After Finland’s freak loss to Slovakia, the excitement surrounding what will unfold next at the greatest international stage has only grown more fervent.
Team Canada, led by Sidney Crosby and featuring some of the best NHL players, including Connor McDavid and rookie Macklin Celebrini, has all it takes to reach the pinnacle of glory at Milan-Cortina.
Fans are pumped to witness how the USA-Canada rivalry plays out in Italy. Will Crosby and company be able to avenge the Canada Women’s Hockey Team’s disappointing loss at the hands of the USA counterpart? It is only a matter of time before we find out. Meanwhile, an NHL analyst has pointed out that Auston Matthews could particularly benefit from every strong performance that Team USA puts on in Italy.
Auston Matthews Has Much to Gain from Team USA’s Dominant Showing in Milan-Cortina
While all uncritically accepted Crosby’s leadership, thanks to his record of being a two-time Olympic champion and leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to three Stanley Cup victories, when Team USA named Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Matthews, as the country’s Men’s Hockey Team’s captain in Italy, it did not receive unanimous enthusiasm from all corners.
Crosby’s leadership skills are well-established. The veteran NHL star is not just a powerhouse on the ice, but a well-respected figure in the locker room who can deftly lead his team to victory. Matthews’ leadership skills, on the other hand, have been the subject of much debate. If Team USA succeeds at the Olympics, it would go a long way toward alleviating some of the stigma attached to Matthews.
“It goes back to the, I think the leadership question and the big game gene. It’s something that has really stuck to him in Toronto. And those questions are not going to be shed if he goes quiet at, you know, on the Olympic stage,” Pete Blackburn stated in a recent appearance on Daily Faceoff.
Matthews has one more chance to prove the merit in his captaincy despite Team USA’s failure at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025. A strong performance by the team on the grandest international stage could help improve Matthews’ image. “For a guy who has got to wear the C and there was some noise around whether that was the right call, you know, I think that a win at four nations would have really, really helped his cause, but he’s got another opportunity to show up big here for team USA.”
Blackburn also argued that the Olympic appearance is not critical for Matthews alone. Many players on the roster, including Jack Hughes, should seize this opportunity to turn the narrative to their favor. “Like Jack Hughes, not healthy, but he at Four Nations was invisible and not very effective at that stage. So big, big opportunity for some of these guys to shed the, uh, the spotlight questions, the big game questions, the leadership questions.”
As Blackburn pointed out, it is not just a mere question of bringing glory to the country; for many players on the team, the stakes are personal.