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The captain of the United States men’s hockey team returned to his NHL home ice — Toronto’s ScotiaBank Arena — and the Canadian faithful could have made it much worse for him on his return home.
Matthews, who helped Team USA beat Canada in the gold medal game, knew he would return north of the border at some point to continue his 2025-26 NHL season. But the recognition he received was surprisingly positive, even though he was part of the team that stunned Canada in Milan.
During a stoppage in play against the Ottawa Senators, led by Matthews’ American teammate Brady Tkachuk, the Maple Leafs paid tribute to the three players on their team who represented their country at the Milan Cortina Games.
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Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up before facing the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on February 28, 2026 in Toronto. (Mark Blinch/NHLI)
After introducing Swedish stars William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the PA arena announcer introduced the Leafs’ “gold medalist” captain Matthews, who initially received a few boos.
Then the entire arena stood to give Matthews a standing ovation as he was called out by the announcer. So instead of criticizing Matthews for what happened overseas, fans applauded their veteran captain before play resumed.
The TSN broadcast also showed Tkachuk on his Senators bench, looking up at the video board and smiling when Matthews was called.
Auston Matthews, right, of the United States, celebrates after scoring his team’s fifth goal during a men’s ice hockey preliminary match between the United States and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, February 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Mathews was among the stars of Team USA to visit President Donald Trump and the White House ahead of his State of the Union address, which sparked significant backlash and criticism.
The players stood their ground, emphasizing their American pride and why they decided to take the Air Force jet to the White House after their historic victory against Canada.
And before returning to his Canadian ice rink, Matthews and the Maple Leafs were in Tampa Bay against the Lightning, where the fans at Amalie Arena had a strong reaction to the visitor. A short ovation from Lightning fans also rained down on the ice for him.
Although Matthews enjoyed winning his gold medal, it was a difficult season for Toronto. They sit last in the Atlantic Division with a 27-24-9 record (63 points), where they have now lost three games in a row following the 5-2 loss to the Senators.
Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck during the first period against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on March 1, 2026 in Toronto. (Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Matthews had an assist in the loss, while Tkachuk did the same for his winning team. Nylander scored one of the Maple Leafs’ two goals.
