Breadcrumb Trail Links
SportsHockeyNHLToronto Maple Leafs
‘What a phenomenal tournament those guys put on and to see Auston bring home the gold, I’m super-pumped for him,’ defenceman Jake McCabe says
Get the latest from Terry Koshan straight to your inbox Sign Up
Published Feb 22, 2026 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 4 minute read
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
United States’ Auston Matthews challenges Canada’s Jordan Binnington during the men’s gold-medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. Photo by Bruce Bennett /THE ASSOCIATED PRESSArticle content
Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs teammates — Canadian and American — couldn’t have been happier for him on Sunday.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors
Article content
The Maple Leafs captain, and for the past two weeks in Milan, the captain of the United States, is bringing a gold medal back to Toronto after the U.S. beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final on Sunday at the Winter Olympics.
Article content
Article content
“It’s amazing,” defenceman Jake McCabe, a Wisconsin native, said after the Leafs practised at the Ford Performance Centre. “It’s what dreams are made of, frankly.
“What a phenomenal tournament those guys put on and to see Auston bring home the gold, I’m super-pumped for him.
“The schedule has been a lot and then to travel over there and play in meaningful and emotional games, now you have to come back and ramp it right back up.
“I’m sure he’s going to be buzzing here. He will excited to get back to us after celebrating and stepping on the gas here.”
Your Midday Sun
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play VideoSimilar experience
McCabe could relate, to a point. He was the U.S. captain when the Americans won gold at the 2013 world junior championship in Russia.
“Bit of a smaller stage,” McCabe said with a smile. “Really, I can’t put an Olympic gold into perspective. I’m sure he’s having a hard time doing that too. It’s pretty surreal.”
While Vancouver native Morgan Rielly, naturally, was cheering for Canada as most of the Leafs gathered in the dressing room at Ford to watch the game, he was thrilled for his pal Matthews. Rielly, who won gold with Canada at the 2016 world championship, acknowledged it was “bittersweet” that Canada lost, but looked at it from the Leafs’ view.
“For the Toronto Maple Leafs, that’s best-case, in my opinion. To watch your guy be the captain of an Olympic gold-medal winning team, it’s pretty cool,” he said. “If you put ‘Olympic gold medal champion’ next to your name, that adds a lot. He earned it, and he’s the captain. That whole team played really well. They were deep, you have to give it to those guys.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“We’re incredibly incredibly proud of Auston and happy for him and everything he accomplished.”
Said Leafs coach Craig Berube: “It’s great for him. We’re very happy for Auston. Congrats to him and the USA team. I thought he had a great Olympics. Big boost for him.”
Matthews will re-join the Leafs on Tuesday in Tampa, Berube said, where Toronto’s post-Olympics games start on Wednesday against the Lightning.
There was an Olympic flavour at practice on Sunday, as defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was back on the ice with the Leafs. For Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander, the Olympics came to an end last Wednesday when Sweden lost to the U.S. in the quarterfinals.
“It was great getting to hang out with all the Swedish guys and battle with them and the experience in the village, the food and everything around it was pretty special,” Ekman-Larsson said of his time in Milan.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Berube said Nylander will skate on his own on Monday during an off-day for the Leafs before joining the team for practice on Tuesday.
There’s a bit of a repeat of history, as Matthews’ gold comes 20 years after Mats Sundin, at the time the captain of the Leafs, had the C on his sweater for Sweden as it beat Finland in the gold-medal match at the Olympics in Turin.
“It’s so special to feel this feeling, play for your country, to do it in this kind of fashion, I don’t even know what to say,” Matthews told rinkside reporter Kyle Bukauskas after the game. “It’s unbelievable.”
Matthews had his fingerprints on the U.S. victory.
The 28-year-old assisted on the Americans’ first goal of the game, by Matt Boldy at 6:00 of the first period.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Immediately before Cale Makar scored the tying goal late in the second period, the U.S. couldn’t control the puck after Matthews took a defensive-zone faceoff against Canada’s Bo Horvat.
In six games in Milan, Matthews had three goals and four assists.
Redemption for Matthews
The win for the U.S. comes a year after Canada triumphed in the championship match of the 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston. Matthews was on the ice when Mitch Marner set up Connor McDavid for the winning goal in overtime.
The victory should help put aside, from a mental standpoint and for the time being, the failures Matthews has had in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Leafs.
Now, we’ll see whether Matthews can take the emotions of standing atop the world in a best-on-best competition and keep that momentum going for the Leafs.
With the Leafs facing must-win games right away, considering their six-point deficit in the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Matthews will have to be in the driver’s seat.
“There are lots of guys that have a lot on their shoulders, and for Auston to go over there and do that … we don’t control the narrative,” Rielly said. “But I hope for him that he can jump on that plane and come home and feel proud of himself. He deserves that.”
Article content
Share this article in your social network