In an episode of the Puck Poolies Podcast with Matt Larkin and Steven Ellis, international music star Michael Bublé was quick to share his support for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews.
“Man, I’m a big Auston Matthews fan, I love him as a person. He’s a cool dude,” Bublé said. “I’m so happy for him, I hope he gets 70, man. I didn’t think he was going to, but now, it’s like, “is he going to do this?”
“He can do it in bursts, so you never know,” Larkin responded. “He can flick a switch at any time, get two hat tricks two games in a row. He can get none the rest of the season or he can do it all in two games.”
“If anyone can, it will be him,” Bublé added.
Yesterday on @PuckPooliesPod, Michael Buble told @MLarkinHockey and I that he thinks Auston Matthews will get his 70th goal this season. #LeafsForever https://t.co/mEXQubMsdW pic.twitter.com/8wGioEVnKe
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) April 10, 2024
But Bublé’s comments still came after a dig at the Maple Leafs’ lack of playoff success, of course. The singer, who recently collaborated on the song Spicy Margarita with Jason Derulo, had been talking about losing in his fantasy hockey league that Larkin is also part of.
“My wife asked me, after losing, if I was OK… I said, “The fantasy…” and she responded with “It’s not real, Mike!” And I’m like, “You don’t know how real it is! It doesn’t get more real… It’s so painful, it’s got to be close to the feeling Toronto Maple Leafs fans feel each year,” Bublé said, with a smile.
Bublé is an avid Vancouver Canucks fan and is even a part owner of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. So Bublé is a big hockey fan, and he got to show that off to the masses at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, where Matthews finished as MVP. Bublé’s appearance was one of the biggest highlights during that weekend, with Bublé answering a fantasy hockey question served up by Larkin by suggesting he was on mushrooms.
Matthews tallied his 66th goal of the season on Tuesday in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. It’s the highest of his career, and the best total by any NHLer since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny potted 76 each in 1992-93 – before Matthews was even born. The last NHLer to hit 66 was Mario Lemieux back in 1995-96.
The Leafs have four games remaining on the schedule, including a rematch against New Jersey on Thursday. They’ll then face Detroit on Saturday before wrapping it up with meetings in Florida with the Panthers and Lightning next week. Given Matthews has six hat-tricks this year, the most in franchise history.
So, as Bublé suggested, if anyone can hit 70, it’s Papi.
