Penguins' Sidney Crosby Offers Guidance to Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews

In the lead-up to Saturday's Toronto Maple Leafs home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby had some words of wisdom for Auston Matthews, the Leafs' new captain .

Matthews, who took over the role from John Tavares in the offseason, will have to endure the pressure that comes with leading one of the most storied franchises in the NHL, playing in the toughest and most scrutinized hockey market, and all of that carrying the sacred "C" on his chest.

As someone who’s been in Matthews’ shoes, only in Pittsburgh instead of Toronto, Crosby offered some straightforward advice to the younger captain.

“I think it’s just important to be yourself,” Crosby said, via Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan . “Here (in Toronto), everything is magnified that much more. There’s always pressure being a captain, but here, I think you just got to be yourself.

"There’s going to be lots of experiences to learn from. No matter how long you’ve done it or where you are, you’re always learning.

"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Crosby, who became captain of the Penguins in just his second NHL season, is certainly familiar with the challenges of being the face of a franchise and dealing with the pressures that come with it.

That said, Crosby is entering the final stage of his career having navigated his captaincy more than smoothly, carrying the Penguins to three Stanley Cup titles spanning two decades.

Matthews, who led the league in goals last season with 69, was excited and grateful for having the honor to be the captain of the Leafs, and the first American-born one on top of that.

“I got chills, honestly,” Matthews said at the time. “I’m so honored and humbled since being drafted here eight years ago.”

On Saturday, the Leafs secured a 4-2 win over the Penguins. Matthews didn't earn a point on the day but fellow superstars William Nylander (2 goals) and Mitch Marner (1 goal, 1 assist) did enough for Toronto to secure the dub.

Crosby, meanwhile, added another milestone in his career, assisting on Kris Letang’s goal to become the 10th player in NHL history to amass 1,800 points, combining regular season and playoff totals.

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