Auston Matthews and Team USA ended a 46-year Olympic drought. The last time the United States took home gold in hockey was back in 1980 at the Lake Placid Games.
Yes, the US came close many times. There was 2002 and then 2010. In particular, those Vancouver Games were especially painful. The US lost to Sidney Croby’s Golden Goal.
Nearly five decades later, the American side, led by Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, recaptured gold. Jack Hughes’ overtime winner avenged Crosby’s heartbreaker. While this gold medal was hardly a miracle, Matthews might need one to end another long drought.
The 28-year-old now has a major championship under his belt. When anyone questions his ability to come up big in big games, he can point to that gold medal. However, his legacy won’t be complete until he wins a Stanley Cup.
To be clear, that’s a Cup with any team. Matthews’ legacy doesn’t necessarily mean winning a Cup in Toronto. But if he does win a Cup in Toronto, Matthews will go down as one of the true hockey greats.
But there’s a caveat. Matthews didn’t single-handedly win the gold medal for the US. He had a star-studded team around him. After all, how many clubs can afford to have Jack Hughes on their fourth line?
That said, the biggest obstacle to winning a Cup with the Maple Leafs will be the cast around him. Unless Matthews can get the support he needs, ending the Leafs’ 58-year championship drought will be more fiction than reality.
Matthews may need to leave Toronto to win Stanley Cup
Prior to the Olympics, Auston Matthews doubled down on his commitment to the Maple Leafs. It could be that this Olympic medal could help assuage his desire for a championship, at least for now.
But the reality is that NHL players compete first and foremost for the Stanley Cup. Sure, Olympic gold is nice. But until Matthews wins a Cup, his entire resume won’t be complete. And for that to happen, he may need to leave Toronto.
The Maple Leafs don’t have the cast of characters necessary to go on a prolonged playoff run. Of course, there’s always the possibility that an inspired Matthews lifts the Leafs to a miraculous run. Perhaps the entire team around him believes they can do it after seeing Matthews win.
Unless that actually materializes, the easiest path for Matthews will be to go elsewhere to win a Cup. That’s a conversation that may not come up until the summer of 2027, when Matthews will be eligible for a contract extension.
In the meantime, Matthews and the Maple Leafs will have the remainder of this season in front of them. It’s worth pointing out that things can change in a heartbeat. Who knows, there may be another miracle on the way, but on Canadian, not American ice.