Mike Babcock had met Auston Matthews before, in the bowels of Joe Louis Arena, back in November of 2014.



Babcock was the Detroit Red Wings coach, fresh off a win, and Matthews was a wide-eyed, just-turned 17 year old, an Arizona kid a long way from home, starring with the U.S. national team development program in nearby Ann Arbor.



On that night, Matthews was curious mostly about getting an autograph from the visiting Claude Giroux. But he also had a brief meeting with Babcock in his office.



The coach’s advice was simple.



“Hey kid,” Babcock said. “I saw you play – you got a good thing going. Just remember the day your talent exceeds your work ethic is the first day you’re going to run yourself out of this business.”



A little more than two years later, they are together in Toronto, and on the cusp of pushing the Maple Leafs to their best season – and first postseason berth in an...