Joel Quenneville voices true thoughts on Auston Matthews

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has been nothing short of an absolute monster this season, having reached the 50 goal mark in just 54 games played and helping just as much as anybody to keep Toronto in the thick of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. 

For former NHL head coach Joel Quenneville, who has coached some of the great players in the League over the years, he knows an incredible player when he sees one. 

"He's fun to watch," Quenneville said. "I can remember when I was working with Don Granato in Chicago, who had him with the USNTDP (United States National Team Development Program), he used to say they used to beat teams pretty bad and Auston, by the third period, he used to have to tell Auston, 'okay, Auston, just take a little bit off here,' and instead of winning by 12 goals, maybe we win by seven or eight. But he had a different level of ability. Domination might be part of it."

"I love the way he shoots the puck, I like how he finds a way to get himself open. The puck follows him around as well. Wants the puck all the time. You know, he's an elite, elite player. You're talking about McDavid and himself, maybe one, two in the game. Certainly, Auston is having an outstanding year."

As you remember, Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers shortly into the 2021-22 campaign after it came to light that he had prior knowledge of former Chicago Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach being sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Aldrich during the Blackhawks Stanley Cup run in 2010, but didn't address it. 

The memory of the Chicago Blackhawks' shameful handling of the Beach situation isn't going away any time soon, and while the organization has parted ways with several of the figures who were involved, including Quenneville, do they deserve a second chance? 

Will Quenneville ever coach in the NHL again, and should he? 

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