The Great One couldn’t help but share his enthusiasm in a text to The Associated Press, comparing McDavid and Matthews’ arrival on the postseason stage with the same buzz generated during Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin’s rookie seasons.

”It’s just one of the best things that has happened to the NHL since Crosby and Ovechkin,” Gretzky wrote. ”Should be fun for all.”

The comparison isn’t far off so far given how McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers’ second-year captain, and Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie of the year candidate, have taken the league by storm.

McDavid in 2015 and Matthews last year were selected with the No. 1 pick in consecutive drafts, as were Ovechkin (2004) and Crosby (2005).

Gretzky also has ties to both McDavid and Matthews. Aside from playing for the Oilers, he is now a team partner and vice chairman. He also coached the Arizona Coyotes last decade and made an impression on Matthews, who is from Scottsdale, Arizona.

McDavid is considered an MVP finalist after leading the league with 100 points, and helping the Oilers end a 10-year playoff drought. Matthews led NHL rookies with 40 goals and 69 points in helping the youth-laden Maple Leafs make the jump from dead last a year ago to 14th and clinch the franchise’s second playoff berth in 12 seasons.

McDavid had an assist in a 3-2 overtime series-opening loss to San Jose on Wednesday, and said the Oilers lacked finish.

”I don’t know whether they raised their game or our game fell off,” McDavid said. ”I thought maybe we got a little comfortable, which can’t happen.”

Matthews was making his playoff debut on Thursday at Washington. Before the game, Matthews shared Gretzky’s excitement about McDavid and other young stars getting their first taste of the playoffs.

”For a second year in the league, you see a lot of young guys making the playoffs and teams that weren’t so good that are now making it into the playoffs,” Matthews said. ”I think it’s awesome for the guys in this room, especially all the rookies. It’s something that we’ve yet to experience it at this level, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Even though he’s making his playoff debut, Matthews isn’t shying away from Toronto coach Mike Babcock’s assertion that the best players are judged by championships.

Gretzky has four.

”You’re kind of measured on that,” Matthews said. ”I was fortunate to be coached by Claude Lemieux. He was always just an above-average player, I guess, in the regular season and then come playoff time he won a Conn Smythe, he won a couple Cups. He just elevated his level. That’s why he’s known as the player that he is today.”

And that represents the challenge for a Maple Leafs team that had seven rookies play at least 55 games this season.

”I think for all of us, everybody wants to up their game,” the 19-year-old Matthews said. ”Everybody wants to be known as a guy that comes through in pressure situations.”

Gretzky was 23 when he won his first Cup in 1984.

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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno in Washington contributed to this story.

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More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

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It didn’t matter.

Matthews still found a way to put the puck in the back of the net.

Matthews had a highlight-reel goal on a backhander as he was twirling down to the ice while Connor Brown scored twice as the Maple Leafs beat the Hurricanes 4-0 on Sunday night.

”When you’re getting hooked like that, to No. 1, keep your balance and, (No.) 2, find the puck and be able to push it,” Brown said of Matthews, ”he’s an elite goal scorer for a reason.”

Jake Gardiner added a goal and two assists, James van Riemsdyk had two assists and Curtis McElhinney made 37 saves for the Maple Leafs to earn his first shutout since January 2014.

Toronto snapped a two-game skid and jumped into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the win.

Brown opened the scoring 1:07 into the second period when he redirected a bouncing pass from van Riemsdyk over Carolina goalie Cam Ward’s shoulder into the upper corner of the net, the first of two times they would connect in that fashion.

Matthews doubled Toronto’s lead later in the period in jaw-dropping fashion. The 19-year-old carried the puck in from the left side of the blue line toward the crease when Di Giuseppe hooked him, even losing his stick in the process. As Matthews’ body turned away from the net as he began to spiral down, he flung his stick toward the net in midair and slid the loose puck between Ward’s pads just before he hit the ice.

”I had a good amount of speed going into it to carry me to the net and then just tried to sneak it in there,” Matthews said. ”Pretty lucky play, I guess.”

His teammates attributed it to something other than luck.

”Just the strength, while he was falling, to score that goal, that was pretty impressive,” Gardiner said.

Gardiner and Brown finished the scoring with goals 1:59 apart in the third period.

McElhinney earned his first shutout with the Maple Leafs, and the fifth of his career. He improved to 3-3 with Toronto since being claimed off waivers from Columbus last month.

”Right now, I feel pretty good in net and for the most part we’re getting results,” McElhinney said. ”That’s the most important thing.”

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