Auston Matthews, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and newly-crowned Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, remains one of the NHL’s biggest stars heading into the 2026-27 season.
Auston Matthews’ Biography
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Auston Michael Matthews |
| Nickname | “Papi” |
| Date of Birth | September 17, 1997 |
| Age | 28 years |
| Birthplace | San Ramon, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6’3″ (190 cm) |
| Junior Team | US National Team Development Program; ZSC Lions (Swiss National League) |
| College | Went pro via NTDP and Swiss League |
| Position | Center |
| Shoots | Left |
| Current Team | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Salary | $13.25 million |
| Girlfriend | Vanessa Piunno |
| Relationship Status | In a relationship |
| Instagram Profile | @aaustonmatthews |
Matthews grew up mostly in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has Mexican heritage through his mother, making him the first ice hockey player of Mexican descent to reach an Olympic podium. He is famously private about his personal life, only confirming his relationship with Vanessa Piunno publicly in March 2026.
Early Career
Matthews took an unusual path to the NHL. Instead of going the college or Canadian junior hockey route, he spent a season in Switzerland’s National League playing for the ZSC Lions in 2015-16, which let him face pro-level competition early. That decision paid off big time he went on to become the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Professional career
Matthews debuted for the Maple Leafs in October 2016 with a jaw-dropping four-goal game, instantly becoming a fan favorite and going on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year. Since then he’s built one of the most dominant goal-scoring resumes of his generation, winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy three times and the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2022.
He was named Maple Leafs captain in 2024 and became the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer in 2026. His 2025-26 season, however, ended early after a Grade 3 MCL tear and quadriceps contusion required surgery.
Girlfriend
Matthews confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Piunno, a Toronto-based skincare specialist and entrepreneur, in early March 2026 after photos from the Milan Olympics went public on Instagram. He was previously linked to Emily Ruttledge, a licensed therapist based in Santa Monica whom he reportedly knew since childhood in Arizona, though that relationship was never officially confirmed by either party. Matthews has kept his romantic life largely out of the spotlight throughout his career, only going “Instagram official” for the first time with Piunno.
Auston Matthews’ Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Estimates of Matthews’ net worth vary depending on the source, ranging from roughly $35 million to $50 million. most trackers agree he’s already earned close to $93 million cumulatively from NHL salary alone.
Contract
Matthews signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which took effect for the 2024-25 season and runs through 2027-28. The deal carries an average annual cap hit of $13.25 million, one of the higher cap hits among NHL forwards at the time of signing.
This extension followed his original five-year, $58.14 million contract signed in 2019, showing a clear pattern of Matthews commanding top-tier pay throughout his career.
Salary
For the 2026-27 season, Matthews’ cap hit remains $13.25 million, though his actual cash breakdown between base salary and signing bonus shifts year to year per the structure of his deal. Reports indicate his cash base salary in recent seasons has been relatively modest (in the $775,000–$900,000 range) with the bulk of his pay coming through signing bonuses, a common structuring tactic for NHL stars.
Career Earnings
| Key Seasons | Team | Salary (AAV) | Total Earnings |
| 2016–2019 (Entry-Level Contract) | Toronto Maple Leafs | ~$925,000/yr | ~$3.7 million |
| 2019–2024 (5-year extension) | Toronto Maple Leafs | ~$11.634 million/yr | ~$62 million |
| 2024–2028 (4-year extension) | Toronto Maple Leafs | $13.25 million/yr | ~$93 million+ |
Endorsements
Auston Matthews has been the cover athlete for EA Sports’ NHL video game franchise, appearing on NHL 20 and NHL 22, which counts as one of his most visible commercial partnerships. Beyond that, specific current brand endorsement deals for 2026 are not publicly available in verified sources.
Career Stats
| Season | Team | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points |
| 2016-17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 40 | 29 | 69 |
| 2017-18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 62 | 34 | 29 | 63 |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 68 | 37 | 36 | 73 |
| 2019-20 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 47 | 33 | 80 |
| 2020-21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 52 | 41 | 25 | 66 |
| 2021-22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 73 | 60 | 46 | 106 |
| 2022-23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 74 | 40 | 45 | 85 |
| 2023-24 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 81 | 69 | 38 | 107 |
| 2024-25 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 67 | 33 | 45 | 78 |
| 2025-26 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 60 | 27 | 26 | 53 |
| Career Total | — | 689 | 428 | 352 | 780 |
Achievements
| Award/Achievement | Year(s) |
| Calder Memorial Trophy (Top Rookie) | 2017 |
| Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (Goal Leader) | 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL MVP) | 2022 |
| Ted Lindsay Award (Players’ Choice MVP) | 2022 |
| NHL All-Star Game MVP | 2024 |
| NHL All-Star Selections | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs Captain | 2024-present |
| All-Time Leaf Goal Scoring Leader | Achieved January 2026 |
| Team USA Olympic Gold Medal (Captain) | 2026 Milano Cortina |
| 4 Nations Face-Off Runner-Up (Captain) | 2025 |
FAQs
1. Is Auston Matthews still the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Yes, he remains the Maple Leafs’ captain, a role he’s held since August 2024, though his long-term future with the team has come under scrutiny following a disappointing 2025-26 season.
2. What injury did Auston Matthews suffer in 2026?
He sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion in his left leg after a knee-on-knee collision with Anaheim’s Radko Gudas on March 12, 2026, which required season-ending surgery on March 19.
3. Did Auston Matthews miss the rest of the 2025-26 NHL season?
Yes, the team ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season, with a 12-week recovery timeline that ended his year early for the second season in a row.
4. Did Auston Matthews win an Olympic gold medal in 2026?
Yes, he captained Team USA to the gold medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics before returning to the Maple Leafs for the stretch run.
5. Is Auston Matthews going to leave the Toronto Maple Leafs?
His future is uncertain; he has told reporters he “can’t predict the future” regarding staying in Toronto, and reports indicate he hadn’t decided whether he’d return for the 2026-27 season as of mid-2026.
6. How much is Auston Matthews’ current contract worth?
He is on a four-year, $53 million extension signed August 23, 2023, carrying a $13.25 million average annual cap hit and including a full no-movement clause.
7. When can Auston Matthews become an unrestricted free agent?
He has two years remaining on his contract as of the 2026-27 season, meaning he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2027-28 season.
8. What is Auston Matthews’ net worth in 2026?
Estimates vary by source, ranging from roughly $35 million to $50 million, driven primarily by his NHL salary and cumulative career earnings.
9. How did Auston Matthews perform statistically in the 2025-26 season before his injury?
He recorded 53 points on 27 goals and 26 assists across 60 games, the fewest games he’d played in a non-pandemic-affected season.
10. Did the Maple Leafs make the playoffs in 2025-26?
No, this marked the first time in Matthews’ decade-long tenure with Toronto that the team failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.