The Toronto Maple Leafs could have several representatives at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. William Nylander is on the roster for Sweden. John Tavares might get a call for Team Canada. Matthew Knies could wear the stars and stripes.
But there’s one player who could lead his country to a medal. That’s Auston Matthews. During last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Matthews was captain of Team USA. He played a good all-around tourney despite not setting the scoresheet on fire.
Like other stars, he was playing hurt. It would have been better for Matthews to sit out the 4 Nations. However, that tournament, as successful as it was, became the precursor to the Olympics.
The desire to play in a best-on-best tourney is just too much for NHLers to pass up. That’s why anyone selected for the Olympics won’t be skipping the tournament. As Chris Johnston noted in his November 25 mailbag in The Athletic, there’s a fat chance the Toronto Maple Leafs captain will skip the Olympics.
Johnston wrote:
“It can’t be overstated how important getting back to the Olympics was for NHL players. As a result, I don’t think you’d find anyone willingly taking a pass on a trip to Milan in February – whether it’s Matthews or any other player currently sidelined from his NHL team with an injury.”
In fact, Matthews isn’t the only player in question for the American side. Besides the Maple Leafs star, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk are all dealing with injuries now.
Despite the injury woes, all have vowed they’ll be ready for the Olympics. Getting, however, isn’t quite that simple.
Maple Leafs Would Benefit from Matthews Skipping Olympics
Looking at the situation from the Maple Leafs’ lens, the team would be much better off if all of its stars skipped the Olympics. Of course, that assessment is predicated on the Leafs being a playoff team come next February.
The Maple Leafs would benefit from having their stars take time off and recover from the grind of the NHL season. Matthews, in particular, would be well-suited to take some time off and heal from whatever’s been plaguing him.
Then again, the same would go for Tavares, Knies, and Nylander. Unfortunately, there is zero chance of that. The Olympics are such a unique opportunity that, if selected, neither of these players will pass on representing their native countries on the world’s biggest stage.
Point Could Be Moot if Leafs out of Playoffs
This entire conversation could be moot if the Maple Leafs are well out of a playoff spot by February. Based on the current trend, that’s entirely possible. According to MoneyPuck, the Maple Leafs have an 8.7% of making the playoffs this season. So, if the Leafs are out of the playoff hunt by then, would it matter if Matthews and company went to Italy?
Ultimately, the decision lies with each player. But in the grander scheme of things, star players may be better off staying put lest they risk aggravating injury issues. That won’t happen, especially since it’s been over a decade since NHLers went to the Olympics.
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