MILAN, Italy – Auston Matthews, the captain of the U.S. Men’s ice hockey team, has the opportunity to secure a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, facing off against Canada on Sunday.
Matthews, a 28-year-old center currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, was named captain of Team USA, bringing significant experience and scoring prowess to the team. He has played his entire NHL career with the Maple Leafs since being drafted in 2016, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie. He has also been recognized with the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and is a three-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy recipient. He became the first American-born captain in franchise history in 2024.
While Matthews represents the United States on the international stage, he possesses Mexican nationality through his mother, who hails from Hermosillo, Sonora. Despite this dual citizenship, he has chosen to compete for the U.S. Team.
Matthews’ path to Olympic contention began at a young age. He started playing hockey around age 5, inspired by watching the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Mammoth) with his father and uncle. Growing up in Scottsdale, Arizona, presented challenges due to the limited availability of ice rinks, but he found a consistent practice space at Arcadia Ice Arena in Phoenix. He played youth hockey with the Arizona Bobcats Midget Minor Program and the Phoenix Firebirds.
Prior to his professional career, Matthews demonstrated his talent on the international stage, winning gold medals at the World Youth Championship in both 2014 and 2015. More recently, he was a runner-up in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off at the senior level.
Throughout his NHL career, Matthews has scored 401 goals in 629 regular-season games.
The gold medal game between the United States and Canada is scheduled for Sunday, February 22, at 7:10 a.m. Mexico time. The game will be broadcast live on the Claro Sports YouTube channel.
