Matthews' journey from Arizona to Hart Trophy serving as inspiration

Auston Matthews' journey from the desert to Hart Trophy is serving as an inspiration for kids in nontraditional United States hockey markets.

Just ask Cutter Gauthier.
The left wing is No. 3 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft, and is expected to be selected at the top of the first round at Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
Born in Skelleftea, Sweden, Gauthier moved with his family to Scottsdale, Arizona, when he was 2 years old. His path mirrors that of Matthews, the forward chosen No. 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Draft who was born in San Ramon, California, and moved with his family to Scottsdale when he was 2 months old.
For Gauthier, Matthews winning the 2021-22 Hart Trophy voted as the NHL most valuable player is an added incentive for young players in the Sun Belt. It shows that they, too, can aim to be the best in the game one day.
"I think it's pretty cool," Gauthier said. "It shows it doesn't really matter where you're from as long as you work hard. And if you work hard every single day, good things will happen. Especially Auston Matthews. He was born in California and played most of his hockey growing up in Arizona. And that's pretty cool.
"There's not many resources out there, especially at a young age, if you want to play in the National Hockey League, whereas if you're in Michigan or out east or in Canada. So, it's pretty cool to see how all his hard work has paid off. It's awesome to see."
On June 21, Matthews was also named the recipient of the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the most outstanding player as voted by members of the NHL Players' Association. The only other United States-born player to win either the Hart or Lindsay was Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who captured each in 2015-16.
"He was the guy I grew up watching, so maybe this generation of kids will look at me the same way," said Matthews, who had 106 points (60 goals, 46 assists) and also won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the second season in a row as the NHL's top goal-scorer. "The thing is, where I came from never really was a thought for me when it came to playing. I loved doing it and had fun doing it.
"If kids from markets where I came from look at my success as a way to drive them, that's cool. As long as they enjoy it."

Don Granato coached Kane and Matthews. He coached Matthews during the 2013-14 season with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and was an assistant for the Kane-led Blackhawks from 2017-19. The current Buffalo Sabres coach is quick to point out a significant difference between the two players.
"Patrick is from here in the Buffalo area, which is hockey-crazy," Granato said. "Auston's road to the NHL, from where he grew up, we haven't really seen too many stories like his. Maybe now we'll see more."
Though Kane has been a mentor for NHL hopefuls like Matthews for more than a decade, Granato said the awards won by the Maple Leafs center will impact more than just young American players trying to make it.
"You have to understand that USA Hockey has hundreds, even thousands of people working across the country, from coaches to volunteers to those operating hockey camps, you can go down the line," he said. "These people put in so much work and ask for little in return. Imagine the motivation now for some of those people, especially in nontraditional markets, places like Alaska and Arizona, at seeing what Auston has accomplished. Suddenly they look at him and say: 'Hey, maybe we can help develop the next NHL superstar even from the market we're from.'
"It drives people because they've seen it's happened before."

How much has Matthews' ascension to the top of the NHL affected interest at the grassroots level in Arizona?
USA Hockey offered the following statistics: In 2009-10, there were 3,339 players (2,739 youth) registered in the state. In 2015-16, the season prior to Matthews being drafted, those numbers had risen to 7,501 (3,803). In 2021-22, they'd swelled to 9,232 (4,732).
Though Matthews can't be completely credited with the increase in participation, USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said he thinks the center has played a significant role in the positive trend in Arizona and that his recent honors will only keep it going.
"First of all, we're certainly extremely excited for Auston," Kelleher said. "Certainly, he's well-deserving of the Hart and has had an incredible season.
"What this means for USA Hockey is that we certainly have a bunch of superstars in the League, but now we have the biggest one in the League, at least for the last year. And his story of growing up in Arizona, a place that we now we call a newer hockey market -- we try not to use traditional ... we're just saying newer hockey market -- being introduced to the game in a nonhockey family, falling in love with it, growing up, getting to the level of National Team Development player, then getting to the level of NHL player, and now getting to the MVP level, is an incredible story. And hopefully, it will be one that will be imitated someday by others from different parts of the country, these newer hockey markets."

Kelleher said he expects that very thing to happen.
"For all of our grassroots youth hockey programs around the country, their focus is on, 'How do we bring more kids into the game?' And there's no one singular way to do that," he said. "What makes Auston unique is his story and his background. He comes from Hispanic roots, [and] that's an interesting story as we look to make the game more welcoming and inclusive. So, to have someone with a different background from the traditional hockey background is great.
"I think in the growth of the game, it's another potential reason for someone to fall in love with hockey. They may look at it and say, 'You know what, that player is from where I'm from, a market like Arizona or even Texas or Florida.' Or they may look at it and say, 'You know, I have some Hispanic heritage and jeez, this guy does too.'
"And then, in the end, in all those markets, it creates more excitement that an American-born player can succeed to literally the highest level of the National Hockey League and be the most valuable player in the League. Any way you look at it, it's good for the sport."