At 6’0 198lbs, Matthews will have an immediate NHL impact. He’s the best player in this year’s draft class, and many scouts argued they would have taken him over Buffalo’s Jack Eichel in 2015 had he been born a few days earlier.

Adding Auston Matthews to the Maple Leafs will slightly accelerate their rebuild plan. Finding that elusive true number one center isn’t easy in today’s NHL. This addition addresses that major building block. The league will need to watch out in 2016-17 as Auston Matthews and William Nylander duke it out for Calder Trophy honors.

“A high octane dynamo that thrives under the microscope, Auston Matthews is a complete offensive forward who consistently boasts quick hands, feet, and thinking at both ends of the ice. Naturally nimble skater that accelerates to top speed very quickly. An unwavering focus on fine tuning elements of his own game facilitates confidence and competence in his young, but mature, mind. Prolific goal scoring ability and doesn’t wait for opportunities to show themselves. He makes his own luck, so to speak, maximizing the use of his body and stick to gain leverage against the toughest of opponents. All-in-all, a generational talent that has the potential to develop into a top flight franchise center.” [Curtis Joe]