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With so many Americans on the club, including U.S. captain Auston Matthews pulling double duty, it’ll be a raucous viewing party.
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Published Feb 21, 2026 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Auston Matthews of Team United States is seen prior to practice during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Getty ImagesArticle content
Once again, the 49th Parallel will run down the middle of the Maple Leafs dressing room before, during and after a big international game.
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Canadians and Americans, seven of the latter as of Saturday, will line up behind their respective countries as they watch Sunday’s Olympic final.
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Toronto captain Auston Matthews is wearing red, white and blue in Milan to spice up the rivalry, as he did in the 4 Nations Face-Off loss to Canada a year ago.
“That’s a big deal for him over there,” said coach Craig Berube, who is moving Sunday’s practice back a bit so the team can watch the early morning game together at the Ford Centre, while a fan watch party is at Scotiabank Arena. “Having our captain being their captain and leading them this far is exciting.
“I’m cheering for our players (Swedes William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson lost to the U.S. in the quarterfinals), but I’m Canadian, too. I’m torn a bit. The games have been tight. It’s been good hockey.”
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Wisconsin-born defenceman Jake McCabe, a father of three, was delighted the province of Ontario urged public schools to show Friday’s Canada-Finland semifinal.
“My kid comes home with a Canada flag tattooed on his cheek,” McCabe said at Saturday’s practice. “I laughed about that. We’ll be wiping that one off and putting an American one on.
“I’m wearing my Matthews’ shirt (on Sunday). There’s no bigger stage than the Olympics. He’s been in USA Hockey a long time and I know a lot of buddies on that team. It’s been fun to be in this community, between the women’s and the men’s finals. We were the only ones in our neighbourhood cheering (Thursday) when the U.S. won.
“I’m pumped for Sunday. This has been meaningful to grow the game and i hope it’s getting a lot of attention at home as it is here. Once it got to the medal round, it’s been great, what all hockey fans wanted in best-on-best competition. Canada has been the benchmark for years and years so it’s nice to see we’re on par and hopefully bring home gold in a big game.”
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How divided is the locker room?
There are 12 Canadians on the Leaf roster.
“It’s pretty evenly divided in here,” Arizona winger Matthew Knies said. “But we have (Oakville’s) Scott Laughton, so I expect a lot of (Canadian) chirping,”
Two other Leafs captains have thrived on the international stage: Mats Sundin at the 2006 Olympics and Darryl Sittler at the, 1976 Canada Cup.
While the Turin Games were a setback for Canada, which lost to Switzerland in group play and Russia in the quarterfinal, Sundin’s Swedes — he among the 1990s stars wanting to exit internationally on a high — beat the Swiss, Czechs and finally the Finns.
As the Tre Kronor captain, Sundin had eight points in eight tournament games, but there was some public grousing on the home front. Though he scored 37 points in 25 games to end the NHL schedule, Toronto missed the playoffs that season.
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In 1976, it already had been an eventful calendar year for Sittler, with an NHL-record 10-point game in February and a five-goal playoff display versus Philadelphia in the spring playoffs.
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In the first Canada Cup, bringing all the world’s top NHLers together with the East Bloc Russians and Czechoslovakians, Sittler tied for second with four tournament goals.
But it was in the deciding game against the latter and their unorthodox goalie Vladimir Dzurilla that he made the most impact.
During an overtime rush, Sittler recalled the team’s pre-scout that Dzurilla liked to come far from his crease to challenge shooters and Sittler took advantage for the deke winner.
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