{"id":496,"date":"2022-11-04T17:58:03","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:58:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/?p=496"},"modified":"2022-11-04T17:58:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:58:04","slug":"maple-leafs-auston-matthews-play-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/04\/maple-leafs-auston-matthews-play-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"Maple Leafs Auston Matthews: Lessons Learned Playing in Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By The Old Prof<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews won both the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsey Award as the best player in the NHL. At 25 years of age, he’s a star. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also plays in one of the toughest markets in NHL hockey. In Toronto, he’s constantly under a microscope. Unique in his skills, his size, and his personality, he’s destined to be one of the best NHL players of his generation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, I’ll try to answer one aspect of Matthews’ background that helped him get to where he is today. One element of his development happened even before he got to the NHL. It was as an 18-year-old in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: MAPLE LEAFS\u2019 BEST PLAYER? MARK GIORDANO, BY A POWER-PLAY LONGSHOT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews Took a Different Path to the NHL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Typically, most young hockey players play junior hockey somewhere before their draft season. Some take a slightly different path by playing NCAA hockey and getting a university education at the same time. Not Matthews. The young player from around Phoenix, Arizona, took a radically different path to the NHL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of playing junior hockey, Matthews and his family signed on for an adventure. He chose to play professionally during the last year before his draft eligibility in 2016. To do so, he signed a one-year contract with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League.\u00a0The 17-year-old, accompanied by his mom and dad, headed for Zurich.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Auston Matthews, Upper Deck cards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There Matthews played one year with the ZSC Lions of Switzerland’s top professional hockey league. Interestingly, the rules did not allow him to play until his 18th birthday. He had to practice with the team before actually playing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, Matthews put up a fantastic number of points by scoring 24 goals and adding 22 assists (for 46 points) in only 36 games playing against seasoned professionals – men sometimes twice his age. After that season, Matthews entered the draft and was the first draft choice of the Maple Leafs when June’s NHL Entry Draft came along. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Did Matthews Decide to Play in Zurich?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2015, those who follow hockey knew that Matthews would be drafted early by some NHL team. He had already shown his ability by scoring 48 points in 24 games playing with the U.S. National Under-18 team in 2014-15. Because that skill was obvious, Matthews had a number of options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews could have joined the WHL\u2019s Everett Silvertips in Washington state. He could also have headed to the NCAA. However, he went a different route by heading to the Swiss National League A. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was also a choice that paid him a decent salary<\/a> for an 18-year-old ($400,000 USD). There he took up the team’s fourth import roster position. He also got a chance to play for former NHL head coach Marc Crawford (who coached with the Colorado Avalanche and recently with the Chicago Blackhawks). He also played with a number of other former NHL players (Ryan Shannon, Dan Fritsche, and Marc-Andre Bergeron).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crawford remembered that Matthews\u2019 parents “came in and toured everything we had in Zurich. They were very determined to try and make it happen. I don\u2019t think it happens without their diligence.” (from “Auston Matthews\u2019 year in Switzerland: Untold stories about the Maple Leafs’ star, Joshua Kloke, The Athletic<\/em>, 12\/02\/2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crawford shared that Zurich’s selling points were that the young Matthews would be able to play in an NHL atmosphere with a quality coaching staff that was big on player development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Maple Leafs\u2019 Auston Matthews Is Undergoing a Transformation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews Remembers the Experience as Important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In his time with Zurich, Matthews was successful. Only 18 years old, he competed well against men and developed his game under Crawford’s coaching. The choice Matthews made turned out to be an important move for Matthews both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews remembers that \u201cIt was challenging, off the ice, moving to a different country, different language.\u201d Matthews shared how tough it was as a youngster, however, “looking back on that experience, it\u2019s something that I think I gained a lot from. And if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews Teammates Remember Him Well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The article cited above from The Athletic<\/em> interviewed a number of Matthews’ former teammates while he was with Zurich. In that article, Crawford shared that the Swiss can be a tough group to break into. They don’t do notoriety much and one has to earn one’s respect on the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews did that through his hard work, focus, and total dedication during practice. It also helped that he played well. When his season was over, Matthews had won the league’s Rising Star award and came in second in voting for the Swiss league\u2019s most valuable player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few snippets of what Matthews’ Zurich teammates remember about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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"The Toronto Maple Leafs proudly select from Zurich, Switzerland, Auston Matthews."https:\/\/t.co\/2lmXXAYb93<\/a>#proud<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/KvdGenxv98<\/a><\/p>— ZSC Lions (@zsclions) June 25, 2016<\/a><\/blockquote>