Auston Matthews and the US Olympic team won gold this Sunday over Team Canada in a nail-biting game that went down to the wire. Despite Canada leading 48-24 in shots, Jack Hughes of the US got it done just under two minutes into the three-on-three overtime. The loss was tragic for Canadians who rose early for the game across the country and had their hearts set on gold. This was more than a game for many Canadians.
This week, the Leafs are set to play three games, starting tonight in Tampa. The Leafs won't play at home until this Saturday against Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators. Discussion is circulating on whether or not the Leafs will have a pre-game celebration for Matthews and his gold medal, or if it should even happen at all. Afterall, this would be shown to a live crowd and at-home audience of heartbroken Canadians, whose wounds are still fresh from the loss. Not to mention William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who came up short, also in an overtime loss to the Americans in the quarter-final. The reception of Toronto fans is somewhat unpredictable for this complicated situation. Gold medalists Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson of the Senators will also be in the arena, adding injury to insult in the event of an American tribute.
Matthews deserves to celebrate his accomplishment, as he most definitely has been, but it's hard to ignore what this win represents. The Toronto captain has not been able to lead the Leafs to playoff success past the second round and is often criticized for “low effort” periods throughout the season. Athletes experiencing rough patches is of course, understandable, but Matthews isn’t an average player; he is a star and leader who is held to a higher standard. His attitude and energy have also been questioned over the years.
Auston Matthews: "It's been a whirlwind 72 hours. I mean, you guys have seen the videos (🙂). There hasn't been a whole lot of sleep, but I'm feeling good ... obviously it's important to me to be back here with my teammates & to have a good push here"https://t.co/hiIkKRQ5jk
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 25, 2026
The 28-year-old put up three goals and four assists in the six Olympic games. He played on the world stage with some of the best in the world, so it's not surprising that the team found success. The question is whether the gold medal momentum will propel Matthews and the Leafs to a successful remaining season and playoff run, or if he is content with just the Olympic championship.
Tonight, Matthews will play his first game back with the Leafs, as Toronto resumes their season in Tampa.