'It's pretty cool': 7-year-old Leafs fan's Halloween costume gets Auston Matthews shoutout
A young Toronto Maple Leafs fan’s Auston Matthews Halloween costume is going viral and, if he plays his cards right, he could meet the newly-minted captain face-to-face.
“Let’s goooo!” seven-year-old Grayson Joseph is heard saying in costume in a TikTok that’s been viewed by more than 1.2 million people, including the Leafs and Matthews himself.
The getup is much more than just a Toronto jersey and helmet. Fashioned to look like an Upper Deck trading card, Grayson’s father, Grant, said the 3D-style ensemble took a little over a week to put together, with the help of a Trenton, Ont.-based design company.
“They literally took our vision and just put it together to a tee of what we were looking for, if not even better,” Grant told CP24 in an interview Tuesday, adding that the costume is an exact replica of the recently-released trading card.
The costume also features Matthews’ signature moustache, which Grayson joked only took him “one day” to grow.
Grant said Grayson got the idea for the costume when he saw a similar one online of Golden State Warriors shooter, Steph Curry.
“When he saw it instantly, he goes, ‘I wanna be Austin Matthews’ and I'm looking at this thing, I'm like, it's gonna be really difficult and probably expensive,” Grant admitted, but said the end result looks “so good.”
The Leafs have commented on the TikTok, writing “This is unreal!!!!!” In the video, Grayson says he hopes he can show Matthews the costume in person.
While it’s unclear if a meet-up is in the works, Matthews has since reposted an image of the costume to his Instagram with a fire emoji. “It’s pretty cool,” Grayson replied, when asked about the shoutout.
If the pair does meet, it will have to be at the next Leafs home game, which, conveniently, takes place on Halloween.
CTV News Toronto has reached to the team for more information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Jubilation and gunfire as Syrians celebrate the end of the Assad family's half-century rule
Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, putting an end to the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region.
Canadians turn domestic for holiday travel, with weak loonie discouraging U.S. trips
After turning abroad for holiday vacations last year, more Canadians are keeping their travel plans in-country this Christmas season due to squeezed budgets, lower domestic fares and a decisive end to the post-pandemic boom in overseas travel — and now a slumping currency.
Most Canadians would avoid buying U.S. products post-Trump tariff: Nanos survey
A majority of Canadians would be hesitant to buy U.S. goods in response to the proposed American tariff on products from Canada, according to a new survey.
Trump calls for 'immediate ceasefire' in Ukraine after meeting Zelenskyy in Paris
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, shortly after a meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders, claiming Kyiv 'would like to make a deal' to end the more than 1,000-day war.
MP Jamil Jivani meets U.S. vice president-elect amid Trump's tariff threats
A Conservative member of Parliament has tapped a longtime friendship to connect with Donald Trump's inner circle as Canada prepares for the president-elect’s return to the White House next month amid threats of devastating tariffs.
Renovations underway to return one of the last Quonset-style theatres in Canada back to former glory
Community members in the small town of Coleman, Alta. are eagerly waiting for the grand re-opening of the historic Roxy Theatre now that renovations have started.
More than 900 people died in Jonestown. Guyana wants to turn it into a tourist attraction
Guyana is revisiting a dark history nearly half a century after U.S. Rev. Jim Jones and more than 900 of his followers died in the rural interior of the South American country.
Longer careers in hockey are linked to greater risk of CTE: study
The largest study ever done on the brains of male hockey players has found the odds of getting a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries increases with each year played.
Canada 'falling so consistently short' on defence spending has hurt standing on world stage, but improving: U.S. ambassador
U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen says while Canada's defence spending is going in the right direction, the federal government's persistent failure to meet NATO targets has been damaging to the country's reputation on the world stage.