while Matthews only appeared in three. Both players showed up huge for their teams in these games as they both had six points. Matthews recorded two goals and four assists, outscoring McDavid in these matchups. The fact that Matthews has outscored McDavid in recent meetings is a sign that he shows up when the Matthews/McDavid hype is in effect; however, Saturday night was all McDavid.
It is tough to compare these two because McDavid has accomplished so much more in the playoffs. It makes sense that the hype has died down, especially with Matthews losing his top linemate, Mitch Marner, in Toronto. The production was expected to decrease for Matthews, but I am wondering if he is dealing with some kind of injury. The 28-year-old has not looked like himself this season.
The next crucial meeting
Matthews and McDavid will meet on Feb. three as the Leafs and the Oilers will meet shortly before the Olympic break. After this, these two superstars will likely face off at the Olympics while representing their countries. The last time these two saw each other on that big a stage was at the championship game of the four Nations: Face-Off. McDavid ended the game in overtime as Matthews left him wide open in the slot. This marked one of the biggest wins in recent Canadian hockey history, as the Canadians have really struggled in International hockey lately.
Do you think the Matthews vs McDavid hype has officially hit the end? Or can Matthews reignite the rivalry with a huge performance at the Olympics?
