From their panoramic perch at Fenway Park’s famed Green “Monstah" seats Tuesday, Auston Matthews and a handful of his Maple Leaf teammates must have felt as if they were on top of the world.

These days, it’s a vibe the entire Toronto organization probably shares.

Seeing Matthews, William Nylander and Freddie Andersen sitting on the edge of the famed 37-foot wall at the Blue Jays-Red Sox extra-inning marathon was yet another snapshot of the type of recently welcomed team unity that has been so sorely lacking from the Leafs dressing room in recent years.

There was a time in the 1970s when the Red Sox franchise was described as “25 guys, 25 cabs” because of its dysfunction and a lack of team chemistry. Three World Series titles later, those claims have evaporated into the damp New England night.

Playing for a brand that once was considered just as chaotic, the young Leafs are hoping to follow a similar path to respectability as the Red Sox forged, one focused on team goals rather than individual ones. Whether that means March fishing trips in Florida or July Jays games in Beantown, these guys appear to genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

And even though he’s still just a teenager, it is Matthews, the developing face of the franchise, who is among the leadership group providing the glue bonding this young team.

Just ask Dominic Moore, who learned that lesson firsthand last week.

A veteran of 10 teams in his 14 NHL seasons, Moore, 36, received a call out of the blue last week congratulating him on this, his second stint with the Leafs. The voice at the other end: Auston Matthews.

“It says a lot about him that he would take time to do that,” Moore said. “He’s certainly more mature than I was at that age. For a young guy like that to reach out to me and extend a hand from both he and the team, well, I really appreciate that.

“It’s not lost on him that, even at his young age, he’s a leader of the group. I think that’s a reflection of the kind of character the team has, which I feel starts from the top.

“I told him I can’t wait to get going.”

The logo on the front of his Leafs jersey isn’t the only thing that has been modified from Moore’s first run with his hometown team. There is a new vibe around the franchise, a far more upbeat one than he experienced back in the 2008-09 season when Toronto traded him away to the Buffalo Sabres while he was in the midst of a career year offensively.

Once known as a place that many free agents shunned, Moore acknowledges that the hockey fishbowl that is Toronto has gained traction among NHLers as a desirable place to play thanks in part to the youthful attitude and elite skill level the likes of Matthews and co. have brought to the cause.

“I’m not sure if the whole 'limelight' thing was kind of what was holding guys back — if that was the case — but, I think, for sure there’s an attraction to the team now,” he said. “I think you can see that.”

To back up his point, Moore presented Exhibit A: the addition of Patrick Marleau.

“With him joining the group, that’s a good sign of that,” Moore said. “I was so stoked when I first found out he was coming here. I played briefly with him (in 2012) in San Jose and discovered what a humble and hard-working guy he is. With all he’s done in the game, his humility is always prominent. We really connected. He’s an incredible asset for us to have here.

“There’s definitely a palpable excitement that goes with the team right now. I think everyone around the team, whether you’re a part of the team or a fan rooting of the team, can feel that.

“And for me, joining the team right now is a special opportunity.”

Moore signed a one-year, $1 million US contract to be a Toronto Maple Leaf again. Among the allures of returning: a young team with a seemingly-endless ceiling.

One that, in the end, stands to reach far greater heights than even the Green Monster does.

A SMASHING SUCCESS

When Dominic Moore was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Buffalo Sabres in 2009, Connor Carrick and Connor Brown weren’t old enough to drive yet.

At that time, Carrick was just 14, Brown 15. Now, eight years later, they'll be teammates with Moore, who returns to the Maple Leafs for a second stint after signing a one-year deal earlier this month.

To that end, Carrick and Brown will be among the two dozen NHLers taking part in Moore’s sixth annual Smashfest in downtown Toronto Thursday night. The fan-inspired ping-pong event has raised more than $500,000 in support of concussion and rare cancer research.

“A lot of the (Leafs) have already reached out to me by text,” Moore said. “It’ll be nice to get together with some of my new teammates at this.”

Among the other invitees: New Jersey Devils star Taylor Hall and Calgary Flames up-and-comer Matthew Tkachuk.

For more information, visit smashfest.ca.

mzeisberger@postmedia.com