TORONTO – The day before the day Auston Matthews reported to his first Maple Leafs training camp, Wayne Gretzky began tossing his name into some pretty exclusive company.

“The other night I was thinking ‘gosh, I could maybe play with that Matthews and Connor McDavid,”’ said Gretzky. “They’re pretty good. I’d know where to go – put it that way.”

The comment came more or less unprompted during a question and answer session with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday afternoon. Gretzky went on to talk about the advances he’s seen in conditioning and preparation for young players, but applauded something that has remained constant among the next generation.

“These kids, I’m most proud of the fact that they carry themselves with a great deal of class and dignity,” said Gretzky. “Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, (Sidney) Crosby – they’re just really nice people. And that gets passed down from guys like Gordie Howe and (Jean) Beliveau and Bobby Orr, and it’s a great tradition in our sport.”

To have Matthews’s name included on that list – by the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, no less – is not something you would ever have expected before he’d even played a game in the league. For his part, Matthews said he was “speechless” after learning of those comments.

And yet, they bring to light something that separates the 19-year-old from even some of the other No. 1 picks that have come before him. It already seems like he’s been here before. He kind of has.

Not only does Matthews have a season of pro hockey in Switzerland under his belt, but he’s proven he can hold his own against NHL competition during successful showings at the IIHF World Hockey Championship and recent World Cup.

So it was no surprise, then, that he looked completely at ease while participating in his first practice with the Leafs on Wednesday. He centred a line with veterans James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov, and took some power play reps.

He even smashed a pane of glass with a wayward slapshot after practice had ended, and cracked a joke when asked if it would be deducted from his first paycheque: “Yeah, probably. Lou won’t be too happy.”

Lou … as in general manager Lou Lamoriello.

He’s already on a first-name basis with the boss, who was among the Leafs braintrust keeping an eye on practice.

“It’s not like he’s coming right out of junior,” said teammate Morgan Rielly. “I think that the adjustment (to the NHL) will be easier for him just because of the environment he was in last year. We’ve been going for dinner and he fits right in.

“I mean it’s not like you’re hanging out with a 19-year-old.”

You would never have known Matthews was a rookie-to-be during the World Cup, where he quickly climbed the ranks inside Team North America and eventually assumed a top-line role alongside McDavid and Mark Scheifele.

He became a pillar on the fastest, most dynamic team in the tournament. What’s more, he arrived at training camp with that group not even sure he’d get in the lineup.

“I know their coaching staff was getting ready to break it to the local media that he was the 13th forward,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock. “We talked before he went there about not taking a back seat to anybody – ‘you don’t have to, you’re too good’ – and I don’t think he did. So now he’s got to get up and running with the Leafs.”

The plan is to start him as a third-line centre and go from there. That should ensure some easier matchups at five-on-five and provide Matthews a little more freedom to find his way.

“He’s a young player, but we feel he’s an important player for us,” said Babcock. “Over time, he has a chance to be a dominant player in the National Hockey League.”

Perhaps the biggest question surrounds what he can do with the talent on the Leafs roster as its currently constructed. He won’t be playing with a McDavid or Scheifele here.

Still, as a centre with strong defensive awareness and excellent vision, he has the kind of tools to eventually make those around him better.

“For me, he’s not afraid to try different things,” said Rielly. “He likes to try to beat people 1-on-1. He’s a pass-first guy in my opinion, but he’s got a great shot. I could probably go on for a long time (about what he’s good at), but I’ll probably just end up talking about everything.”

Expectations are bound to balloon around the organization’s most-anticipated prospect in 30 years, but he doesn’t seem bothered by the attention.

There will likely be a few butterflies when he plays his first pre-season game in the coming days and eventually makes his regular-season debut in Ottawa on Oct. 12. But when he showed up for work on Wednesday, there were none to be found.

“I think you just kind of take it is as it’s an exciting time,” said Matthews. “Not everybody gets to go through this or have the opportunity to do this. I know for me I’m excited and anxious to get going and just play hockey.

“It’s always exciting when hockey season comes around.”