The U.S. Olympic hockey team’s captain Auston Matthews delivered his best performance of the tournament against Germany, scoring two goals and adding an assist to help lead the Americans into the quarterfinals.
Matthews carries significant pressure as both captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and leader of Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Coach Mike Sullivan called Matthews’ performance against Germany inspiring to the entire group. The 28-year-old center had struggled early in the tournament but found his rhythm when it mattered most.
Matthews leads by example rather than words.
“He’s a quiet leader, but he does things the right way,” center Dylan Larkin said Tuesday. “He sacrifices offense by being on the defensive side of the puck all the time, he blocks shots, and then he rises to the occasion. There’s no one better to lead our group than him.”
The U.S. advances to face either Sweden or Latvia in the quarterfinals. Matthews sits tied for first on the team with five points through preliminary play.
His linemate Jake Guentzel defended the captain’s early tournament struggles.
“He’s been great all tournament,” Guentzel said. “You guys put a lot of heat on him for no reason. He’s just an unbelievable player and plays in all situations.”
Sullivan uses Jack Eichel as his first-line center between brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk. Having Matthews anchor the second line gives the Americans incredible depth down the middle.
Matt Boldy, who plays on Matthews’ line with Guentzel, praised his captain’s complete game.
“The way he plays the whole game defensively — winning faceoffs, he’s great down low and he’s always in the right place,” Boldy said. “The way he’s able to score and the way he’s table to play such an honest game is pretty remarkable.”
More Than Just Goals
Matthews has led the NHL in goals three times during his nine-year career. He scored 69 goals in 2023-24, but teammates focus on his defensive contributions at the Olympics.
“He does a lot of things really well, even when he’s not producing, that people might not notice,” defenseman Zach Werenski said. “Everyone’s always focused on his goal-scoring and rightfully so. He’s one of the best goal-scorers in the world. But since we’ve been here, he’s been such a leader for us the way he plays the game.”
General manager Bill Guerin kept Matthews as captain after the 4 Nations Face-Off. Guerin called Matthews “a pretty special kid” before the tournament began.
“I think the world of him,” Guerin said. “There are a lot of different ways to lead. He’s not a man of many words, but he puts it out there every night.”
Against Germany, Matthews’ pass to Werenski and goal from close range showed he’s hitting his stride. Sullivan believes Matthews’ game has improved with each contest.
“Each game I’ve felt better and better,” Matthews said. “It’s nice to kind of get rewarded like that and just continue to build your confidence individually and as a team.”
Leading Off the Ice
The Arizona native’s experience handling pressure in Toronto has prepared him for the Olympic spotlight.
“I’m sure he’s different here than with Toronto, just because it’s such an elite group in there,” forward Jack Hughes said. “(He is) a guy we look up to, to drive our group.”
Forward Vincent Trocheck said Matthews organizes team activities away from the rink. In the locker room, he leads through actions rather than speeches.
“He’s a great captain,” Trocheck said. “He doesn’t speak up a ton, but when he does you’re going to listen. I think he’s done a great job so far.”
The Americans enter the elimination round with Matthews finding his tournament form at the right time.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
